Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-07-08

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.
Washington, July 9:-Conditions
akin to slavery In the Hawaiian ISL
ands are pictured in a memorial
asking for an investigation submit
ted by Samuel Gompers, president of
the American Federation of Labor,
to the Department of Commerce and
Labor.
Sugar planters acting through the
Hawaiian government, Gompers
charges, have been Turing peasants
from Hardin, in the interior of ST.
IBERIA, to the islands. Russian and
Hawaiian agents are engaged In the
work. They recruit peasants, Com
pers says, by attractive pamphlets
and in these and by other means
promising the peasants wages of $45
a month, free houses, fuel, electric
light, furniture, an acre Of land each
for gardens, evening schools, free
hospitals, half pay during sickness.
free railroad fares and free school
for children.
A delegation of 300 deluded ST.
berians went to the islands last
October and the total number that
yielded to the lure Of the sugar
p'ohtCiS 10 oNcl IsOOV. htll OAPCl
fence is thus set forth by Gompers:
Instead of all the comforts above
described, the people found wooden
shanties, without roofs, the floors
made of rough boards, set apart
with wide crevices. The furniture
consisted of a few benches, a table
and a few beds; instead of the prom
ised electric light, kerosene lamps
were to be used, the oil to be sup
piled by the men themselves; the
fuel consists of the roots of sugar
cane, which the men were to carry
from three to sever miles. Coal Is
a great luxury, which Is but seldom
Instead of the free ~transporta-
ton to and from work, the men had
to walk to the place of work at a
distance of five miles, and the time
consumed was not included in the
working day ~lateness by five to ten
minutes was punished by a deduc-
ton of a quarter of a days pay; the
wages are $22 a month for men and
$13 for women.
1.-The men are compelled to buy
Ill their provisions in the plantation
at such exorbitant prices that
hey exceed the earnings due and
hey become the debtors of the
planters.
"In short the conditions are such
IS would establish a condition of
)eonage.
"After three months Of suffering
ind quiet submission, having spent
lot only their seant earnings, but
he money they brought with them,
called from the sale of their real
property and other belongings at
lome, the men revolted; they left
he plantations and went to Honolu-
u with a view of informing the
american government, through its
egularly constituted authorities,
1.-THE people looked for work else
here, but could find none.
1.-THE governor of the territory
'as informed by a delegation sent
y the men of the unbearab1e condi-
ons, but the only answer that they
aceived from the governor was that
hey were to return to the planta-
ons, and a promise to imrove the
5nauians of their life was made.
1.-THE people returned to work,
ut found no fulfllment of any of
he promises made, and the people
egan to appeal for assistance from
he outside world.
1.-THE people ros in protest, and
hey were driven from the planta-
Some have found employ
nent working ON Japanese vessels.
Hundreds of others were left
,readless and homeless, all Of them
been driven from their shan
les, their belongings having been
out into the open fields.
They have sent two delegates to
70 to Washington; IN their way
hese delegates stopped at the I'M
)erial Russian Consulate at San
and there they were as
by the consul that there was
10 necessity for them to go to Wash
advising them to return to
the consul having re-
erred them to a Russian representa-
i've, one Kerberg, who, he assured
hem, would take a r of their griev-
and remedy all wrongs.
1.-THE men returned, but nothing
vas done for the people, and the
,wners of the plantations evidently
ook another course to drive the
into submission. 1t started
With the arrest of their three lead
RS, A. Vasilieff, Biloff and Surupoff,
Who, charged with vagrancy, were
sentenced to three months impris-
,nment; then came ten more arrests
or alleged vagrancy, and six of
hem were sentenced to six months
Imprisonment.
cat the time Vasilieff was arrest
ID the people rose in indignation,
an explanation for the
lrrest of their leader, but they were
,rutally attacked by the police bru-