The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-12-11
cooPER's REPORT AND
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE

The message OF President Ro9se
welt would Indicate that the sugar
planters OF Hawaii might well exclainl
save us from fool friends" Whom
Acting Governor Cooper went ID
washington with the report Of the
Governor there was considerable
speculation as to why It had become
necessary for the Gentleman to make
q pilgrimage TO the National Capital
Just for the purpose OF carrying his
report Governor Dole entrusted his
FIRST annual report to the mails in
1900 and II reached Washington in
due time and without any sheets miss
ing All other Territorial Governors
from the beginning OF the national
existence have entrusted their reports
so the United States mails and 40 far
as is known there is no record CT any
such reports having been lost.
But then Mt. Cooper had a special
mission 20 perform. Il was very nice
to 20 TO Washington as the repre-
sentative OF special interests here
and have expenses paid out OF tho
public treasury. Mt. Cooper proposed
TO show the initiated In Hawaii what
the Acting Governor could do in be-
half OF the one great industry in Ha-
wall The crv for some time had
been more coolie labor" Since the
Organic Act had gone into effect the
gates had been practically closed to
the olies from Asa but Mt. Cooper
proposed 20 show how thew could be
opened by him when he presented his
powerful side lights on the situation
at Washington.
In his report as Acting-Governor.
Mr.. Cooper spread himself on trying
10 show how the Hawaiians were fast
dying r and how n -cessary II was TO
permit more Chinese to come here to
work on the Plantations (s'c). And
as II this were not enough. Mr.. Cooper
proceeded In the most convincing way
70 show how sugar stocks would drop
in price II Chinese were mt allowed
unrestricted entrance to these Islands.
and he even declare that the many
skilled laborers who found remunera-
tive employment here would be ruin
ed while people OF small means would
become bankrupt.
Not content with stating all this
in his report Mr.. Cooper sought out
rama County Jim" Wilson. Secretary
OF Agriculture. q pour his tale into
Wilson's ear so that II would be Ger.
tain to reach the President and when
once Il reached Roosevelt that gentle
man, according to Cooper's idea.
would at once insert in his message
clause urging Congress to pass
special bill to permit the free en-.
trance Of Chinese TO Hawaii.
Evidently C-oper's views upon the
subject OF Chinese immigration to
Hawaii and the dangers threatening
this Territory II more Chinese were (
not brought in must have reached the
Presidents attention. Mr.. Cooper
declared in the most positive terms
that the presence OF large numbers
OF Chinese and japanese has not
proved detrimental 70 skilled r. IN.
skilled American lsborers.r And taen
10 substsntiate this statement Mr..
Cooper. innocent. gulleless man that
be is. published statement showing
the number OF unskined laborers en-
pioyed upon the plantations. This
table shows the total number OF IN.
skilled ls6rrers employed for ,he
season Of 1901 10 have been IS. So. +
OF whom 77.sS7 were japanese; 1875
were Chinese: 2.0s5 were Porto
Rioans The number OF Portuguese
was 2fl7. the number or Hawa,ians
1910. the number OF Americans s4a
exclusive Of s. negroes. or a total
nom the States OF Ss7. the number
Of British les. the number OF Germans
i6s. and all ether nationsi:ties SIS
What better showing In substantial.
ton OF Mr. Cooper's statement cou'd
be made. Jus; think how little eject
he presence OF large numbers OF
japanese and Chinese has had apon
he employment Of either skilled or
lnstilled American labor WAY.
Think how very many American IN
Killed laborers are employed lpon
he plantations? out CT 2s.sS7 such
aoorers. se7 OF them. Including the [
iegroes imported last winter. are I
americans. Just think OF that Does I