The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-08-14
MAY VERY MUCH
AFFECT HAWAII
Commission to investigate the
immigration of People
From Asia.

| NEW YORK, Aug. Alt is reported
that an attempt viii be made in the
next Congress to pass bill providing
for a commission to visit Asiatfc coun-
| tries 70 investigate the emigration to
1.-THE United States and TO outlying pos
sessions, including Hawaii The duties
of this commission would be similar to
those devolving on the commission now
travelling through Europe, of which w.
r. Wheeler of California is a member.
This measure will be supported by
President Roosevelt, according to a
member of Congress with whom The
/ CAN correspondent talked today. The
congressman had just returned from
Oyster Bay, where he went to inter-
view the President on an entirely diff
ferent matter. But the proposed dis
patch of battleships to the Pacific, hay-
ing aroused such widespread interest,
President Roosevelt discussed with the
congressman the immigration problem,
with special reference to the feeling in
California antagonistic TO the japanese
and Chinese coolies.
From the same source The Call COR
respondent learned that during the last
Congress a California member pre-
pared a bill to amend the immigration
laws prohibiting the entry of Chinese
and Japanese coolies by providing for
the registry of thumb. prints instead of
photographs as a means of identifi-
cation. 1t was not deemed prudent to
breach such a measure in the last Con-
gress on account of the efforts that
President Roosevelt was making to al
lay feelings of the Japanese against
this country.
A measure of this kind would doubt
less arouse the Japanese to fury. 1t
is pointed out, however, that the Jap
anese government makes very little
against this "Puddin' head
wilson method of identifying immi-
grants adopted by Great Britain, the
powerful ally of Japan. It is not gem
orally known. perhaps, that in Great
Britains Transvaal colony all Japan
csc, Chinese and Indian immigrants OF
the coolie class must register their
thumb prints as a means of Identified
ton.
This is the method of Identifying
criminals in France and other coun-
tries and is therefore considered de-
grading. But Great Britain not only
has adopted the method, but Australia
also proposes to do likewise. Prime
Minister Alfred Deakin of Australia
considers Chinese and japanese immi-
grafton a menace to the Australian col
onies, and there is hardly doubt that
the thumb print method of Identified
ton will be adopted.
President Roosevelt, like Caesar,
"bestrides the narrow earth like CO.
lossus" James E. Dever, who arrived
here on the Campania recently, tells
how Roosevelt has cleaned up Shang-
hal" When Secretary Taft returned
two years ago from his celebrated trip
TO the far east he reported to the
White House that in that treaty port
the name of American was synon-
ymous with Crook and "dive-keep-
err
IT will change all this the Presi-
| dent is alleged to have declared, so
that the name American instead OF
being a reproach and byword
throughout the treaty ports shall be a
synonym of honor
For the purpose of conducting his
moral crusade President Roosevelt Sc
1ected Judge Whitley, who had per-
formed a similar work in Manila, for
the post of extra territorial judge at
| Shanghai A complete court was given
to Judge Whitley.
To Shanghai had f1oated the dregs
and lowest outcasts of the Pacific coast
and the interior states. Many Of them
had been cast out of Manila. The out
casts were swindlers, thieves and
| cheap confidence men, living by their
| wits from hand to mouth They even
posed as lawyers, but Judge Wiley
| established an examination that they
must pass and threw the shysters out
| Of court.
The English and some of the other
nations holding concessions are highly
| pleased with the thorough way that
| the Americans have cleaned up the
i city and are seconding President Roos-
/ evelt's efforts.
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