The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-21

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| that form has already been decided
| for us.
The bar sent a memorial, in response
to an invitation from the Commission,
as follows
That 1t is the sense of the Hawaiian
Bar that the judicial system of Hawaii
should be continued as nearly as possible
as It exists at present without any unnec-
essary change, and we recommend:
Ftrst-That the Supreme Court of Ha-
wall shall continue to be court of last
resort, excepting only as to such matters
as may be within the jurisdiction of
Federal Court.
Second-That a Federal Court be estab-
lished in Hawaii with the same jurisdic-
ton as that exercised by Federal Courts
in the several States.
Thtrd-That the present system of a
purely appellate Supreme Court and Cir
cult Courts for each island, and District
Courts for each district be preserved.
Fourth-That the Judges of all courts
of record in the Territory other than the
Federal Judge be appointed by the Cover
nor of Hawaii, by and with the advice
and consent of the Senate of Hawaii, to
ures, and to receive such Compensation
from the revenues of the Territory as
may be appropriated by the Territorial
Legislature
The Chinese have followed their pre-
vious memorial with an able argument
a
ton, minister to Washington, on be-
half of the rice planting interest In
this he shows that unless favorable leg
islation be granted, enabling Chinese
laborers to be imported exclusively for
labor in the rice fields, this industry
will perish. 1t has been proved by the
actual experience of many years that
the Hawaiian, Portuguese and Japan
csc cannot successfully cultivate rice,
nor can they reclaim the swampy mo-
rass lands and turn them into profita-
BILE rice fields as do the Chinese There
are now under cultivation in the is
lands about 10000 acres In rice yield
Ing from the lands leased an income of
over 100000 annually to the white and
Hawaiian landlords, and producing an
average crop of 10000 tons of the value
of $2,OOO00O. About $4,000 tons are re-
CURED TOR home consumption and the
balance is exported. The profits from
this industry are widely distributed
among all classes and not alone among
the Chinese. To cramp this industry
would practically mean the return to
barrenness Of nearly all the land under
cultivation and considerable resulting
loss, not only to the community at
large but also to the revenues of the
country. The number of Chinese la
borers engaged in rice cultivation
ranges from three thousand to five
thousand year, according to the
times of planting and harvesting.
The Hawaiian friends of the Chi
nese nave also presented a numerously
signed memorial which is so unique
that 1t Is given in full, as showing the
aloha existing between the races:
Whereas, The prohibitory laws of the
United states against Chinese immigra-
ton and the decisions thereon by the Su-
preme Court of the United States and by
the Secretary of the Treasury and the
promulgated opinions of the Attorney
General originated from the fact that
such immigration affected or threatened
to AFFECT the interests of the United States
and endanger the good order of certain
localities thereof; and whereas, such con-
di rd rs, o have not obtained in Hawaii nor
trary,. the immigration of Chinese into
Hawaii has proven beneficial to the coun-
try and its continuation is essential to the
welfare of the islands;
Therefore, We the undersigned, hereby
suggest Tor your consideration that the
shall embody suggestions for a liberal
Chinese immigration law, permitting AL
the Chinese residents now entitled by law
| to the right Of a return permit a contin-
uance of that right; also that Chinese
merchants and travellers may be per-
mitted to visit Hawaii for a period not to
to warrant their leaving at the end of that
time. also that Chinese laborers may ue
permitted to sojourn IN Hawaii for a
bonds being filed to guarantee their de-
parture; also that Chinese women and
minors under 10 years of age who have
relatives by blood or marriage residing in
Hawaii be permitted to come to this coun-
try.
And for this we will ever pray
The Portuguese this morning pre-
sented their memorial as representing
16, 900 persons, nearly one half of whom
were born in the islands. They state
that since 1887 they have enjoyed the
privilege of the franchise without be-
coming citizens, and that they are will
ing to become American citizens If the
franchise is accorded to them They
believe that the retention of the prin-
ciples of 1887 would prevent Asatics
from voting. They claim for them
selves the merit of having aided in OBJ
tanning good government and of striy-
ing to uphold American principles, and,
further, Of having among their race the
largest number of small holdings in
the islands, thereby increasing the
number of good and Independent citi-
zens. They object to the poll tax as
an outrage to any civilized community
and claim that the poor are unjustly
taxed In comparison with the wealth.
Ter classes and that they cannot COM
pete with Asiatic labor and support
their families as a civilized commun-
ity. They wish the sugar planters and
the country to adopt different sys-
tenn of labor from that of contract;
profit sharing being preferable, they
claiming this to have proved success
full both to the owner and the laborer.
They ask that large areas of untitled
lands held by large corporations and
wealthy land owners be taxed equita-