The Hawaiian gazette., 1907-08-02
sTRAUs ON WHITE
IMMIGRATION

ton of the kind represented by the
Suveric, Heliopolis and Kumeric car
be expected under the present law. He
does not say it that way. He says he
regards it as unfortunate that the
immigration law does not contain spe-
!. cial provisions to meet our require.
ments." To the committee from the
commercial organizations which called
on him yesterday afternoon, he ex-
pressed the same thought in very SIM
liar language. But the Secretary OF
Commerce and Labor is very guarded
in what he says. He is not painfully
guarded Indeed, he is such a pleas
ant talker that he quite captivates his
| listener. He is so completely master of
his subject and of himself, that there
is no suggestion in his talk that he is
guarding himself, or that he has any
thought that he might say too much.
1t is this complete mastery of his sub
ject that is one of the charms of his
| discussion Of any subject. He is never
unprepared, and he is never unprepared
with something entertaining.
Secretary Straus received a call yes
| terday afternoon from representatives
of the Chamber of Commerce and the
Merchants Association. To them he
said that he was here to get informa-
fAy, t-afl fla,. thay 20 rr,ry t..
| any way that he could be of service
to the people of Hawaii he would be
glad to be. He made inquiries as to
the thought and sentiment of the peo-
pie here on matters that come within
the scope of his department, immigra-
ton, for instance, and labor. He ask
ed. for instance, if it was thought here
that the continued immigration of
Japanese would swamp the islands.
To representative of the Advertiser
he gave the following interview:
1.-The purpose of my coming" said
Secretary of Commerce and Labor
Straus. lis to study, within the scope
of the Department of Commerce and
Labor, the needs of your little country;
and I desire to say at the outset that
anything I can do to advance your in
terests 1 will gladly do. And in saying
this l feel that 1 interpret the wishes
and desires of the President.
AID OF MERCHANTS AND PLANT
ERS
81 desire to utilize one or two of the
summer months to acquaint myself
more thoroughly with the field work
of the department; and it was no less
the Presidents suggestion and desire
than my own that should extend my
trip to these islands. 1 am very glad
1 have done so. 1 am sure that the
ten days which I shall remain here,
with the aid of your merchants and
planters, will enable me to understand
the singular conditions and require
ments OF these islands, better than the
wading through of all accessible liter
ature relating thereto would do
''The Department of Commerce and
Labor touches your interests in sew
eral important respects. There are
aids to navigation which come under
the Lighthouse Bureau of the depart
ment. There is the labor problem.
And there is immigration.
IMMIGRATION LAWS.
1.-The conditions are such that 1t is
unfortunate that, for instance, the i'm
migration laws do not contain special
provisions to meet your requirements.
Perhaps through the information gain
ed by the Congressional Committee,
and others, the future may develop
ia1 c1o 20
fully your special requirements. In
the meantime, ! shall be glad to aid
you to the full extent of the limita-
tions of the law.
In regard to the japanese immigra-
ton into the United States, the Japa-
nese government has shown a desire to
keep out from the mainland the labor
ing classes. And the present tendency
of that emigration is toward British
Columbia, where there seems to be a
very great demand and desire to OBJ
tain japanese laborers. You must un-
derstand that, with the exception of
the laboring classes, Japanese come
and go as they like and the very best
relations exist between the two govern
ments
AGRICULTURE AND COMMERCE.
while 1 am here 1 shall take into
consideration the matter of lighthouses,
the need of them and their location.
Ny stay here is for the purpose Of
gaining information as to your COM
merce, your agriculture and your in
terests generally, and 1 propose to de-
vote myself to informing myself while
here.
II regret that my time is too short
to permit me to visit the other is
lands. But as this is the capital, I be-
lieve that the needed information can
be secured here.
NO LOCAL INSPECTORS.
''It is not likely that inspectors Of
steam hulls and boilers will be sta
toned here. There is not sufficient
shipping here to require it. If there
were, there would have been inspectors
stationed here before.
This is wonderful island. 1 have
been shown about the place some this
afternoon. and I have been surprised
and delighted with what have seen"
WOULD REMIT FINE.
In speaking to the representatives of
the Chamber Of Commerce and the
Merchants Associa tion who called nm