The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-02-10
PETITION To
WASHINGTON
TO Stop Employment of
Aliens on Public
Works.

Following is the joint petition of the
Builders and Traders Exchange and
Trades and Labor Council, to be pre-
scented to Congress by Delegate Kala-
nianaole, which is fortified by lengthy
exhibits relating to immigration and
labor in this Territory:
To the Honorable Senate and House
of Representatives of the United
States of America, IN the Fifty
eighth Congress Assembled,
We, the undersigned, The Builders
and Traders Exchange of Honolulu,
Hawaii, and the Honolulu Trades and
Labor Council of Honolulu, H T., re-
spectfully represent to your honora BILE
body as follows:
1st- The Builders and Traders Ex-
change is composed of contractors,
wholesale and retail houses supplying
materials, manufacturers and allied in
terests. They are the employers of
upwards of 80 per cent. of the citizen
skilled labor of the Territory of Ha-
wall, not engaged in the production of
sugar
2nd. The Honolulu Trades and La
Dor Council is the official representa-
tive of all organized labor of Honolu-
lu. It's membership includes only citi-
zens or those eligible to become citi-
zens of the United States.
3rd. There are now in the Territory
of Hawaii large number of skilled
and unskilled laborers of the Asiatic
races.
4th. Owing to the irreconcflable diff
ferences in the standards of living, civ
ilization, public duty, spirit and re-
sponsibility, these alien Asiatics, if I'M
restricted, are a menace to American
standards of citizenship and living
5th. The Territory of Hawaii is a
tropical country and cannot be judged
or legislated for without considering
local and special conditions.
9Th. The white man will not perform
field labor under conditions existing on
the sugar cane plantations in this Ter
ritory, no more than he will in Louis
lana or Cuba.
Eth. In our contentious against en-
ployment of aliens on the Federal
work of this Territory, we do not take
issue with the requirements of Ha-
waiian planters for field labor per-
formed by Asiatics and believe the
subject merits thorough and careful
study and investigation by Congress.
Sth. We believe the patronage of the
Federal and Territorial Governments
should be reserved exclusively for the
citizenship, or those eligible, that the
body polite may have the moral and
physical support of those the law has
declared desirable.
9th. The recent Territorial Legisla-
ture enacted a law combining Terrific
rial patronage to citizens or those eli
gible.
10th. Without success, save in one
instance, attempts have been made to
induce Federal officials to limit Fed
eraI patronage TO citizens or those ELI
gible. Some officials have doubted
their authority.
We therefore petition your Honor
able Body to enact:
That no person not an American cit /
izen or eligible to become such, shall |
be employed directly or indirectly as
sub-contractor or workman
On any public work done in the Terri |
DRY of Hawaii by any Federal Depart |
nent or under direction of any Fed |
eral officer.
And to provide suitable penalties for
yiolation.
We believe the enactment petitioned |
or will encourage a sound community |
If American citizens and add to their
Material welfare sustain them in their
moral and social standards and civil
zed scale of living, correct selfish pri-
rate sentiment and action, and lend
security to the political and material
of the Government of the Uni
ed States.
THE BUILDERS AND TRADERS
EXCHANGE OF HONOLULU,
HAWAII
BY JOHN H CRAIG, President.
Attest: J. D. AVERY, Secretary
THE HONOLULU TRADES AND
LABOR COUNCIL.