Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1910-07-01
Write GOMPERS
ON RUSSIANS
Labor Union OF Hilo Also
'ReSentS Lyman'S
Criticism
Especial Bulletin Correspondence. }
Hilo, Hawaii, June %.

~ Tue ttuh. odulutl pOiliDtIs, fTts-
ident, Federation OF Labor, Wash
iugton. d. c.
Dear Sir:--Thls is my first letter
of introduction to you, aud on be-
half Of the Hilo Labor Union, am
Instructed to communicate to you
and express our high appreciation OF
the stand taken by you 10 regard to
the planters who are making virtual
slaves Of the Russians In the Terri.
tory of Hawaii. We cooperate with
YOU in the opinion that the plant
ers should deport them at their own
expense.
The labor conditions In this Ter
ritory are such that the country Is
flooded with Asistic laborers, which
leaves no chanse for an American
citizen to work ON these plantations
for a living wage, and In order to
protect the American working man
we have organized a union Of about
two hundred members. We are
looking with the expectation to the
future as to the continued growth
OF our labor movement upon which
rests our destiny for freedom, OF
hope. and high aspirations. the cul-
tivatlon of all which is best and no
blest In the human family. We sin
cerely hope that the labor organlza-
ton on the mainland will take an
active part in demonstrating the la
Dor problem OF this Territory. II
is the aim of this union to Join with
the longshoremen OF San. Francisco
aud fight for the principles of labor
and to extend the hand Of friend
ship To all in the. effort to bring
about success and happiness.
Hoping the desire OF the Hllo
Labor Union will be clear TO you, |
beg to remain, yours very respect
fully, ....
SECRETARY, HILo LABOR
UNION" ra ..t.
The above is the text of the let.
ter which the Hilo Labor Union will
send to Gompers. II was read at the
meeting of the organization which
was held at Firemen's Hall last Fri
day evening, and was adopted. Z.
A letter from Supervisor Lyman,
which appeared in the public press,
aud in which the leaders of the
union were scored AS agltators on
account of their kick for tn. zen
forcement of the eight-hour ella, se
Ia nd
test against the using of prisoners
on road work, was read to the meet
Ing.
Chairman EwalIko made the fol-
lowing answer;
Fellow members OF the union, ]
would ask you to hear me In con-
nection with some OF the attacks
which have been published in the
Hawaii Herald of June 30, 1910,
against the officers OF this union by
member of the Board, OF Super.
visors, in regard to the unions at
titude on tho >ight-hour clause, as
such attacks were made without any
foundation at all. There are some PEI
culisr NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. which exist
In the minds Of some men regard
ing the labor movement. IL seems
10 me that | can render no better
service than to clear up these false
attacks, and after they have been
cleared up, we shall be In better
position to say that We can go along
hand In hand In the production and
the distribution OF the wealth OF
our country. just want to say a
word In regard to these attacks In
we are 'agitators' -
From the time when | organized
the union. you all know that | am
hard. working man In this town
of Hilo, and was SO before obtain
ed my present official position as a
clerk and Interpreter OF the Board
OF Supervisors. | am an advocate OF
every mans doing his level best. and
am not an agitator. think that
the American working man in this
town should not only organize and
demald, the best possible conditions
obtabidbie, but I believe that he
should ,gjye In return the very best
akyS f4Ik OF which ,hB is capable.
But want to enter my emphatic
protest against this constant use OF
the term, agltator'
There is no truth or foundation
for such criticism. As matter OF
fact, this union did not take the at
titude of crlticlzlng the action OF
the Board of Supervisors. We sim
ply take and discuss matters within
the Jurisdiction OF this union. II is
the duty OF the officers OF this union
to size up the trouble with their
fellow men, aud we are demanding
the road work of this county, to
which we are so large contributors,
We want TO exDsnd our opportuni-
ties for our own lives and those OF
our children that we and they may
In their time be in a better position
10 protect and advance their inter-
ests In the battle OF life.
II want TO say TO you fellow men