The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-08-07
GOO KIM PROTESTS
Against Assimilation Of Laws Of
Hawaii and ]. s.
OBJECTS To EXCLUSION ACT
Thinks it Would be Bet
ter to Wait Awhile.
How the Act Works Along Cana
dian Border Prohibition
Not Effected.

Some weeks ago an item appeared in
this paper to the effect that it was the
intention of Goo Kim Fui, Chinese Con-
sular Agent, to protest against the an
nexation of the Islands TO the United
States. The rumor could not be veri-
fed at the Office of Goo Kim, in fact,
that gentleman denied it, and said any
sity, have to be taken by the Chinese
representative at Washington.
That Consular Agent Goo Kim had
a protest in his mind was true, how
ever, but it was not against the an
nexation of the Islands-the matter
was not so deep as that. Mr.. Goo Kim
had heard that this Government pro-
posed placing an embargo on Chinese
immigration to this country, and at the
time of the rumor, few weeks ago, he
was turning over in his mind the idea
of entering formal protest against it.
The plan has hung, nebulaF like, over
the Government in the interval, until
Thursday, when Minister Cooper re-
ceived a formal note to the effect that
Mr. Goo Kim Fui, in his capacity as
Consular Agent, would have to protest
against the apparent assimilation of
the laws of Hawaii to those of the
United States, and he intimated that,
until the two Governments were under
ly be enforced in Hawaii. No action
has yet been taken on the letter, and
it is extremely doubtful if any will.
Goo Kim intimated that the laws gov
erning the Chinese or other immigra-
ton to the United States were probably
more stringent than those of Hawaii,
and under the circumstances, their en-
forcement would be unjust to the Chi
nese. The heGovernmentf feels that it owes
allegiance, primarily, to the United
States, the treaty of annexation hav-
ing been already confirmed by the Ha-
waiian delegates, who were in Wash
ington when the treaty was presented.
The Geary Exclusion Act in the
United States is one of those prohib-
itOry laws which does not always pro-
hibit Ever since the act went into eX-
istence, quite a thriving business has
been done along the Canadian border
in smuggling Chinese across the line. |
Some men-not always Americans
have waxed rich on it. Along the
Sound the method has been to take the
Cinnamon in small boats at Victoria
and dump them anywhere along the
Sound. Frequently the men are cap
tured and sent back to China.
IL Il
the Vermont line, they have a differ
ent style of doing business. Many of
the Chinese who buy tickets over the
Canadian line, through from Asiatic
ports to New York have never set eyes
on America before. According to ar
rangements made far in advance, one
of the passengers will drop off the train
at an out-of-the-way town in Vermont.
Immediately he is pounced upon by an
officer and told that he has no legal
right in the country, and will have to
go back to China. The man employs a
lawyer and the case goes to court. The
Chinaman states on the stand that he
was born in a certain locality in San
Francisco, and offers as corroborative
testimony the statement of an old Chi
naman. who appears in court and
claims the young man as his son.
The attorney for the Chinaman rests
his case and the prosecutor objects.
The Court sides with the Chinaman,
much to the discontinue of the prose-
cutting attorney. who claims fraud. but
has no way of proving it at the time,
and no money to pay out to bring wit
nesses from San Francisco. The Judge
has no other alternative than to dis
miss the case and the Chinese-father
and son go on their way rejoicing
But the elder Chinaman is one of those
convenient old chaps who is willing to
father "any old thing" for a consider