The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-03-30

The press of the United States teens
with demands for the repeal of eXclu-
sion laws and contends that a general
| Immigration law would be sufficient to
answer all purposes. From all parts of
the Union comes cry for hands to
harvest the Grows and in Hawaii,
| where it has been extensively and con
clusiveIv proven that white men can
not stand the labor, we are confronted
with a similar condition of lack of
hands for the cultivation of rice and
sugar as well as many other minor
industries.
The treaty between the United
States ana China which warrants the
exclusion law expired on the Sth of
December, 1904, and the original
treaty between the two countries
wherein each guarantees to the other
that its people residing within the
other shall enjoy the same freedom as
those of the most favored nation, again
revives. 1t is now, therefore, the
proper time to make laws which will
be in accord with that treaty, and
which will be conducive to reciprocal
interchange of commodities between
these two great nations. In the face
of such a treaty, is 1T right that Con-
gress should pass special class 1egisla-
tion against the Chinese2
The few people in the United States
who object to Chinese immigration
bolster up their argument with fan
cied dread of yellow invasion of
America. There are at present less
than $4,000 Chinese in the United
States, which is less than one to one
thousand of population. Surprising that
in twenty years it was possible for
100000 to arrive (Which is an alb
surdity). they would still be not one
per cent of the population. Another
argument against them is that they
| work for extremely low wages. We
have found that they are as solicitous
as any other people to get all they can
for their services. Another is that
they send all their money home to
China. This argument is oftener made
by these who forget to speak of the
billions which have been sent to Eu-
rope and also that it is one of the
prime rights a man has, viz, to do as
he pleases with what he has earned.
Another is that they do not amalga-
mate with Americans or become citi-
zens, the speaker forgetting that laws
have been passed prohibiting them
from being naturaliZed. If they are
only temporary sojourners in the land
they are a very useful class in devel-
Oping a country.
The unexpected blanketing of the
Territory of Hawaii with the unnatural
and severe exclusion laws of the. United
States in All their harshness was a blow
to us as surprising as fatal to our am
bition, business and enterprise. It was
Immediately followed by officers to en-
| force 1T, WHO proceeded to ignore the
permits issued by the late Hawaiian
government and who absolutely refused
to allow our cOuntrymen, who had been
abroad temporarily to return to their
homes and businesses.
Judging by what we read in the pub
| lie press of the United States the ex-
clusion laws are thought by a great
majority of the people of the country
| to be abhorrent to their ideas of that
| liberty for which the word America is
| synonym. An immigra zion law which
| would protect the country from being
| depository for the criminals, diseased
and paupers of other nations and which
| would be universal in its operation is
sufficient.
To cOnfine ourselves to the necessity
| for laborers for Hawaii, who can en-
dure the tropical heat, the demand is
| so urgent that to US the repetition of
| the requirements IN that line is super
| fious. Still, to those at distance. who
are not acquainted with the situation.
| 1t may be necessary to suggest that the
admission of Chinese to an isolated
| tropical land like Hawaii, although il
| is an integral part of the Union, could
work no injury to the inhabitants of
| the continental part.
We<would refer you to the annual
report of the Governor of this Ter
rltory to the President. wherein he en-
hot 4 IL
had by Congress with such restrictions
| as it might deem necessary for the adj
mission of Chinese laborers. Polite
| ally, 1t is wrong to exclude one class
of Orlentals and admit another, as the
result must be the turning of Hawaii
INTO japanese colony. Under the
hawaiian government there was a per
slstent endeavor to maintain an eoui-
lbrlum between the Chinese and Jan
anese immigrants ana Ut the same time
! to encourage immigration from the
Caucasian peoples.
1t would appear that at the time of
| the passing of the joint resolution bv
congress. annexlng Hawaii, the present
emergency was toreseen and provision
made for further legislation in this re-
spect.
Sec. TX reads: '-Fhere shall he no
further immigration of Chinese into
the Hawaiian Islands, except upon
such conditions as are now or NAV
hereafter be allowed by the laws of the
United states. We contend. there
tore. that Congress- has reserved to
itself the power to admit Chinese to
Hawaii should the welfare of the land
demand 1t. The peculiar conditions of
tropical America, in regard to reoui-
site labor. should HAYS especial consid-
Grafton at the hands OF Congress.
Trusting. therefore. that the bill pre-
serlblng terms wherein Chinese NAV
he admitted TO Hawaii. or perhaps a
more liberal measure. will receive the
attention it deserves. I subscribe nv
self,
Respectfully yours.