The Hawaiian star., 1910-03-05

the University of California and oc-
cupying himself in writing for the
press, prepared in September of that
year a plan for getting higher wages
for those Japanese plantation labor
ers who worked by the month for
Japanese who had planting contracts.
Sheba, editor of the Japanese news
paper, the Hawaii Shinpo of Homo
lulu, declined to publish the article
on the ground that it was an inop-
portune time to stir up agitation on
the subject among the laborers and
that it would be better to make an
effort to induce the planters them
selves to advance the wages of this
class of labor after certain questions
affecting Cuban sugar and Japanese
immigration were disposed of. Ne
goro believed, however, that the time
had come to arouse Japanese on the
subject and that 1t was not fair that
the contractors only were doing well
or that those who worked for them
could obtain good wages for efficiency
but that all should receive a higher
monthly wage, requiring of course a
higher wage for contractors as we'll
The object of Negoro appears to have
been to arouse discomfort among la
borers employed by contractors and
then persuade them to demand and
insist upon an increase of wages. Be-
ing unable to induce Sheba to pub
lish his article he got It published in
the Nippu Jill, a Honolulu newspaper
edited by the defendant Soga, the de-
PENDANTS Tasaka and Negoro, accord
ing to one witness for the prosecu-
tion, although denied by them, being
then or later an assistant editors.
The article, entitled How about
the Higher wages published in the
Nippu Jill of July 81, 1908, begins.
I'VE regret that the, wages in Ha-
waii are disproportionally low in com.
parison with the large profits" and
presents an argument why the Jap
anese government should interpose,
''for the Japanese government is well
aware that it's subjects are not born
to be slaves of the capitalists of Ha
wall" saying: Cane contractors ia.
panese) are making profits and 6
large number of them are returning
to Japan, thus diminishing the mum
| Der of laborers." The prohibition
of immigration to Hawaii, says the
article, "is an act silently demanding
! higher wages and we endorse it;
adding "The Japanese laborers wnt
are placed in the position of slave!
by reason of the prohibition of I'm
migration to America do not hav
courage to ask for higher wages;
then going on to urge that the ia
panese government taking great com
age itself, should request the Amer
can government to dissolve the pre-
hibition of emigration OF Hawaiia
Japanese to the mainland The tim
is ripe. Though the Hawaiian imm
grants do not say it IN so many word
it is their hope of years and thei
silent prayer that they recover TIL
lost liberty of choosing and changin
their place of abode, and become
full fiedged man and to be in a pos
tion to earn a just reward for thei
labor"
But there is evidence that Negoro'
plan soon assumed a somewhat di
ferent form. He testified Up. 5S5 TT
that at the time that Sheba decline
his article he himself "was not yer
earnest" but a few weeks afte
while in the Office of the Daily Chr
nicle "a Japanese newspaper in HI
nolulu), the higher wage questio
was discussed, "and 1 think wa
the proposer. 1 said the wages is tc
low and we should have higher wage
for the Japanese laborers," but TsuT
shima planted himself upon the CO
: tract system" and refused to ego in
the movement or urge the NOV
ment," saying that the Japanese we
very much nowadays going into i
dependent industries" many of the
raising cane on contract and begi
, ming to permanently reside in H
waii; that this was "a very good te
/ dency in order to encourage the pc
= pie to get into Independent trade
and raising cane by contract Is
. very good opening for the Japane
laborers;" and that if wages of CO..
. mon laborers were increased to sa
$26, it would be more profitable thi
y raising cane by contract and jar
j nese, in place of being cane contrt
&c tors would became a dependent ella
s. of laborers; therefore he opposed t