The Hawaiian gazette., 1905-08-25

Quick to take advantage OF any OPP
portunity for promoting the Amer
icanization OF Hawaii-the policy near
est to his heart and most commanding
to his head-Acting Governor Atlxin-
son promptly and in eloquent terms has
dictated a cordial acceptance of an
invitation for the appointment OF ten
delegates to represent the Territory
of Hawaii at a national conference on
immigration, to be held in New York
City on December 6 and Z, under the
auspices of the National Civic Fedora
ton. August Belmont, the financial
magnate, heads the signatures to the
invitation and to him Mr.. Atkinson's
reply is directed.
The opportunity for Hawaii to be
represented at a national conference on
immigration could not have arrived at
"a juncture more timely. 1t Is only a
few weeks since the newly created
board of immigration for the Territory
was organized. Commissioner General
Sargent was present at its inaugura-
ton and gave the members of the
board valuable advice, emphasizing the
desirability OF the Territory's seeking
IL
tie the country, develop new industries
and become a permanent source OF Ia
Dor for the plantations.
Acting Governor Atkinson signal
lied the event of this new departure
in methods of procuring needed immi-
grafton by declaring, in unmistakable
terms, the policy of the administration
to be that of encouraging the influx OF
elements capable of building up the
body of American citizenship in this
Territory. Among the questions men
toned in the invitation of the National
Civic Federation are a number that
bear intimately upon this declared poll
cy. the following ones for examples
What are the nature. extent and
locality of the demands in the United
States for more labor?"
What practical method can be de-
vised of distributing immigration es-
pecially for agriculture, to points where
it may be needed?"
(The foregoing question is one that
constituted about the first serious
problem that the local board came up
against. If European immigrants could
be recruited for Hawaii at New York,
how were they to be brought here with
out large proportion struggling on
at intermediate points on the wayO
SHOULD the exclusion of Chinese
coolie labor be made more rigid, and
should it be extended to Japanese and
Korean labor?"
Acting Governor Atkinson, in giving
out the correspondence that appears
below, emphasized the object of set
Element as one he holds supreme.
Whatever labor we are able to In
troduce ought to be settled in the coun-
try There should be stop put to the
perpetual shifting of our population
Mr.. Atkinson declared
IF it is to be Japanese, let them set
tie down. Give them land to cultivate
| If they are willing to stay and lave
their children brought up in American
! ways.
Eyes, believe the Japanese would
learn our language and acquire Amer
lean habits of life, If they only woult
settle upon the land. They would show
their adaptability for American citi'
zenship in the next generation.
"At all events. have our labor do
miciled in the country, as I say In my
| letter to Mr. Belmont, whatever Labor
| element it may be our fortune to pro
| cure
Herewith are printed the invitation
from the National Civic Federation ant
its acceptance by the Territorial ex
ecutive: