The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-03-06

The following is an open letter from
the president of the United Chinese SO.
ciety of Honolulu, written to Mr.. Cor
ham ID. Gilman of Boston, former
Hawaiian consul-general, and published
in late Boston paper:
The Chinese community of the Terri
tory takes this means of appealing to
your sense of justice and fairness to en-
list your sympathy and assistance in re-
dressing wrongs under which they are
suffering
In 1898, when the Queen was de-
throned, the Chinese took no active
part in the revolution, having much
confidence in the wisdom of the leaders
of the organic change. Although an
nexation was the prime motive with
those leaders, some for patriotic rea.
sons and others for the pecuniary ben
efits they might obtain by the annexa.
ton of this country to the United
States, we do not think they saw far
enough ahead to realize that the annex
alton of Hawaii would mortally injure
so large part of the community as we
form.
The cause of our being injured, of
course, was the concomitant extension
of the exclusion laws of the United
States to this territory.
FORMER FREEDOM.
You are aware that we have travelled
back and forth from China to the Ha-
waiian Islands for more than cen
fury without restriction other than such
restriction under the Hawaiian laws as
was as much for our benefit as for fla
waiians. While so coming and going,
but small proportion of those who Wis
tied the Islands made permanent homes
in the land, some intermarrying with
the Hawaiians and identifying them
selves with the aboriginal stock. OF
the hundreds of thousands who have
visited Hawaii but few (752 during the
past century, became naturalized, and
of these probably one-half have died or
abandoned their citizenship. The
United States census of 1900 showed a
Chinese population of 25,742, and ow-
ing to the inhospitable treatment re-
ceived by them under the unnatural ex.
clusion law this number has been re-
duced to less than 10000.
CHINESE ACHIEVEMENT
During this long residence of our PEG.
pie on the Islands it is admitted that
more was done by MS toward develop.
ing the resources of the country than
! by any other class. Not only have we
| reclaimed land from the sea, restored
| abandoned lands to utility and produc-
! tiveness, rendering them tax and rent
producing properties. but we We're the
| introducers of the rice industry, which
10 anil e,
/ have heard of the marvellous develop.
ment of the sugar industry of the
Islands you were not informed perhaps
that such unparalleled development was
! largely due to the labor of the Chinese
II is frequently stated that the com.
petition of the overland railroad con.
Meeting the east and west coasts of
America was due TO the Chinese. To n
greater extent should the Chinese be
credited with the development of the
! resources Of Hawaii, We have said
! that We introduced rice cultivation on
the Islands. Our people, rs a rule, do
not acquire real estate, and o per cent
OF that under cultivation is leaseholds
20 per cent. Of il being owned by M,
tives and 20 per cent, by foreigners. II
is closely estimated that there are $500
/ persons directly engaged in the indus
try, to say nothing OF their families, the
ieamsters, and sailors who bring tbs
Product 90 market, The annexation OF
Hawaii to the Union not only brought
upon MS the burden Of the, 60 us, odiou,
aud unnatural exclusion law, hut ha,
crippled the rice industry by reducing
the protective tariif afforded by ths
Hawaiian laws under which u thrOve
] u also prohibited the renewal of chs
necessary labor Ia tho hells, and throat