The Hawaiian gazette., 1905-10-17

ATKINSON

The last number of the New York In
dependent has a discussion by Secre-
tary A. l.. c. Atkinson Of the future of
Japanese in Hawaii and the yellow
Peril" 1t is as follows:
II do not believe that Hawaii Is des-
tined to be Japanized. 1t is fact that
the japanese population of the islands
is more than twice the number of eau
casians of all nationalities, and it must
be admitted that the japanese, original
ly brought here as laborers--a large
majority of them contract laborers be-
fore annexation-have made very con-
siderable advances as skilled laborers
and have driven many American skill
ed laborers away from the group. The
aforementioned fact that there are thou
sands of young Japanese growing up all
over the islands who will have the
right being American born, to demand
American citizenship and vote must
also be admitted. 1t is pointed out by
alarmists in Hawaii today that in about
ten years enough of these youths will
grow up to dominate the political situa-
ton in the islands, and Japanese leg
islature and japanese county officials in
this little American Territory are free
ly predicted by the alarmists.
The japanese, however, do not be-
come expatriated. They will not want
American citizenship. They do not
want it now. In the last general cleo
tion here the japanese who voted can
be counted on the fingers of hand,
though there are undoubtedly several
hundred who could qualify. The Chi
nese far more readily accept American
citizenship, or, rather, reach after 1t
when able. and we have about two hun
dred of them as voters. The Chinese
desire for citizenship, however, is usu-
ally not founded on devotion to Amer
icanism. 1t is merely matter of avoid
ing the difficulties and inconvenience
OF the Exclusion Act, for a Chinese
who is an American citizen may travel
to and from the country as he wills.
The japanese want our education, our
business and mechanical knowledge and
our money. but, far more than the
Chinese, they want to keep their own
This is why they will new
err dominate an election in Hawaii and
one reason why I say that the Hawai-
Ian Islands will never beTapanized.
Another is that Hawaii herself has
begun to initiate movement which
will populate her beautiful fertile val
leys and plains and hillsides with the
homes Of whites.
I'm recent years the people of Hawaii
have awakened to the realization more
than ever of what is meant by the
words spoken by President Roosevelt
when he said that Hawaii must be de-
veloped along traditional American
lines and also. perhaps, they have
awakened to realization of the fact
that the American ideal was not being
achieved here, / believe that our large
sugar plantation men--even those who
have asked from time to time that
Washington allow them Chinese coolies
ARE taking more than ever an in
Lerest in this problem.
Hawaii boasts OF an incompatible
climate, soil of unexcelled fertility and
scenery so charming that no visitor
ever fails to say its impression will
inger in his memory till death. She
has thousands of acres of splendid
Government land lying idle. She has
he finest and largest sugar mills in
he world and vast cane fields watered
~ some of the largest pumps ever in
stalled by man. On the single island
II Oahu there is pumped from the soil |
~ this vast machinery the incredible |
otai of 350,0O0O00 gallons every twenty |
our hours. In these great mills and |
plants there Is employment |
or a small army of skilled engineers |