The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-02-12
EMIGRATION MAY
Be ENDANGERED
Ex-Minister Twins vieWs---Op-
position to japanese---Mer-
chants Share Dislike.

Hon. r. w. Irwin, for many year:
Hawaiian Minister to Japan, Is
through passenger on the Korea fol
his home in Yokohama. His interests
are almost entirely in the land of the
crysanthemum, his visit to the main
land being for the purpose OF seeing
his children who are at school In an
Eastern city He has been away from
Japan for three months and knows moth
ing of the japanese question from the
view point of the japanese.
'.I have no idea how the matter will
be settled" he said yesterday in re-
ply to a question by representative
of the Advertiser. 81 left home before
it arose and while I hope they can
save the emigration I have doubts about
it. I do not consider that the Japa-
nese have been fairly treated in the
States. There is strong feeling
against them and it is not confined to
the laboring class. It extends to all
classes in California and into the mid
die west In New England and in some
of the Middle States, where they know
nothing about it, they are Indifferent
as to how it will end but in the west
there is strong anti-Japanese feel
ing.
81 would dislike to see strained re-
lations between the United States and
Japan; it would be serious to Hawaii
only in the matter of labor, and it
will be well if it can be peacefully
and pleasantly settled so that you may
still have your labor supply unhamper-
welt, who is diplomatic, adroit and
clever. If he can straighten it out
without severing the peaceful relations
now existing between the two coun-
tries I will be pleased. But, as l have
said, the United States has not been
giving the Japanese fair treatment;
it does not give it to any of the aliens,
even though it may be, as you suggest,
8 the land of the free and the home of
the brave. But it ism It. For a hun
bred years it has been calling the
people of all South America sdagoes
and the Mexieans have lived in the
United States known only as 'greasers.'
Now what is the conditions Secre-
tary Root goes down there and asks
for their trade Of course the people
of the United States say they do not
they simply provide sep
arate districts in which people of diff
ferent nationalities are expected to re-
side and separate schools in which they
are to educate their children. They
do not discriminate against foreigners
any more than the South discriminates
against the negroes when they provide
schools and separate restau-
rants and separate ears for them. But
the impression that there is discrimin-
alton exists only in the minds of the
foreigners and the negroes
As the representative of Hawaii dur
ng the monarchy Mr.. Irwin was for
several years charged with the duty of
japanese labor for the plan
,ations in the islands. In the capacity |
# labor agent it is said he amassed |
/ large fortune. His home in Yoke |
lama is one of opulence and dignity. I
AZ
n interesting family. He is brother
# the late Admiral Irwin, U. S. n,
nd bears striking likeness to him.
lie is also a great grandson of Ben
amin Franklin. He has many friends
ere and was busy greeting then dur
ng his short sojourn in the city. In
he afternoon he visited the Honolulu
ron Works on private business.