Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1896-05-16
ALAw-ABIDING CHRISTIAN.
Accuses Customs OmciaIs OF Oppres-
sion aud In-Treatment.

to call the attention of the public
the columns of your val
liable paper, to the manner In
which we Asiatics are being treat.
ed by the Custom House officials.
The policy of the Government, if
| am correct, is to treat as much
as possible, every one alike, ire
CARDS to color or race. So far, so
good. l am afraid it has been so
in the matter of outward appear
ance only. 1t puts me in mind of
the story of the wolf dressed in an
ASS skin.
Formerly, there were no res
trictions in regard to our going
on board a steamer to bid our
countrymen good bye" etc.
Things have changed, however,
and from sometime ago, when a
steamer was bound for China and
Japan, the gates were closed and
Asiatics were not allowed to go in
except when they had permits
from the Custom House. These
were then freely given to those
who applied, but as time rolled
on, they became difficult to pro-
cure. Only those who had bust
ness to transact, etc., had the priv
ilege of obtaining them.
Friday morning of April Oath,
when the Rio Janeiro was booked
to sail at 10 o'clock, a few as usual
applied for permits. To their sur
prise none was given. When
asked the reason, the answer was
that too much bribery had been
going on lately. Even prominent
merchants were barred out.
How can there be any bribery,
If the officials refuse to accept any
such offers? If they are not
trustworthy, why not employ those
that are? Ii there are any dis
honest merchants, why not get the
claw" after them. Someone asked
why other nationalities were al
lowed free access. The reply was
that it was not so. Only people
on business were allowed to enter.
In order to ascertain this, the
enquirer went to the gate and saw
men, women and children going
in and out at their own sweet
will. The majority of them were
merely sightseers. We who had
friends, nay, parents, brothers
and sisters on board were forced
to keep away.
Suppose for instance there had
been some bribery at the Oceanic
dock when the Australia was in
port. DO you think the Custom
authorities would close the gates
on the day of sailing of that
popular liner and not allow any
one in except on business? Why,
a riot would ensue right then and
there. What is the difference with
US? Have we not the same feel.
ing? Is not the Australia to the
white people as the China steamer
is to us?
1t seems that the longer we en-
dure and keep quiet, the more we
are being oppressed and ill-treat.
ed. 1t is true that through the
fault of some of us, that strict
were adopted. But is it
because few had been dishonest
that all of us must suffer the con-
sequences and be treated alike?
l fully realize that to handle
such big lot of people at once is
no easy task, but are there not
better methods that the PRESENT.
The officials, no doubt, have the
right to use what measures they
deem advisable, but / think they
are using too extreme and bar
barous ones.
If this was heather country,
it would be useless to say any
thing, but since l consider this to
be fully civilized, with the major
ity of its inhabitants Christians,
L think that Christian methods
ought to be employed. There is
a talk of abrogating the present
passport law, claiming it to be
barbarous and that no other en-
lightened nations use it. The
above law is nowhere compared to
the barbarous measures we are
being subjected to. We do not
propose to run the government,
nor do we wish to interfere in
any way. All we want is"Justice",
that is, to accord us full civil
rights as defined in its Constitu-