Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-22
CHINESE IN Hawaii
Senator Burton Favors a Re-
stricted Immigration.
III &c
FIELD LABOR NEEDED
WHITE MEN CANNOT WORK IN
THE TROPICAL SUN.
Denies That Proposed Step Would Lead
to Admission of Mongolians
to Mainland.

to Mainland.
The Senate committee, consisting of Sem
ator Mitchell, chairman, and Senator Eos
ter of Washington and Senator Burton of
Kansas, that visited. Hawaii In November,
will make its report to the Senate shortly
after Congress reconvenes in January. This
report. which will probably be one Of the
most interesting that. has ever been made
on Hawaii, will deal in general way with
the conditions there, concerning which
legislation Is demanded Senator Burton,
who Is especially interested in the immi-
grafton and labor situation in the islands,
as the result of his investigation will offer
an amendment to the immigration bill pro-
viding that Chinese may be admitted to
Hawaii for employment in agricultural pur-
suits. When the immigration bill was be-
ing discussed in the Senate recently Mr..
Burton gave notice that he would offer such
an amendment. His proposition provoked
earnest opposition from Senator Aoar and
others on the republican side. The Kansas
senator says that an investigation will
show that his plan of restricted immigra-
tfon for the Chinese presents the only
practical solution that feature Of the
labor problem in Hawaii.
Would Admit the Chinese.
Mr. Burton In discussing his amendment
with Star reporter today said:
'You will observe that in the debate the
other day on my proposed amendment 1t
was admitted by Senator Mitchell, and, In
deed, it is a notorious fact, that very great
industrial and financial depression exists
throughout the islands. You Will also OBJ
serve that In that debate no senator sug-
gested any other remedy than the one I
proposed. The remedy embodied In my
amendment is the one that everybody In
the islands favors. I say every one, SUBJ
stantially every one, and certainly large
majority OF all classes, including native
Hawaiians, skilled laborers, merchants,
planters, manufacturers, trades people,
lawyers, doctors, in fact, well-nigh every
one seems to think that the only remedy
that will afford relief is Chinese immigra-
ton.
Need Of Laborers.
? "It must be borne in mind, first, that
Hawaii is a tropical country, and next,
that a white Tlan, will not work in the
sun in a tropical country. Again, it is just
as web known that the native Hawaiian
will not work in the cane fields any more
than will the white man. Before annexa-
ton the kingdom of Hawaii spent great
deal Of money, made large appropriations
for the purpose Of importing laborers from
a great many different countries. Labor
ers have been brought there from the
Strait Settlements. New Zealand, Samoa
and Porto Rico, as well as American ne
groes, Portuguese and others, and yet the
only laborers that will go into the fields are
Chinese and Japanese. These experiments
have covered great many years, and cost
a great deal of money.
Now we are up against the proposition
whether we will permit the Japanese to
dominate the labor in the islands and
eventually overrun and control the country,
or permit their great competitors, the Chi
nese, to come In there and perform agri-
cultural labor. To admit them under such
restrictions in no way Injuries skilled labor,
on the contrary skilled workmen in Ha-
wall tell me 1t would be to their great adj
vantage. IasLc sfT $3.50 cot
Admission Of the Japanese.
Under our treaty the Japanese are COM
ing in by the shiploads. and they can enter
all classes Of service and perform all kinds
Of labor, and they are not only debating
the price Of labor to be paid upon the farms
and by the planters, but they are also in
vading the fields Of skilled labor. They are
driving the Hawaiian from the sea and con-
trolling the fisheries. They are not so de-
sirable as a class as are the Chinese. OF
course, the amendment contemplates that
the admission Of the Chinese should be
carefully guarded and rigidly restricted to
agricultural labor only. 1 know there is q
prejudice against a measure Of this kind.
based upon the idea that 1t Is q species of
bondage, and that It Is degrading to labor
because 1t Is cheap labor. True, 1t is cheap,
but it is the very best, and the employers
knowing 1t to be the best treat the Chinese
well, and they are far better Off in every
way because Of their coming. They do not
come to stay, but after working for a num-
Der of years and acquiring, by industry and
economy, competency, they return to
their native home; but they have benefited
themselves, they have benefited their en-
ployers, they have benefited skilled labor
they have benefited every one, and they re-
turn with more or less knowledge of our
laws and civilization. and with higher ideals
Of life than when they came
No Admission to the Mainland.
| 81 can see only good in allowing them to
come to perform this kind Of labor. know
it is said that this Ia letting down the bars
and establishing precedent, and next
there will be a move for restricted Chinese
immigration for the mainland. It will be q
precedent only for our tropical possessions;
it will not be precedent for admitting
of this continent where the white man can
not perform labor in the sum-. even In the
far south. We must comprehend the DIFF
ference between the temperate zone and
the tropics; we must legislate for the trop--
les, and when we do SO such LEGISLATION
will not in any sense be regarded as prec-
edent for. conditions on the mainland We
are responsible for the conditions In which
the people Of Hawaii find themselves. They
were prosperous as a kingdom and as a re-
public but when our labor laws were en-
forced in that territory that impoverished
them"