The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1903-06-17
BISHOPS KOREANS
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could get here and would be glad to
better their condition by emigrating
and arrangements were made with the
banking institutions over there to pay
the passages of any voluntary immi-
grants that wanted to come to Ha-
wall. The contract feature Of the
thing was very clearly explained TO
some OF the foreigners there that
| had dealings with and they under
stood and It was absolutely and tho
| roughly understood that they could
not go to the United States under con-
tract and Furthermore made clear that
we would not entertain anything Of the
kind that we did not propose to get
mixed up with the authorities in any
| way, shape or manner and that IL had
TO be absolutely voluntary, and that is
what II is.
These people have not been so much
as solicited to come to this country or
informed what wages they can get
here or that they can get employment
at all. What they know is what
other people have done in Hawai- in
former years,-Japanese and Portu-
guese. In this letter of Mr.. Taylor he
says the paying of fare for an alien
while ordinarily looked upon as a sus-
| picious circumstance tending to create
the impression that there may be a
contract expressed or implied, is not,
! however, conclusive evidence; and II
satisfactory testimony can be adduced
that there has been no violation of
the contract labor law applicants are
| IN an
do not belong to the excluded classes
With these people here there is not the
semblance of contract in any shape
or form; after they get here not one
| five cent piece is deducted from their
wages in payment for their fare, and
they are just as free when they come
ashore as you and 1 are. They come
voluntarily and we have given them
employment, and If they see fit to
throw up their jobs and come to town
we have no control over them"
Mr.. Brown: Some of these people,
Mr., Bishop, nearly all we have exannin-
ed in detail, mention having signed
some sort of paper when they got
their return check. Can you tell us
anything about that?"
Mr.. Bishop. "All 1 know is that
money is advanced by the bank. to
them in the, shape of a loan Some
of them I think have stated that they
borrowed the money to come here on,
have they not?"
Mr.. Brown: II don't think my ex-
amina tons have disclosed that. The
conditions on which the loans are made
do you know that?"
Mr.. Bishop: II suppose we deposit
part of it. If they take their notes
they expect to recover that some time,
but so far as we are concerned we
have nothing to do with it,"
Mr.. brown: You put up the passage
the actual passage? The return
check they provide themselves?"
Mr.. Bishop Yes or negotiate a loan
then"
Later in the inquiry Bishop stated
that his dealing in the mater were with
the Deshle Bank of Chemulpo. The
expenses and a commission to the bank
are paid for getting the people here.
Bishop stated and he added: They
are assisted and we felt quite justified
in assisting them. You need not go
any further on the assisted part of the
thing. l can assure you on my oath
and honor that the Planters Associa-
ton which l represented over there has
not had anything to do with making
contracts" Under the letter from
the treasury department, it was stated
the proceedings in Korea were justi-
fed. No promises of employment here
were made to any Koreans.
The Board proceeded to examine two
Koreans and their testimony was in
line with the statements by Bishop
They said that they expected to farm
and didn't know for whom. The tes-
timony of the other Ill was said tC
be the same and the Board unanimous
ly voted to admit them all.