The Hawaiian gazette., 1899-03-17
GOOD PROSPECTS.

- NF'r
out extending the immigration laws TO
this Territory removes temporarily at
seas, a serious menace 80 the great
prosperity OF the sugar industry.
In spite OF the eleven thousand two
hundred male japanese laborers, I'M
Spuried from January LIST, 1898, to
Aasrch LIST, 1893 there is stu need Of,
Il is said, about ten thousand more.
Had Congress at the last moment eX-
tended the immigration laws TO this
Territory it would have, before many
months, produced a serious crisis in
our labor market. But the way Is now
clear for the general stocking up Of
the plantations with an abundance Of
japanese laborers during the year so
.iiha. there may be an easy labor mar
ksf Cor several years 10 come.
The fact that Congress has adjourn
ed without crippling our labor supply
must give great strength to the in
vestment and speculative movement in
sugar stocks. The condition now pre-
yaillng should create even crazy
market" The growing probability
that Cuba will not become oompeh-
tor in sugar production for five or six
years. and an abundance of labor from
Japan, serve to take the brakes on
conservative movements. and generate
the widest booms.
All that the conservative can now
say Is, that the unexpected may hap
pen" and bring revulslon; that some
new political action may be taken in
Washington; that the labor supply Is
not yet assured, and the prices OF il
not definitely fixed.
These views do not count for much
IA against the visible" fact of a def
nhe labor supply and PROSTATE
CsSha. ....
So, for the year TO come, the people
n these Islands will probably eat,
drink and be merry.
About year ago. our government
cruelty turned back 10 Japan over
eleven hundred poor immigrants who
hnd with much sacrifice managed to
secure the means which brought them
90 these Islands. This act, cruel in
faGs, II not In motive, was justified on
the ground that the Islands were in
danger Of being overwhelmed with a
Japanese invasion. And there were
several other motives for declaring
husllIity to the immigration.
but the Flag brought us light, and
snliHhtened us. and dispelled our dark
f0rebodings about "invasioDs," and
sanvmced us that the invasion was,
alter all, a blessing. 1t is well that We
now feel contempt for the miserable
superstitions which led our govern
meDt toreause much suffering among
those eleven hundred brown men last
year. We are all wiser now, and take
lroassar views. The laws Of the great
nation of which We now form a part,
positively forbid the system of as
sisted immigration existing here.
TAese little Islands alone,-a needles
point In the extent ~Of the national
bomaip- are not reached by that law.
The flag covers us. but the law does
mt. We may and do utterly disregard
the spirit Of that law, because the
ietter Of 1t is not yet for US.
While this condition permits rs 20
do what no other State or Territory
can do, IL gives rise TO the question:
Are we after all an integral part Of
the United States? Can the three
thousand Americans here make money
out Gf assisted immigration while the
other 75.OOO,OOO are not allowed the
privilege
Whether the argument has force or
not, 1t will be urged in the next Con-
gress, that We are not an integral part
Of the nation, because the national
laws do not reach us, and we are there
fore to be classed with the Philippines.
Al the same time the Japanese immi-
grafton is lawful.