The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-10-21

undesirable; and it is of far greater i'm
pOrtance that the existing laws should be
well unders TODD and well executed by those
by whom and for whom they are admin
istered, than that they should be made the
subject Of continual amendment and dis
cussion by the Legislature.
"3-Acting upon this principle, we are
not prepared to advocate any fresh legis-
latiOn upon the subject now under review;
but wish to bring very emphatically
before the association the importance Of
seeing that the existing laws, and especially
those in connection with the laborers shall
be carried out so well that they shall be
held in respect by planters, by laborers, and
by those nations and Governments upon
whose good will we 50 largely depend for
our labor and supply.
'4-We believe that the present laws are
generally satisfactory, or we should long
ago have had circumstances or refusals Of
immigration from some of those nations
which have hitherto favored immigration to
this Kingdom.
'5-We cannot, however, close our eyes
to the fact that grave complaints have
arisen, and have influenced other Govern
meRts adversely to our interests; and that,
whereas, they were once disposed to en-
courage immigra ton, they are now inclined
to look with suspicion upon the mode in
| which the immigrants are treated or neg
lected here
We submit to all in selligent men that the
foregoing paragraphs do say in substance
| and effect that the relations of the Ha-
waiian Government with some any other
| Governments were ''uncordial'' For be it
understood it is the Hawaiian Government
! which negotiates with other Governments for
labor, not the Planters Labor and Supply
Company. If these paragraphs do not con-
| vey this impression, what is it they do
convey
If paragraph 5, read with its context, does
! not convey that precise impression, then
words have lost their usual force and sig
| nifcance. Mr.. Davies says bluntly that it
| docs not, and that sit is not true'' to say
that it does. But if this denial is in direct
contradiction of the fact, as it undoubtedly
is, then Mr.. Davies is in this position: LIST,
He stated in the report as a fact that which
he could only have surmised, for the pur-
| pose of influencing the lanters Labor and
| lenged by the ADVERTISER on the accuracy
| of his statement, he turns round upon him
! self and fatty denies that he ever made it.
| The proof of the fact is before the public in
! the foregoing extracts, and he may choose
| whichever horn of the dilemma he pleases
upon which to impale himself.
The ADVERTISER of the 14th instant said
in this connection: There is not a scin-
tilla of truth in this statement. The official
relations OF the Kingdom with the Govern
| ments of the countries from which we have
| drawn our labor immigrants never were
mors cordial than at present. No intima-
ton of any kind has been received either
from the Governments of England, Portugal
or Japan that would in the most remote de-
| gree justify the paragraph we have quoted"
| No. 81, and we went on to explain the
friendly feeling of the Portuguese, English,
Indian and Japanese Governments towards
the Hawaiian Government in the matter of
immigration. We declare mphatically
now, and we doubt not it is capable of
/ proof, that the allegations and statements in
the paragraphs above quoted from the report
of the Committee of Legislation are untrue
in substance and fact; and we again submit
to the intelligence and candor of this COM
munity the proposition that they do convey
the impression which Mr.. Davies has had
the hardihood to say they do not convey.
The second specific denial by Mr.. Davies
is that the report in question did not state
''that the present international status of the
Hawaiian Kingdom was lower than for
merly." Let us go to the report itself,
fathered by Mr.. Davies and acted upon by
the Planters Association, and see what it
does state. We quote:
6. cit has long been the boast Of this King
dom that special confidence was reposed by
the Great Powers in the admins tration of
| justice in our Courts, whilst many nations
far superior to this in size, population and
antiquity of civilization have had to submit
to the establishment of Consular Courts and
| other forms of foreign interference.
Z. "a few years ago great cry arose
against the importation of East India coolies
because it was alleged that Great Britain
would demand the enactment Of a law pro
viding for the appointment of British sub
| iect as protector of such immigrants, and
/ upon that ground the scheme was cried
down. Other Governments assented to
their subjects coming here without any
fresh enactments; but for some reason steps
! are now being taken for the appointment of
foreigners as protectors of immigrants with
out even the formality of asking that laws
be introduced to authorize such appoint
ments.
s. "Such demand can only be regarded
as a reprOach to the nation, and the COM
pliance with the demand as an act of humiIi-
/ alton.
II. at is impossible to regard the recent
| action of the Japanese Government, how
ever it may be softened and smoothed by
! verbal explanations, as other than an in
! dignity to the Hawaiian nation, and com
pliance with the Japanese requisition is I'M
| deubtedly an admission on the Hawaiian
side of wrong and neglect. 1t may be to
I our interest and convenience to submit, but
me demand and the submission do not re-
5opnd to our national credit, and in the
natrlotic desire to see the national reputa-
ton placed beyond suspicion, we recommend
chat steps be taken to ask for the appoint
! ment of the aforesaid Royal Commission
! We really are amazed at the audacity of
! Mr.. Davies, who wrote the foregoing para