The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-02-28

WASHINGTON, February 1S.-In
both senate and house, friends of Ha-
wall are making every effort to secure
adequate legislation at this session. In
the senate the committee on immigra-
ton has reported back the bill extend
ing the anti-ContraCt labor law to Ha-
wall with amendments making the bill
cover all immigration questions.
The amendments specifically include
the Chinese exclusion acts. The bill
was accompanied by written report
! in which the committee says:
THE committee is of the opinion
that since the Hawaiian Islands have
come within the jurisdiction and au-
/ thority of the United states. our immi-
grafton laws should be so extended as
to protect the citizens and laborers In
| those islands from invasion by immi-
! grafton of undesirable subjects or citl-
| Zens of other countries. Under the
municipal legislation of the Hawaiian
Islands, the importation of contract
! laborers is expressly sanctioned. Ihls
class of immigration forms by far the
larger portion of the Objectionable ele-
ments now being imported into the Is
! lands, and is entirely repugnant 10 the
policy of the United States.
Since the passage of the joint reso-
| luton of annexation, there has been a
| decided impetus given to the importa-
/
lands by the sugar plantation owners.
| The committee is informed that each
| vessel from the Asiatic countries is In
| creasing the list of contract laborers'
and unless some restrictive measures
are adopted the number must shortly
be still further augmented.
THE Joint resolution anneXing the
Islands to the United States provided
for the exclusion of Chinese in the fol-
| lowing language: There shall be no
| further migration of Chinese into the
! Hawaiian Islands except upon such
conditions as are now or may hereafter
| be allowed by the laws of the United
! States
This provision the committee re-
CARDS as inadequate, nasmuch as it
does not provide for experimenting and
deporting Chinese immigrants should
they land in Contravention of the
| terms of the joint resolution above quo
! ted. 1t is therefore deemed essential
| that the provisions of the Chinese i'm
| migration laws of the United States
should be promptly extended for the
! protection and welfare of the citizens
! of Hawaii"
The necessity for the enactment of
! laws to cover conditions existing in
| Hawaii is admitted on all sides. Even
! the Democratic minority, who oppose
! some features of the bill, which has
|
| awaiting right of way from the COM
| mittee on rules, cOnCede the desirability
| Of putting the bill upon passage. They
| will endeaVOr to amend 1t to conform
| to their views, but failing in this will
not prevent it's final passage.
Chairman Knox of the committee on
territories and Chairman Hit of the
committee on foreign relations, the
| later a member of the late Hawaiian
| commission and thoroughly conversant
with the situation in Hawaii, have
| been untiring in their efforts during
| the past week to secure the recogui-
| ton of the bill providing for Hawaiian
affairs. They have succeeded to the.
! extent of securing a promise from the
| committee on rules to consider early
next week the practicability of report
| ing a rule giving time to the bill. 1t is
| said that if this congress adjourns
| without furnishing a form of govern
ment for Hawaii, and the matter goes
over until next winter, embarrassments
of a serious nature and extent will re-
| suit in Hawaii.