Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-09-13


industry upon. the, mainland has in the
past been wiIllng to disregard the eco
homie demand for cheap labor. In con-
'sideration of what are at least partly
civic motives in securing more costly
labor, TO the same extent as have the
Hawaiian planters.
They are willing, without reserve, to
employ all the Caucasion workers that
the government can bring to the fsi-
ands at wage one-third larger than
they pay for nearly as efficient labor
brought from Asia.
Senator Reed. The language OF
that report you adopt as your own?
Mr. Ballou. / do.
Senator Reed What report is that?
Mr.. Ballou 1t is a report of the
commissioner by special agent he
sent out there, whose name was Vic
tor Clark.
Senator Reed You put that in as
the position of the planters. ] want
ito call attention to another report
that was suppressed by the last adj
ADMINISTRATION, and on the same point. l
read as follows:
1.-THE sugar growers have not en-
|tfrely recovered from the scare given
them by the strike of less than two
years ago, and would like to bring into
the islands large numbers of Filipin0s
Tor other cheap labor to create q SUR
plus so that in the event of any future
misunderstanding they-the planters
be able to procure the neces-
|sary help without being Obliged TO pay
any increase in wages.
What do you say about that repre-
|senting the situation?
Mr.. Ballou I say that those two
are in flat contradiction. and this one
lis right and that one is wrong as rep
|resenting our, attitude.
Senator Reed. / will read a little
further:
'Mr. Raymond C.. Brown, Immigrant
inspector in charge at Honolulu, IN
formed me that during the strike on
the island of Oahu (Which did not ex-
tend to the other islands) the plant
ers were able to procure, without any
great effort, sufficient number OF
natives. whites, and others to handle
their crops in satisfactory manner,
but were compelled to pay $1.50 per
day for all male help so employed.
However, as soon as peace was re-
stored the strikers were reinstated In
their former positions, as their wages
were only about Az per cent OF those
paid the strike-breakers. Mr.. Kala-
Inianaole,. the delegate representing
the territory of Hawaii in congress, m
formed me that the Hawaiians VINO
had been employed during the strike
offered to work steadily if the marla-
gers would pay them $1.25 per day,
which offer was refused. The men
then made an offer. of their services
for 81 per day. This, too, the plant
Iers declined "a. consider"
Now. is H patriotism and desire to
|Americanize the islands or is It the
desire to keep wages down low that
leads to this effort to produce immi-
Mr. Bailou. That statement is
not true that you have just made.
Mr.. Keefe, who made that report,
misunderstood Mr.. Kalanianaoie or
Mr.. Kalanianaole did not know all
the circumstances: We trf e q
to get the Hawaiians to continue 10
work. am quite sure it was at the
rate Of 81.
Senator Reed. 81?
Mr.. Ballou. If i may be allowed to
refer to Mr.. Mead
| Senator Reed, Did understand
You to say 81?
Mr.. BaIlou. Yes.
Senator Reed. What is this article
that Senator Walsh just called your
attention to about wages?
Mr.. BaIlou. The wages where!
Senator Reed. Out. there. Was that
the beet-sugar industry or your own
industry?
Mr.. Ballou. No, sir; the beet sugar.
Senator Reed. want to go on about
the wages. As q matter OF fact, you
only paid out there something like 90
cents a day; is not that true?
Mr.. Ballou That was the mimi
mum. About that was the minimum
in 1910. 1t has since been raised.
Senator Reed. You expected large
immigration of laborers from the
United States to work for 20 cents a
day?
Mr.. Balluu. We do not, pay as little
as that to any white man: We pay
our Caucasian laborers out there a
minimum Of $24 month, plus house
rent, water. fuel, and medical attend
ance. which has been carefully esti,.
mated to be about S. a month, maxi
ing 500, which is the minimum paid
q white man.
Senator Reed. The sugar planters
used to have things pretty much their
own way out there before this govern
ment took possession?
Mr.. Ballou. Before the American
government took possession?
Senator Reed Yes.
Mr.. Ballou. Pretty much; to large
extent
Senator Reed. They pretty much
controlled labor conditions?
Mr.. Ballou. Yes.
Senator Reed. What do you say to
this as being true in regard to labor
conditions there when these patriotic
gentlemen had pretty complete con-
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