The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-01-07
Coming and Going

WITH Commissioned General Caminetti rec
w ommending that there should be bars put
up in Hawaii to keep out any Filipino influx, and
the Philippines assembly considering anti-emigra-
ton legislation to keep the wicked planters of Ha-
waii from enticing the little brown brother to
roam, 1t commences to look as il there would soon
be curtains on the Filipino immigration The
Filipino himself between officials abroad who do
not want him to come and officials at home who
do not want him to leave, must be slightly be-
wildered. jEht ...-wlIts
This whole Filipino immigration question is
paradoxical, whatever way you look at it. We
have Chairman Pacheco OF the Democratic central
committee informing congress that the Fifpinos
here are poems, with Judge Stuart giving the
designation weight Of his judicial approval and
both blaming the presence Of the poems" in Ha-
wa upon Pinkham, wilhelm Manila the American
press is denounci1g ASA act to make poems"
Of the Fipnos the attempt to prevent them
coming to Hawaii. we have Democratic adj
ministration choking with enthusiasm over the
ability of the Filipino to govern himself and Dem
ocratic officials in the immigration bureau gagging
at the idea Of letting the Filipino savages loose in
the Hawaiian plantations. We have New Era
statesmen in tie Philippine assembly cursing the
Hawaiian planters for taking the Filipino laborers
away, and New Era statesmen in Hawaii cursng
the planters for bringing them here e..
The Manila Times, discussing the migration to
Hawaii of the Filipino laborers and the efforts to
prevent it, says in recent issue: 1919
1t is not surprising that the members Of the assem-
bly,, with others should regard with disfavor the
flow of Filipino laborers to Hawaii But IL is sur
prsng that assemblymen should undertake to dis.
courage emigration by restrictive prohibtive laws
II may be unfortunate that the islands are losing
agricultural laborers it would be much unfortun
ate if the Fpinos were to lose their personal liberty
their right to go where they please and to accept
Worcester charged that peonage exists in the Philip
pines chorus Of protest raised, in which the
voices Of assemblymen rang clear and among
the oudest that of the Honorable Filemon Soto of
Cebu. Yet Mr. Soto has introduced in the assembly
bill which, If it becomes law, will effectuay pre-
vent Filipinos from contracting with the Hawaiian
planters association by imposing impossible cOndi
tons. The bill is accompanied by statement in
which its author frankly states his purpose to "pace
hindrances and obstacles in the way of the dia-
bolical work. of employing laborers here for
vice overseas. W.
Last year the legislature enacted a law requiring
labor contractors to pay an annual license fee Of
5000 pesos, plus 500 pesos every province which
they operate the license must specify the provinces
in which the contractor might do business. Under
this law with the approval of the attorney general
the director Of labor has absolutely refused to grant
licenses for certain provinces whose governors have
recommended thet, exclusion, 1t is today a crime,
according 20 the attorney generals Interpretation
of the law, for an employer of labor, whether local
or foreign, to eo-iptS the Province of Pangasinan
vim Ss s3ts appf contract
y'fve pesos ahdfhs Employer $50 PESOS to be paid
to him his return forfeited to his native town
If he should die abroad! Apply it to yourself Mr.
Sotto. What woAd yOu Idink Of a law that should
forbid you to make honest contract to better
your conditions and compel you to a particular
community at low wage when you could get a
higher esewheref h Would yea not be seized with
violent desire to lepVe country whose legislature
attempted to tell you that you might not got
So long our legislature leaves the statue
books the niquitous law pena'zng the breach of Ia
Dor contracts and the tryrannous law that suspends
freedom of contract in any province at the behest
Tho Airaaf af lahn tie
good grace, resent the charge that peonage exists
If the Legislature approves the bill of Delegate Soto
of Cebu 1t will have gone far to prove the assertion
of detractors of the Philippine people, that ndepen
dence would bring about an Oligarchy wherein the
rights of the mass of voiceless peasants would be
shamelessy disregarded by the ruling caste.