Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-12-29
Senatorial Discussion OF
Burton's HawaiiAmendment

being chairman of that committee. r
feel responsibility with respect to IT,
We ought not to allow the Islands of
Hawaii to suffer for want of legisla.
ton which we may enact. II we find
upon consideration that this legisla.
ton should be enacted. | am taking no
position now as to that, one way or the
other. but feel 1t my duty. before
this matter passes from consideration.
to give this proposition chance to be
heard. | should much rather have the
benefit Of the committees report. as
the Senator from South Carolina sug.
gests: but 10 not regard that as lndis.
pensable.
Mr.. Tillman-I desire to clear up
any idea that am criticising the Sen
! ator from Kansas. ! have no purpose
or desire TO pass any structures upon
that Senator'S action. He has right
to Introduce any amendment he
pleases. The only question that pre-.
sents itself TO my mind Is that we had
up the whole subject OF Chinese immi.
grafton to the United States proper
and to the United States improper. as
some OF us consider the Philippines,
and everything else last spring; we
discussed IL exclusively. and I
thought any question as to the condi.
tons in Hawaii and the necessities Of
that insular annex was sufficiently
considered then to make Il unneces.
sary for us six months afterwards to
rush forward under the claim that
there Is a terrible dearth of labor In
! the Hawaiian Islands and that they are
about to get into condition of indus.
trial collapse and all that kind of thing
4 II has occurred to me also that there
Z might be other parts OF the United
States that would want labor and want
II now and want II badly. and do not
really see why we should be discriml.
mating In favor OF few corporations
which own sugar plantations In the Ha-
/ waiian Islands and leaving out of con
sideration the millions-well. millions
is not big enough-of acres OF South.
ern lands that need drainage and need
cultivation. should like to have some
explanation as to why these sugar
planters In the Hawaiian Islands are
such pets OF ours that we can not pass
a Chinese exclusion bill at one session
but that we must come along and mod.
ify II at the next.
Mr.. Mitchell-Mr. President
Mr.. Foraker-Will the Senator allow
me to say one word In answer to the
Senator from South Carolina?
Mr.. Mitchell--Certainly
Mr.. Foraker-This amendment has
no reference to sugar planters, as a
class. to the exclusion of other people
In Hawaii. II is intended for the ben,
eft of all the people In Hawaii. There
are a few sugar planters there, dc
not know how many: II Is great in
dustry in the Hawaiian Islands and
when It languishes, when sugar plan
tations can not be conducted except al
a loss. and such | understand is the
, fact now. there Is poverty and distress
in the whole of the islands; all classes
suffer.
Mr.. Tillman-Then there Is another
question ! should like to ask the Sen
ator.
Mr.. Foraker should like to be per
mitted to answer that first and then
will yield to the Senator.
Mr.. Tillman--The Senator Is so pro
life OF Ideas In my mind that ! mus
beg his pardon II ] respond too quickly
Mr.. Foraker-The Senator from
South Carolina starts all my ideas.
Mr.. Tillman-It is the same with me
Mr.. Foraker-This is not intended
! for the benefit OF any class. II Is pro
, posed upon the theory that II will ben
, eft all classes.
Now, what | wanted to say in answer
, to the Senator, before | quit on that
point, Is that few.moments ago | ask
ed the subcommittee whether this
portion of their report had yet beer
prepared, and If so, will now ask thai
II may be at once printed, in ordel
that we may have the benefit OF 1t be
fore We do act finally on this bill.
, Mr.. Mitchell-Mr. President, I hap
pen to be the chairman of the subcom
I, mittee. Only three members of tn,
, subcommittee appointed were able t
/, visit the Hawaiian Islands-the Sena
= tor from Kansas (Mr, Burtoh), thu
Senator from Washington (Mr. Eos
teri, and myself. Under the authorit!
, imposed on MS by the resolution of tn,
Senate we Investigated quite a mum
! Der of rather important matters In lila
wall.
: A great amount Of testimony was Ia
ken, some 176 witnesses were examin
. ed in all, ana great many memorial
!, and petitions were presented to tn,
subcommittee for their consideration
Among the subjects investigated
was this one OF labor In the islands Of
I. that subject we received great dea
: Of testimony and number of memo
, rails petitions and letters, all bearinl