Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1910-06-04
CALIFORNIA IS
SRYsON LABOR
FARMERS SAY THAT
JAPANESE ARE BEST
Sons Of Nippon Are Acquiring Land
and Going Extensively Into
Fruit Growing-Hindu Labor.
ASSOCIATED Press. /,


SACRAMENTO, tCal.), May 29.-
Some form of unskilled labor, such as
is now presented by the Japanese. is
essential for the continuance and de-
velopment of the specialized agricul-
tural Industries of California.
This Is the broad conclusion OF the
report OF the State Labor Commits
sioner just submitted to the Govern
or, on the Japanese In California
and which was prepared after over
year of careful field work by a
corps OF special agents among the
farms employing Japanese. The inves-
tigation was authorized by act OF
Legislature Just after the anti-Jap-
anese agitation in California in
190S-1909, and the report consists
OF over 100000 words exclusive OF
mass of tabulated statistics.
The so-called Oriental problem in
this state is thoroughly discussed in
the report and after searching in
quiry Into all economic and social
conditions finds that some form OF
unskilled labor, capable OF lndepen-
dent subsistence. quick mobilization
and ertailing no responsibility upon
the employer for continuous employ
ment. is absolutely necessary to Ca
l\fornia's field orchard, and vine
yard industries II these vast enter
prises are 10 be perpetuated and de-
yeloped. The report is OF the opin-
ion that the japanese are second
only to the Chinese in meeting these
requirements.
As TO the complaints heard against
J the japanese In the districts In
which they are employed in great
numbers, the report states that they
arise largely from the attempts of
the laborers to secure higher wages.
II is pointed out, however, that
there are few complains OF this char
acter except In such districts as are
dominated by the Japanese laborers
by virtue OF their numbers and the
almost absolute dependence OF the
growers upon them for the harvest
ing of the crops In the short time
tho seasons allow for the work. The
average duration OF employment on
farms is less than two months In
the year. In this connection the
report points out that the Japanese
have learned that they can make
much more money out OF contract la
boring than working for daily wag-
es. The rough average wage in the
fields, orchards and vineyards is CIV
ell at approximately $3.50 per day
Under the contract system the la
borers are able to make from s4.0U
TO $500 per day. From this they
have passed TO more liberal form
of contract, working together on
shares; to growing crops ON ground
held by them under cash rental and
in comparatively isolated instances,
to actual ownership of the land.
japanese ambition" says the re-
port, ito progress beyond mere SER
Witty to the place OF the better class
of American workmen. to own a
home, to operate industries, to be
master and not slave, is of the same
quality as that OF the Italian. the
Swiss, the Portuguese. the Russian
with whom he completes, and Is In line
with the ambition OF that type OF
American who will not compete win
him. The moment that this ambi'
ton is exercised. that moment the
Japanese ceases TO he an ideal lab
orer." fty
or the character OF the japanese
laborer and his desire for an Anne
rican education, the report speaks
In high terms or the responsibillt,
and reliability of the japanese, con
tractors. small contractors, sub
bosses or laborers, the. report states