The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-07-13

than it is now restricted? 2. Does your
organization favor a provision in the
law guarding against criminal and
pauper elements entering into the
United States? 8. Should the foreign
consular service and our immigration
Department be intrusted with greater
powers to enforce immigration laws
I. Should the violation OF the alien
contract labor law by employers be
punishable by Imprisonment? B.
Should the steamship companies be
held responsible for a term of years
for the character of their paSseng gers?
6. Should a Stricter civil and educa-
tional test be enforced as to qualifica-
ton for naturalization? Z. Should ev-
cry immigrant be compelled to declare
his intention to become a citizen of the
United States? What other provisions
does your organization favor and sug-
gest, if any, to further the restriction
of immigration?
The movement is attracting consid-
cradle attention, and there is every
likelihood that the expression of opin-
ion by such body of men on such an
important subject will have some
weight with Congress.
The Call of June 9th says: Within
the next three months the union labor
element of this city, as well as that of
the entire country, will have an i'm
portant question to decide-whether
foreign immigration to this country
should be restricted or stopped entire
Iy. This question came up at the last
convention of the American Federation
of Labor in December, 1896.
That convention appointed a special
committee for the purpose of consider
ing the subject of immigration and to
propose such legislation on the ques
ton as should practically set forth the
demands Of organized labor in the
premises. During the convention the
committee made its report favorable to
restriction. The delegates, however,
acting uDon the conviction that the
question was one on which the entire
membership, in their sovereign ca
pacity should be consulted, decided
that the entire subject-matter should
be submitted to the referendum.
The circulars issued by President
Gompers have arrived here, and the
members of the local unions are al
ready discussing the matter. Several
local labor leaders declined to discuss
the question, stating that the subject
can only come properly up in their re-
spective bodies. There, they say, the
matter will be discussed in all of it's
many features. The National Conven-
ton of the Federation of Labor will be
held in Nashville, Tenn, next Deem
ber, when the delegates will deal with
the subject with a full knowledge of
what the labor unions of the United
States want
This federation, through the unions,
represents something over 100000 Ia
boring men, and it is believed that
when Congress learns the wishes Of
this representative body of citizens it
will listen to it's voice. 1t is the desire
of the president of the federation to
have the vote on the questions submit
ted returned not later than October 30
Judging from the expression of a num-
Der of well-known union men it is safe
to say that the majority Of the unions
will vote in favorlof restriction in some
form or other. It is also likely that not
a few will express the opinion that i'm
migration should be stopped altogether.