The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1915-08-03
Holding Series, Of Meetings On
Oahu Plantations and Securing
Filipino Signatures For Some
Purpose In a Big Blank Book
NY BUSINESS, He -
TELLS THE ADVERTISER
:iIipinos Curious To Know What
Steven Is After and Why He
Is Spending His Good Money To
Secure For Them Their Rights

O. A. Steven, former auctioneer who
ecently returned from the Coast, where
% was said to be planning a new steam.
hip line for the Honolulu-San Fran
'isco run, now Is conducting u series
It meetings among the Filipino planta-
ton laborers on Oahu. In a big book
ne is, obtaining hundreds of Filipino
signatures, though the use to which
hey are to be put appears unknown
o the signers, several of whom called
at The Advertiser Office yesterday to
'oice their curiosity on the subject.
q As in the case of his alleged steam
ship proposition Mr.. Steven answers
all queries concerning his meetings and
his big book with the remark that it
3 tmy business. II is Gmissionary
work." he ASSERTS in which he is on
gaging just now to pass pleasantly over
the tedium of a month of idleness, and
{ is detrimental to nobody. / am IL
friend of the plantations and I'm a
friend of the Filipinos. "
. Without knowing why they wero
signing their names, except because
Mr.. Steven asked them to, large mum.
Der of laboring men at Aioa, Waipahu,
Eva, Waialua and Kahuku insc -ihed
their names in his book at meetings
addressed by him last Thursday. At
each point he spoke at length, frequent
" declaring that he was, and by right
ought to be one of the Filipinos' true
friends in the islands, because he was
the man who brought the first men of
that race to Hawaii opening tie way
or the large immigration which has
.akCn Place since then.
At Eva he discussed the case Of the
iiipinO trio recently brought from
Kauai to be hung for murder, saying
ne had taken this subject up with the
Governor, asking the executive to in.
;ostigate the facts surrounding the
rial hearing before he signs the death
warrant.
One of the FiIipinos who called at
The Advertiser office gave the follow.
ing as an excerpt from Steven s "mis-
tcnary speech" at Waialua:
al am the first man who left Homo.
'ulu for the Philippines to recruit labor
or the Hawaiian Sugar Planters Asso
iation, and when / talked to you men
N the Philippines | said you would
10 we'll to go to Hawaii. You would
improve your condition by earning
rood money, enabling your families to
dress better and have better food, and
ourselves gaining experience in agri-
cultural work. You took my advice
and came. Now when see the news
papers speaking badly. of the FilipinOs
feel that my promise. has failed of
fulfillment. Most of you are working
teadily in the eanefields, earning an
honest living, yet you, are despised by
the citizens of this land as being non
citizens. If one Filipino steals or
murders they blame all Of you and call
You bad people. For this reason ! have
ONE forward to labor in your behalf
to help protect your reputation as a
ace.
"In order to do this | must have
YOUR signatures to show that you are
back of me and approve my action
Your signature will mean that you be.
icve what say, and then if anyone
ellis that ! have nothing to do with
he FilipinOs can present this book to
,,rove the contrary"
Steven engaged interpreters Wed
.esday, sending one to each of the
'lantation camps on the island. lie
made his round trip the following day,
speaking in English and causing his
men to translate his remarks into the
different Filipino dialects.
At Waipahu he encountered mild OPP
position, one laborer rising and sug
costing to his companions that they
think over the affair before writing
their names in the book. Steven quick
ly squelched the speaker, deROuncing
him as traitor and compelling HIM to
lit down. Many signatures were oh
tanned at that point on the strength of
his talk concerning the Kauai trio
which has been condemned to the gal
lows.
At Aiea he repeated substantially
the addresses given at thefOther camps.
A laborer, conceiving the idea he de
sired to aid in ameliorating the work
Hrs conditions, loudly announced they
were being treated badly on that plan.
tation. Steven replied he was not there
60 receive complaints; he was not seek
ing to arouse agitation against the
y" rtatiCns, va
, He reiterated this sentiment when
interviewed by The Advertiser ycster-
Jay, declaring he Is IL friend of the
plantations because he earns his living
trough them. He said he intends con,
tinuing his missionary work" today,
starting early this morning for another
round Of visits to the various Filipino
DOS ON the island.