The Hawaiian gazette., 1910-12-16
KEEFE'S REMARKS
CAUSE COMMENT
Spanish LabOrerS Sought by the
immigration Commission
Filipinos Here.
tFrom Wednesdays AdvertIser.l

CFrum Wednesdays Advertlser.I
The comments of Commissioner Gen
eral Keefe upon labor conditions in Ha-
waii has aroused the greatest interest,
dealing, as they do, with one of the
most important problems which the
and lowering prices in the plantation
stores, the opinion is that this matter
is more or less a foreign one to the i'm
migration bureau and will regulate it.
self according to supply and demand.
In direct line with the expressed be- |
planters face But in general the men
who are directly interested in the solv-
ing of these problems refuse to com.
nit themselves in face of the remarks
made by the commissioner.
So far as the immigration of Fill
pinos is concerned the idea is that they
are at this time too small a factor to
be seriously considered, especially fol.
lowing the criticisms made by Mr.
Keefe upon them as possible citizens.
Regarding the question of raising wages
liefs of Commissioner Keefe regarding
the coming of European laborers are the
efforts now being made by the immigra-
tion commission, of which E. H. Wode
house is chairman.
Spanish Laborers, Too.
In connection with the work of the
commission along this line Mr.. Wode
house yesterday stated that the com
mission was concentrating its efforts
upon securing Spanish and Portuguese
laborers.
"Plans were made to bring both
Spanish and Portuguese laborers here, -
said Mr.. Wodehouse yesterday. "But
the fact is that with the revolution in
Portugal and the cholera scare, we are
up against it. We believe that the
Spanish and Portuguese are desirable
laborers and Doctor Clark, as our ex-
ecutive, is arranging to bring them
here. AS for the Filipinos, we have
nothing whatever to do with them and
are not considering them"
Speaking of the Filipino immigrant,
and the part he plays in the economic
problems in these Islands, William Pfo-
tenhauer, vice-president of II. Hackfeld
& Co., Ltd, is genial optimist.
Filipinos Satisfactory.
"I was not present at the meeting
addressed by COmmissioner-Genera
Keefe' said Mr.. Pfotenhauer yester
day, "'but it is known that President
Taft believes the coming of the Fill
pinos to these Islands will be a benefit
10 them. 1t means to them learning
habits of work. so that when they re-
turn to their. homes they will be better
citizens. There it is hard to get the
Filipino to work. while here they are
giving satisfaction. They are good
workers and stick to their tasks and
are well cared for.
"We must have the labor on the
| plantations to harvest the crops, it is
an absolute necessity, and now that
the Chinese and japanese immigrants
have stopped coming we must seek
other sources for labor. President Taft
realizes the benefits to all concerned
. in the coming of the Filipinos TO Ha-
) wall, he is interested in their we'll
being and that here they will learn to
work and better their conditions.
Closed Meeting.
E. D. Tenney, of Castle s. Cooke, ex-
pressed the opinion that as the news
, paper men were excluded from the
meeting at which Mr.. Keefe spoke it
would not be courteous for him to criti-
/
/. the discussion was.
"But you reporters seem to have got.
, ten it anyway" he remarked, cal
though it was not all correct"
f. Faxon Bishop started for Hawaii
early yesterday, and while the ques-
tions brought up are matters of general
discussion by those interested, the latter
prefer to await the return of Commits
sioner Keefe before making any com,
ment for publication.
OF special interest at this time is the
report of the immigration commission,
recently submitted 10 congress, and now
made public here for the first time. The
following mail dispatch from Wash.
: ington is to the point:
WASHINGTON, December 5.-Senti.
mental considerations in restricting i'm
migration should be waived in lien OF
= the economic problems arising from ad.
, verse effects ON wages and living con.
ditions which the many aliens have had
t, IN recent years by their entry into
basic industries according TO the final
report of the immigration commission
transmitted 10 congress today The
commission unanimously urges the re-
ductlou of unskilled labor immigration.
Tho present immigration move.
mont Says tho report 'is iu large
measure due 10 economic causes, but
? emigration from Europe is not now ana
Z absolute rcpnomie utrcssiiY and, bs "a
D rule. those who emigrate 40 the urilnd
states 1m impsllti by % desire f5f