The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-01-03
some MORE OBSERVATIONS
Of RAY STANNARD BAKER

has shaken their confidence in their
safety under the American law.
Under such conditions, of course,
the strike failed Daniel J.. Keefe,
national commissioner of immigra-
ton, who recently made an investi-
cation of conditions in Hawaii, says:
81 was informed that, during The
strike, the planters were able to pro
cure, without any great effort, a sufii-
cient number of natives, whites and
others, to handle their crops in a sat
isfactory manner, but were compelled
to pay S1.5O per day for all male help
so employed However, as soon as
peace was restored, the strikers were
reinstated in their former positions,
as their wages were only about forty
seven per cent of those paid the
strike breakers. was informed that
the Hawaiians who had been en-
ployed during the strike offered to
work steadily if the managers would
pay them $l25 per day, which offer
was refused The men then made an
offer of their services for SOD per
day. This, too, the planters declined
to consider"
But in this strike the aJpanese dis
played to remarkable degree their
ability to organize and to contribute
heavily toward a common cause. Over
$4,000 was raised and sent by the
Japanese in the other islands to the
strikers in Oahu.
The planters, indeed have now
reached the point where they are
willing to employ all the devices of
legislation, not only to get laborers,
but to force them to remain in the
islands. OF the methods pursued un-
der the leadership of one of the fore
most lawyers of the islands, Mr.. w.
A. Kinney, ! have a vivid illustration
just as | was leaving Honolulu.
Quite number of Filipinos had pur-
chased tickets and were about to de-
part for California. Just before sail
ing, officers came aboard and arrested
several of these men and took them
ashore with their bags and belong
ings. The same methods were pur-
sued in the case of another ship
which departed on the same day.
Blacker looks of anger and disappoint-
ment I have rarely seen on mems
faces than / saw on the faces of these
men.
l made immediate inquiry and
found that these men were not wanted
for any crime or misdemeanor what.
ever, but were arrested as witnesses
to appear against an immigration
agent who was in Hawaii recruiting
laborers for Alaska, just as agents of
Hawaii have long been in other coun,
tries recruiting laborers OF course,
it was a mere barefaced device to pre-.
vent the Filipinos from getting away
from Hawaii.
A few days later, it was discovered
that a vessel-the Senator-had come
to the islands especially to take away
workmen-mostly Filipinos. A man
named Frank Craig, an immigration
agent. although he held a license
from the Territory, was arrested and
locked up. Then the planters inter.
ests went to the legislature, which
was then in session, and demanded
the passage of a new and stronger
law to prevent the activities of immi
grafton agents, In the meantime the
Senator lowered in the offing like
some pirate vessel. A large number
of Filipinos were there and wanted Ia
go. They were free men, and yet
they were watched and detained by
the authorities. Nevertheless, a hun
dred or more of them, escaping the
vigilance of Mr. Kinney and his
forces, embarked in small boats in
the night and succeeded in reaching
the Senator and in sailing for San
Francisco.
OF course, the planters felt ag
grived; they had paid high prices fol-
bringing in the Filipinos and they
needed workmen-but this was q
plain, bold attempt to constrain the
rights of free men by the use of the
machinery of the law.
In the meantime the Legislature
was being pressed to pass immediate
laws to prevent the recurrence of any
such incident as that of the Senator
The following law was finally en-
acted; Quotes the law
First, tangle the ignorant workman
up with a contract oral or written
and then make it criminal offense Il
offer him a better job outside of fla
wall than ne has in Hawaii Alread!
a young Filipino named Alvarado nai
been sentenced to a year i'm prison