The Daily bulletin., 1889-10-26
Chinese Restriction.
ANSWER OF THE CABINET TO
THE CITIZENS PETITION.
Decline to Call an Extra StS-
sion, but Favor Re-
StriCtiOn.
A GREAT MASS OF IMPORTATION

MkssEs. RoEEHl lh>hulN, NJ. \.
GuNsAINts, T.. Il. LruAs AND j.
Ii. NAuNE:
Gentlemen AS u committee OF u
meeting of Hawaiian citizens and
residents held Ut Honolulu on the
23rd day of September last, YOU
have petitioned the Ministry to So
cure the calling together of the
Legislature for the purpose of sub
mitting an amendment TO the Consti
tuition, which, if finally adopted,
will permit legislation Whereby, il
the eXigencies OF the labor market
require it, Chinese may he allowed
to enter the Kingdom as plantation
iahorers, and whereby such Chimes"
80 admitted and Chinese nov en-
gagged ia The country as common
tahorers may he restricted To such
employment,
The Ministry are OF the opinion
that the subject matter of your peti-
tion involves au issue second TO
none in Importance to the future OF
this Kingdom.
Both before and since receiving
your petition, this matter has re-
ceived the earnest consideration and
study OF the Cabinet.
The request embodied i'll your Pc
tition naturally divides itself into
t"o parts and raises two questions,
viz:
First---What measure Of rGStric.
ton shall he placed upon Chinese
coming into the country, and what
control shall he exercised over those
now here and hereafter TO come!
Second--Whcn shall action he
taken!
Considering the second point first,
the conditions under which the qucs-
ton arises are as follows:
The existing Legislature was
elected III September, 1887. In :,
few meetings Of one constituency,
Honolulu, the Chinese question was
discussed, huI the mGin issue before
lhe people 81, shat Time Vas the sHs-
tanning OF the new Constitution and
The movement which eliminated
therein. On that issue every mem,
tier Of the present Legislature, with
nne exception, was returned
Al the Special Session Of 1887
the Chinese question WAS brought
mp and restriction act was passed
which was amended in 1888. Early
in the regular session of 1883 an
amendment To iIie Constitution
practically covering The ground
stated III yoar petition, Was intro
dnced and referred 10 81 special
committee, who went INTO the CUES
ton rxliaustiVcly and reported an
amended bill, Which Ma. debated
aud re-refeTfed Ia ncw committee,
mhn reported with further amend
lnents. After the hill had llus beer
-four lines before the House il w:'
indefinitely postponed hy n vote 0i
- 10 ~.
The conditions. then, uniicr whcl
We are asked 10 call The Legislature
together for consideration Of TN
matter. are:
u 81 4 wv Nv Z 'SIhlili' wa ~"
elected on this Issue. asa. with
few exceptions, The members do 10
consider themselves pledged %
Gound to support legislation Of Mi
nature.
Second--'liic same principle All,
The same s!biect matter, diflenn:
only in detail, las been thnrOu Ihl\
discussed many Times by and hefor
the same men who would now have
10 consider il, and they then decid
ed against il ny II decisive vote.
l'nder these conditions, ,hc Cabi
net were of opinion lhn, the chance
Of a reversal of the former verde
al The Legislature were but slight
bat after mature consideration. The!
decided that if there was any rca
sonable prospect that action wou''
he taken whereby the question c0nl,
be submitted 10 The people for ap
proval or di,applovaI a rhr comnl
election, i, vas their duty to afforO
that opportunity. II, on the con
trarN, There was 10 reasonable pros
pGcl Of such action being taken, th
Cabinet were of the opinion lha
they would not be justified in n
qucstng that the Legislature b
called together.
Under these circumstances inca
sures were taken TO ascertain III
sentiments Of varions members q
the House, The result Was fonn,
10. be that no adequate Legislation
covering the ground can be 'ccnre'
from the existing Legislature. Th
lime necessarily consumed in ascer
tanning this fact and in rompiiini
The statistics hereinafter coniaine'
is the cause Of ihc delay in answer
ing you. For the reasons ahov
stated the Cabinet are Of opinion
that il would be useless 10 sgain cal
the present Legislature together Il
consider this subject.