The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-13

Congress will take hold of the matter be-
fore it is too late and pass proper restric-
ton laws.
The CALL from day to day has published
full reports of the investigation proceed
ings in order that the public may be fully
informed as to the facts as cleaned by the
investigators. These facts have surprised
the majority of the people who were not
aware before that the little brown man is
quietly securing. a firm foothold upon
every branch of industry in this State, the
same as the Chinese few years ago. The
interest the public is now taking in the
japanese cody labor question has caused
considerable alarm among the Japs. Yes
terday an informal committee of Japanese
called upon Mr.. Fitzgerald and protested
against testimony they had given being
published in the newspapers. In some in
stances they denied having made certain
statements, but reference to the notes of
stenographer Williamson silenced their
denials and they went away in very i'll
humor.
There is one young man who is thorn
in the Japanese side. He is A. II. Geffeney,
the interpreter for the immigration Bureau.
He speaks the japanese language huently.
He has been the official interpreter for the
Federal Government for many years, and
his integrity has never been questioned by
his superiors IN Office The Japanese are
AOn altCA LIS DIS GuSy lave Ut6u IOT
years, and efforts are being made to have
him removed from his position.
This movement on the part of the
Asiatics was first made public through the
columns of the Shinseikai, the local Japa-
nese paper. The word means ''The New
World The paper is published at 121
Haight street under the management of
the Japanese Young Mems Christian Asso-
citation. n. Mizuo is the editor. In the
last issue of the Japanese organ an attack
was made upon the Commissioners and
the investigation in general and Inter-
prefer Geffeney in particular A running
translation of the article reads as follows:
Lately the members of the immigration
Office are trying to stop immigrant laborers.
Some one has gone to the hop gardens of
Pleasanton and examined our laborers. All
have tried not to allow the landing of our
they cannot do 1t, because no Japanese laborer
hardly ever comes contrary to the law; there
fore they couldn't stop. them with the law,
and therefore went to Pleasanton and investi-
gated, but OF course they were not contract
laborers
The employers said if the white men should
willing to employ them, but none of the white
laborers are willing to work SO hard as jap
anse; SO they are compelled to use Japanese.
Having found no fault with the employers or
the laborers the members Commissioners
spread q rumor that 800 Japanese are coming
to San Francisco from Canada, and tried to
but it did not work.
Having exhausted the way'of agonizing the
japanese the members tried every way but
they knew not there is party who pretends to
be faithful for the service of the office, but at
the same time very dangerous to them.
That party is Geffeney. He pretends to be
sioners). Yesterday he said to the committee
that the way of examination Japanese laborers
at the time of their landing, whether they are
contract laborers or not is not close enough to
distinguish them.
Now, the reason why, he said, that is if the
examination becomes closer or harder, he will
get more money. The meanness of Geffeney
cannot be compared to anything.
Numerous Japanese have been troubled by
one Geffeney. How to take him off of the COM
mission is the topic of conversation among the
Japanese.
Mr.. Geffeney stands very high in the es-
timation of his superior officers, and that
he cannot be bribed by Japanese coin has
been demonstrated on three occasions in
particular. He served under immigration
Commissioners Thornton, Hatch and
duty he has been shot at once and poisoned
twice by Japanese who, being unable to
bride him, attempted to get him out of the
way by resorting to murder.
The steamer Peru arrived yesterday
noon from the Orient with nine Japanese
on board. In order to examine these the
cody labor investigation was postponed
until to-day. OF the new arrivals one is
former resident, shoemaker by trade
Another comes to learn the mysteries of
electricity and another to study mechan-
ical engineering.
While several are very intelligent ap-
pearing young fellows of the student class
there are others whose general appearance
indicates that they are dangerous rivals to
the white laborers. Several suspicious
letters and envelopes were seized by Com
missioner Stradley and Deputy Geffeney.
which will be translated before the holders
are permitted to land. Several envelopes
addressed to local Japanese boarding
house keepers were found, but their con-
tents are missing. The Japs would not
tell what the letters contained, nor what
they did with these papers. One fact is
being clearly demonstrated, and that is
that most of the Japanese laborers are en-
tering the United States via British Co
lum bia, where the examination .is less