The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1897-07-06
(Continued from LIST page.)


cumstanre', To reqres. the official
assist ance of the United States Lee
cation. THIS courtesy was gran ted
on account OF tue non-consular ma.
ture of the office, the large number
OF Chinese residents ia the Islands,
and the possible contingency of a
necessity arising for prompt action
uutrammelled by customary official
routine, but its availability can only
properly be taken advantage of IN
very important matters aud is prac.
ideally only of an advisory nature,
the value of which is not be lessened
10y indiscreet use.
Having shown that the CONNER
cial Agency has no consular power
to interfere on behalf OF tn cir
countrymen over whom they keep,
ss it were, recording guardianship,
| have to add an equally important
fact that the Agency has no funds
to dsburse, either for the salaries OF
the agents, the expenses Of the of
fee or for the employment OF Coun.
sol, or the obtaining Of advice, legal
or otherwise, or Tor such visits OF
v-stigation into the conduct Of
plantations or other matters as your
euquiriug correspondent suggests.
This naturally brings me to the
contributions paid to the United
Chinese Societies also referred to
by your correspondent. They
are obtained and disbursed almost
as follows:
When Chinese laborers are landed
sum Of So head is donated by the
plantation 10 the United Chinese
Societies. This amount is not de-
Quoted, directly or indirectly, from
the laborer.' wages, but is practic.
ally gift Of fixed amount for
necessary benevolent and other pur-
poses.
The sum accruing from these
fees is used by the Chinese Societies
in paying interest on heavy mort
gage, to aid and relieve the poor
and sick; to assist in the mainten-
ance OF the new Chinese Hospital;
to provide for the homeless and
des itute; to bury the dead, and for
the many other calls upon its funds
for contributions to many OF her bene-
VIOLENT charitable, or public purposes
in which the Chinese as we'll as all
other foreign or native residents are
interested, for the Chinese are hos
piiable and cheerful givers 10 all
kindly and noble causes. Further,
a portion Of these funds is applied
in limited manner, according to ne
cesi' y, to the payment OF the neces-
sary office expenses of the Chinese
Commercial Agency but not salaries.
These charges leave the United So
cieties Insult sient monay to retain
the invaluable services of standing
counsel, such as yonr correspondent
suggests, or even to employ them,
except in very exceptional cases,
and even then their right to employ
them might be seriously Questioned.
1t may be said that when the
necessity for the employant OF lead
ing counsel arises, as for instance in
the Lihue case, they are generally
employed by the Chinese or other
Immigration Companies who are re.
garded as being morally il not alb
solutely legally responsible for the
lives and welfare OF the laborers
they import; or for the safeguard
ing Of their rights, persons and pro-
perties.
1t must be admitted that this con-
dition OF circumstances affords
grounds for reflection; for the in
terests Of the laborer, abstract or
strict justice or condign punish
ment for the violation OF the law are
not the only interests taken into
consideration, but those also OF the
necessarily friendly relations which
must continuously exist and subsist
hetwean the immipratinn cIlmnanias