The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-10-30
LIBERAL
ON LABOR
Hawaii 'sNeeds Are
Known to the
Department.
TREASURY WILL
DEAL FAIRLY
No Strict Rules Are to Be Applied
According to Assistant
Secretary Taylor.
Especial Correspondence.9

"TASHlNGTON, u. u, oct. ~
w Labor matters have the center
of the stage here at the pres
ent time and the prospect is that there
will be much hard work done by the
advocates of the continuation of Chi
nese restriction for ten years more, be-
fore the meeting of Congress. The trend
Of opinion is that there viii be no change
in the policy after all though there is
a hard fight against the re-enactment
Of the old Geary law.
Meantime Hawaii has come before
the Commissioner of Labor in several
ways recently. There has been a pro-
test received from Attorney William
Haywood, formerly consul general at
Honolulu in which charges of too great
severity are made against Joshua K.
Brown, the immigrant inspector. 1t is
alleged that he has been unduly harsh
in his examination of japanese who
come TO that port, and that many OF
these people who should have been per-
country. The charges are allegedly
made by Honolulu parties, but the de-
partment here has always refused to
give them any credence or weight, as
here and, no one believes that he would
he a party to any plan to keep intend
ing settlers out of the country.
Since the arrival here of Secretary
Cooper he has been anxiousiy engaged
in the looking into the various mat
ters which pertain to the welfare of the
Territory, and among these is the ques-
tion of labor. He had interviews with
Assistant Secretary of the Treasury
Taylor and Mr.. Powderly, and address
sed a letter to the Secretary upon the
subject. Secretary Powderly has trans
mitted a long and interesting letter t
the Collector at Honolulu, inclosing one
from the Assistant Secretary in charge
Of this division of affairs, and com
menting upon it. MIR. Powderly calls
attention to the statements of Mr.. Coop
er and as TO the scarcity of labor fol
the plantations of the islands and tner
says.
1T is not intended, however, tha
there shall be Il relaxation in the en-
forcenent of the immigration laws il
the Hawaiian Islands, unless Congres:
enacls legislation for that purpose
The letter OF Secretary Taylor is a.
follows:
October 8 1901.
Hon. Henry E. Cooper. Secretary of tn,
Territory of Hawaii, Washington
Str:-Pursuant TO our talk of recen
date with regard to immigration to tht
Territory of Hawaii, and in reply to YOU
letter of the Srd instant, addressed to th'
Honorable Secretary of the Treasury,
beg 20 say that the Department IS quitt
FULLY advised as to the labor condition!
in your Territory, and is desirous of ren
dering any aid in its power to supply the
demand for labor there.
No unnecessary obstacles VIII p'
thrown in the way of aliens other than
Chinese, who desire admission to th'
Territory. OF course the immigration
laws must be enforced and persons no
eligible to admission must be excluded
The conditions there however, make !
apparent that all ablebodied persons de
+A-s7 tALiilNA ltlt'ill can secure IL SAfi'
those applying for admission. ever
though possessed of little money. ma!
safely be admitted, AS there is no dangei
of their becoming public charges so Ions
as they are able to WORK and labor i
in such active demand
The immigration authorities al HonOlu
III have received proper instructions anC
WILL 1 am sure, admit all persons wh(
lre clearly entitled to admission Th,
paying of fare for an alien while orduar
igy looked upon as a suspicious crcum
stance tending 10 create the impression
that there may be Il contract expressed
or implied is not, however, conclusive
eviIcnce; and if satisfactory testmon!
can be adduced that there has been NJ
violation of the contract labor law, appIi
cunts are entitled to admission, provid
ing they do not belong to the exclude,
classes.
The Department regards the Territor,
nf Hawaii as one of the important pos
sessions of the government, and will il
al proper ways be glad to encourage it
industries
Respectfully,
H. A. TAYLOR
. Assistant Secretary.