The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-25
Pour Into United States, with
Hawaiian Islands as Step
ping Stone.
SARGENT FINDS LEAK
OF THE ORIENTALS
Break Rule of Own Government
to Gain Foothold on
/ Pacific Coast.
journal Special Service.

journal Special Service.
Washington, Dec. 25.-There Is to
be new and independent report on the
Japanese immigration question and
transmit it to congress with another
message, making the third on this sub
ject.
Frank Sargent, the commissioner gem
eral of immigration, was at the White
House yesterday and gave President
Roosevelt summary Of his investiga-
ton of the Japanese tide Of immigration
into California thru Hawaii. AS he has
but just arrived here and has not even
r. begun preparation Of his official report,
the commissioner general was unwilling
to give an outline Of his conclusions.
His report will have great bearing
upon the settlement Of the Japanese
difficulty on the Pacific coast, however,
because all of this oriental immigra-
ton now comes from the Hawaiian
islands, and if the flow from Japan to
Honolulu can be stopped the fear Of
Californians of an inundation of Japan
csc will disappear, violation of law and
order will cease, and normal labor con-
ditions on the Pacific slope will be re-
Stored.
Plan Treaty in Secret.
When the Japanese ambassador called
tuo ulGS IOuSe, Wullo tAClGcLucuG
in California over the presidents first
Japanese message was at its height, a
statement was made on authority of
some Japanese that treaty was being
negotiated between the exclusion Of
the laboring class in each country from
the other. This story promptly was de.
MED by the state department. Since
them, however, certain people from the
Pacific coast and some eastern senators
have been let into the secret Of negotia.
tons.
To understand the situation it should
be explained that long time ago the
Japanese government by mere execu-
tive order stopped emigration of their
pnskilled laborers to the United States.
That order still stands and the Jap
anese .coolie class are not carried on
ships direct to this country.
1t was reported to the Japanese gov
shat there was an enormous demand for
agricultural labor In the Hawaiian
Islands. This was quite true. The oper-
elton Of our Chinese exclusion act
crippled the Hawaiian = plantations.
When the islands were annexed the
planters supposed it would be simple
matter to get congress to agree to sus-
pend the Chinese exclusion act so far
as Hawaii was concerned, but Keeping
Cinnamon out Of the mainland, wheth-
or they came direct from China or
from Hawaii.
Japanese Stock Island.
Congress, however, refused to NEEDLE
with the Chinese exclusion act at all.
The result was an extraordinary dearth
agricultural labor in Hawaii To sup
Of Japan, and the Japanese government
subsequently,. upon representation Of
some of their own large employment
agencies, which operate much like the
six companies of China, or the padrones
of Italy, agreed to allow laborers to
ship from Japan to Hawaii, practically
without restriction.
The result was astonishing. AS late
as 1884 there were in the islands less
than l per cent of the total population
who were foreign born japanese, while
at the same time about % per cent of
the population were natives of China
Since that time the Chinese have gone
homeward at the end Of their period Of
employment under the six companies
system.
By 1901 more than per cent of the
total population were natives Of Japan.
The census Of that year showed, more
over, that 81 per cent Of males IS years
of age and over were Japanese, while
more than % per cent were Chinese.
IL CuuS appears GnaJ In SIX wears
~ rs per cent Of the adult male popu-
lation Of the islands was Asiatic.
Only Step to Mainland.
Since then the Japanese tide toward
the United States has set in The re-
suit. is piling up the Japanese on the
Pacific coast, where they are not want
ed, are a drain on the labor supply of
Hawaii, where the Japanese are much
In demand.
Commissioner General Sargent said:
'There are now probably 10000 jap
anese in the islands. They are arriv
ing there at the rate Of from 600 to
1000 month. The new arrivals do
not remain long. however, but soon
go to the Pacific coast of the main
land. In the last twelve months IL. 900
Japanese have gone from Hawaii to
"The Japanese government, as I IN.
derstand it, will not issue passports to
Its citizens to come to this country.
because it has been satisfied that ifs
people here could not get work in suf-
ficient numbers nor could be properly
guaranteed protection and good treat
ment. The fact that there Is demand
for laborers in Hawaii induced the Jan
anese government to issue passports to
those islands. Once they are in the
islands, however, the Japanese 90 d.
rect to California, and thus evade the
intended, restriction Of their own