The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-11-07
AID MAY Be
GIVEN To
ALIENS
Territory Is Not Barred
From Bringing in
immigrants.

The latest decision of Attorney Gen
eral Bonaparte on the subject of i'm
migration by states has occasioned a
great deal of confusion. and has been
quoted by an evening paper in this
city as preventing this Territory from
assisting immigration. The following
clipping from the San Francisco
Chronicle, bearing on the subject and
giving the actual facts in connection
with the decision, is Important:
WASHINGTON, October 23.-Misap-
prehension seems to exist all through
the country about the recent ruling
of Attorney General Bonaparte on the
rights of States, as States, to direct
| immigration into their territory from
across the sea. If the immigrants are
willing to go, there is nothing in the
| law to prevent the States from offer
| ing them inducements and from giving
| them material aid SO that they can
make the journey.
| ANY state may pay the passage of
one immigrant, or 10000 immigrants,
| IL it chooses to do so as an induce
| ment to him or them to settle within
| the borders of the State. 1t may show
the immigrant whom it wishes to aid
with passage money all the printed
matter it chooses, setting forth the
resources of the State and its wealth
/ or Y119nf a finnE.
| The only things the State must not
do is to make specific promise of en-
ployment to the man or men whom it
seeks to induce to test fortune in the
new world. A direct promise of en-
ployment is barred, as is any arrange
ment involving contract labor.
When asked for his opinion of the
fhatter yesterday, being shown the
/ clipping reproduced above and also
copv of the decision, E. D. Tenney OF
this city said:
There is really nothing in this de-
| cision which goes beyond what we
| have already known here. The Terri
tory can bring in laborers if the money
for the expenses is provided by appro-
priation. but it cannot be done, as il
/ was in the past, through the obtain
ing of subscriptions from firms and in
dividuals The only way that this can
] be changed is by an amendment OF
Congress, exempting this Territory
from such provisions.
/ Il talked that matter over with
/ runber of the congressman who VS.
| tied here in the spring and they all
! seemed to realize that we, located III
/ the midst of the Pacific ocean, are IN
/ a far different position from the other
/ states, which are near New YORK, the
nrincinal center of immigration. II
/ could not be expected that the class
! Of people who come into the country
| as immigrants would be able to pay
| their own fares to this 1erfltofy'
''It is hardly possible that any sucn
measure could be passed at the coming
| short session of Congress, Tor as a RUE
| the appropriation bills are the only
/ matters which receive a great amount
! of attention at such sessions. Ii 10
| of course. a matter of great Interest,"
| here. that we may obtain Eufopee'h
| laborers who will help to prevent the
| DECENTRALIZATION of the islands.
In speaking of the matter another
| Honolulu man, who has been prol2i-
nentIy connected with immigration
matters. but did not care to have mis-
name used, said:
LAS far as this last decision goes II
seems to me that it gives this Terri
tory a better right to import laborers
than before. The Territory may brlns
in men, but must not promise them
employment. 1t may pay the expenses
of these men, but this must be zone
bv the Territory. I cannot see Where
there is anything in the decision wnlch
should give the impression tnat BON
aparte says No which has peen CIV
en- in one of the local papers