The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1910-08-08

The return to the Philippines of
Mr.. Q. A. Steven, Of the Hawaiian
Sugar Planters Association, has again
given the press Of these islands an OPP
portunity to air their views regarding
the emigration Of Filipino laborers to
Hawaii Following is what the Phil
ippine Free Press mas to say on the
subject:
Mr.. steven, general agent for the
Hawaiian planters association, is quot
ed in a Hongkong paper as saying that
to date 5000 Filipino laborers have
been sent TO Honolulu and that he ex-
poets within the next three years there
will be sent 1900 more.
1T seems somewhat anomalous that
we should have the Mindoro Plantation
and Development Company despairingIy
declaring that it is impossible to obtain
Filipino labor while the agent of what
may be called foreign company comes
in and gathers up 1900 laborers right
under the AIindoro companys nose
The anomaly is probably explained =
some extent by tine refusal of the man
ager OF the Mindoro company 10 avail
himself Of the men who offer y en-
selves as labor contractors at so mu I'll
per head on delivery and demand The
right to handle the wages of the m.r.
With this attitude OF the Mindoro
company S manager we are in hearty
sympathy and it is to be commended,
but at the same time 1t UNNECESSARILY
increases the difficulty of obtaining la
Dor. The Hawaiian labor agent also
has the advantage of dispensing with
the services of these gobetweens the
moment the laborers are delivered and
paid for, with no fear of interference
later.
''The opinion has been expressed
that the attitude of the Filipino press
in warning its people not to accept
work from the Mindoro company has
exerted considerable influence in pro
hibiting labor. but the same press has
warned the laboring classes in even
more strenuous terms against going to
Honolulu ana apparently with little or
no effect.
''The prospect Of losing 10000 labor
ers is not Il pleasant one, but there APP
pears to be nothing less than to grin
and bear it, As an alternative. how
would it do to carry the war into the
enemv's camp ana try and import labor
from Hawaii?'
Another explanation of the anomaly
than the one given by the editor of
the Free Press, is probably the higher
wage offered, and other lucrative in
ducements held out, by the Hawaiian
planters. The editor of the Free Press
should not let the fact, that what
nav be termed a foreign company
in gettiHg laborers for the
plantations in Hawaii. turn his hair
grav. nor is there any occasion for
weeping with the crocodile because the
islands are going to lose 10000 laborers
there is rather cause to rejoice at the
prospect of all these unemployed Fit
ninos finding profitable employment
and getting well paid for their work,
and shifted into a sphere of industry
where the environment has the effect
u converting them INFO ambitious ana
nscfnl members of society. Twenty
thousand emigrants is equivalent to the
annual increase in the population Of
the Island of Cebu- according TO eStl-
mates made bv Speaker Osmena--so the
loss of that number Of laborers is no
cause for alarm. Of course. if he. edl-
Tor of the Free Press wants TO grin. no
body is going to stop him from doing
50. and we are sure that the people of
Hawaii have not the slightest objection
TO his carving out his excellent scheme
S-4