Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-04-20

IL rs quite apparent lTOIn th' Jaw
and the testimony ELECTED, that the
fund referred to Is not peculiarly
Chinese Fund" II is in fact Bal
ances due depositors in the late ia.
waiian Postal Savings Bank" some of
which Is the property of other nation.
alities, but the mass of II belongs to
citizens of China, who were compul-
sorry depositors in said bank. At the
time annexation took place there was
none of this money on hand, all having
been used for Public Works. The
Fund" was money sent here to pay
amounts due depositors in the defunct
Hawaiian Postal Savings Bank in &C.
cordance with acquisitions sent to
Washington signed by the Governor
and countersigned by the Secretary OF
the Territory. So long as the Govern
ment paid interest for the use Of those
deposits 1t had the undoubted right TO
the use of them. BY the Organic Act
interest ceased on those deposits on
the LIST day OF July, 1900. and when the
Federal Government RENTED the eN'
act amount claimed by the Territorial
Government as due to the depOsitors
for their deposits and interest thereon
to July LIST. 1900, the money so remit
ted should have been held sacred as
q trust fund for the payment OF such
depOsitors. As to whether this fund
can be used by the Territorial Govern.
ment. the Attorney General renders an
opinion that It can be so used. His
opinion we do not endorse. He admits
that the Hawaiian laws pertaining to
deposits in the Hawaiian Postal Saw.
ings Bank were repealed by the or.
ganlc Act. Any business man would
| tell him that interest is money paid
for the use of money" and when no in
terest is being paid for trust fund in
ones possession is would be wrong to
use such fund.
immigration Laws.
He does not state the law when he
says that part of the immigration
Laws of Hawaii are still in force. 1t
appears rs of yesterday that he was
arguing before the courts that the
United States immigration Laws had
superseded the Hawaiian laws in toto
and that the permits in the hands of
returning Chinese were void, having
been annulled by the joint resolution
which annexed Hawaii to the Union
In Territory of the United States the
immigration Laws OF the Union main.
tain, and when the United States Gov
eminent saw fit TO register the Chi.
nese laborers and thereby granted
them the right to remain in Hawaii for
an unlimited period, 1t did so intelli.
gently, and such registration did abro'
gate their agreement TO depart.
Money Is Due.
We hold that the money sent here
by the Federal Government Is due and
payable TO all the depositors in the late
Hawaiian Postal Savings Bank, wheth.
eT Chinese or otherwise, except, IN the
latter instance they should, when pre-
lsenting their pass books, exhibit their
registration papers.
II would be wrong to withhold for
an unlimited time this money which Is
the property of men who have earned
=. by the sweat of their brows to the
enrichment Of Hawaiian planters. and
who lave been granted by the United
states Government an unlimited time
of residence.
There was M forToiture cIauso in the
agreement to depart as soon as they
ceased 10 he emnloyed AT agricultural
Ilabor nor can thew he now deported
hinder anv law or the United States
lsbouId they no found at other emnIoy.
lment
IwrIoht,s corf.ssIor.
Tbev sbouId have their deposits
when nronerIv demanded. We believe
that the usInp of This fund. az Il has
been used under the directions of Act
ling Goyerpor Cooper. was most repre
Ibensible. All the evidence goes 10
show that IL has been handled in a
most unbusInessIike manner, and pre
scented n great termination 10 those in
| .l--.-- 4, a. Ill. -. y