The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-03-31
EARNING Out Prisoners

! HlLO, March Z6.-Ihe hilO police
officials, who benefit from the prison
or farming usage, and Deputy County
Attorney Heen appear to be the only
ones who are in favor of continuing
that survival of ancient official laxity.
! SO far many expressions of opinion
have been heard from various sources,
supporting Judge Wise in his attack
on this abuse, and the Hilo Labor
Union has even called upon the legis-
lature to pass a law putting a stop
thereto.
The matter was brought up at the
meeting of the Labor Union last We'd
nesday evening by c. B. Makanui, who
called attention to the fact that gang
of prisoners was being employed by
the Board of Health authorities on
the cleaning up of the Waiolama
canal.
After discussion, the following res
olution was introduced by Imaiwi and
passed:
uG AlllO 1<dDOl OulOu BlGlCCb 1loCAl
on record as being opposed to the
farming out of prisoners to officials
and private parties as has been the
case heretofore. The Labor Union
does hereby express itself in support
of the stand taken by the District
Magistrate of South Hilo in condemn
ing this practice.
Resolved by the Hilo Labor Union
that the legislature of the Territory Of
Hawaii be respectfully requested to
enact a law to this effect"
Don't Want Filipinos.
The Union also came out in favor Of
the Alfonso resolution in regard to
Filipino labor, it being claimed that
one reason why there was no money
for the county road work lay in the
fact that large sums of the revenue
had to be spent on the maintenance
of hordes of Filipino prisoners.
c. B. Makanui offered the following
resolution, which passed:
Whereas, at the opening of the 9Th
Session of the Legislature of the Ter
ritory of Hawaii, the Honorable G. i
Alfonso has introduced a resolution
calling for an investigation of Filipino
laborers in Hawaii, whether they are
desirable class or not; and
Whereas, in view Of the fact that
the legislature has appointed a com.
mittee to look into the facts of the
, case and make its report to that hon
orable body during this session; and
Whereas, in view of the fact that
when Daniel J. Keefe, Commissioner
of Labor, was in Hawaii some time age
he gave out a resume of the fact
which he had gathered through hi,
} personal investigation Of said matter
\ by commenting: That the Filipino
9 immigrants as laborers are worthless
D as material for citizens, half-sicl,
dirty, etc.; and
g I'm view of the fact that the abovt
. statement made by COMMISSIONS
Keefe was true in all respects, whicI
could easily be proven by referrini
!, this matter to the Hilo Jail authorities
who can show that at the presen
time there are more than one hundre
of this undesirable class of laborer
= in the lookup, who rely mainly upo
the County of Hawaii to support ther
at the expense of the tax payers.
BE it Resolved, That the Labo
Union does hereby respectfully re
quest the Legislature Of the Territor
of Hawaii to take such action as
may see fit to prohibit same from en-
tering into the Territory of Hawa
as laborers, and that more desirab
class of laborers could be importe
- who would Americanize this Teri
- tory"
%. Hllo Railroad Franchise Bonds.
d. Hilo Tribune: 1t is gratifying
learn that the Senate has recognize
the sentiment of the Hilo communi
by inserting in the franchise bill pr
. vision calling for the furnishing of
Dond 10 insure the constructor of
u railway line. It is to be hoped the
q no matter which of the franchise bill
u is passed, it will contain such claus
u when it finally becomes law, and TIL
% the clause will be carefully drafted
n such manner that it will give II
community the protection it asks f,
against potential high finance fiy-b
IL nights.
& The bill should state how and
whom the bond should be approve
and should designate definite met
u cd for it's forfeiture in order that tee
n nical legal squabbles may be avoid,
in such an event. Furthermore,
[5 would be practically useless to call +
Il. O.. L.