The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-05-18
SECRETARY COOPER
Isis FOR INFORMATION
Whereat United States
Officials Are Sur
prised.
SECRETARY GAGE MAKES ANSWER
HIS LETTER RELATING TO THE
REGISTRATION OF
CHINESE.
SECRETARY GAGE MAKES ANSWER
Points Gu, that One of coopers
Questions Does Not Require Any
Answer. An Example for Dole
in the matter of Signature.
(From a Stan Correspondent

tFrom q Stan Correspondent
WASHINGTON April Cooper
has asked for information. Whereat
the officials of the United States gov
eminent were greatly surprised. From
the way things have been running in
Hawaii lately it was not expected that
anybody there would ever again ask
the government to tell them what to
do in any case, and here comes the
great Cooper who wants TO know
things. II is true that he insolently
complains that he has never received
a ruling from the Secretary of the
Treasury upon the matters upon which
he seeks light, and it is to be hoped
that the Hon Henry E Cooper will
cast his eye carefully over the letter
that Secretary Gage has sent him and
he will notice that with fine wit the
Secretary has enclosed in quotation
marks certain words
This is Mr. Cages letter to Mr.
Cooper:
Treasury Department, April 90, 1901.
Sir:-By reference from the honor
able the Secretary of the Interior, the
Department is in receipt of your let
ter of Sd instant propounding certain
queries, in view of the fact that you
have received no direct ruling from
the Secretary of the Treasury" there
upon
The points upon which you desire
information are:
1. Whether it is proper for you to
- Ii, Il
prior to August II, 1898.
2. Whether you shall continue to
issue certificates to persons of the
exempt classes in conformity TO the
provisions of section of the act of
July 5, 1884.
With regard to the first point, there
appears to be no objection to your
continuing to issue the certificates
mentioned to which it would seem that
applicants are entitled. This seems
to be conclusive from quotations con-
tanned in your letter, to wit, that
from article II, section 1, of the con-
stitution of the Republic of Hawaii
that
"AIi persons born or naturalized in
the Hawaiian Islands and subject to
the jurisdiction of the Republic are
cltlZenS thereof
And section of the act approved
April 80, 1900, which provides
THAT all persons who were citi-
zens of the Republic of Hawaii on
August u, 1898, are hereby declared
to be citizens of the United States and
citizens of the Territory of Hawaii"
AS a matter of administration, it
would seem to be wise, where such
certificates are to be used by the
| holders thereof at continental ports
of this country to establish their RICH,
to landing, that such holders, prior
! to departure from the Territorr,
should, through the collector of GUS
toms, have an investigation and re-
port made showing the truthfulness
OF the allegations upon which such GER
tificates were issued and that the hold
ers are the persons actually referred
to therein. Such a report, accom-
panied by these certificates, should
be prepared in duplicate, one copy to
be mailed to the collector at the pro-
posed port of entry and the other to
be presented by the applicant upon his
arrival at such port.
Win respect to the second point, ii
seems unnecessary to do more than
reiterate Department letter addressed
on June 2, 1900, to Attorney H c.
Schaetzer, of San Francisco, in which
the following language is used:
you are informed that the Depart
ment win regard certificates conform
ing to the provisions of section OF
the act approved July 5, 1884, relating
to the exclusion of Chinese, when is
sued by the secretary OF the Territory
of Hawaii. as being sufficient to estab
lish the right of Chinese persons OF
the exempt class to enter this country
provided the statements in such certi
ficates are not controverted"
Similar precautions should be adopt
ed. however, with regard to such Ger
tificates as are mentioned above re
specting certificates of birth. in order
that the necessity which would other
wise arise Of having these certificates
returned to the collector at Honolulu
for investigation. and the consequent
delay, may be obviated.
Your further request for information
as TO what rights of citizenship can
be claimed, respectively, by Chinese
who are naturalized in accordance
with the laws of Hawaii prior to
August L.. 1898. and those who were
born of Chinese parents prior TO the
same date. IL there is any doubt there
on in view Of the above question from
the constitution of the Republic OF
Hawaii; and the act OF Congress ap
proved April 80. 1900. does not appear
TO require an answer, since the reply
thereto does not involve any question
Of the administration of the Chinese
exclusion laws that has not already
been considered specifically herein
L ] GAGE. Secretary.
The Hon Sanford B. Dole may no
tice thst in this letter to his under
strapper. the Hon Lyman ]. Gage. the
head of the biggest department under
the biggest government on earth. puts
word after his name. That word Il
Secretary" E s. L