The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1909-09-03
TEST CITIZENSHIP
CONTINUED from Page One.)

! TWO years now, all over the United
States. The Commission, as you may
know, consists of three Senators, three
Congressman and three men appointed
by President Roosevelt, with such as
sistants as they appoine we are mere
now to study Hawaii; to find out what
immigration has been effected in these
islands from the beginning, what is
being done now toward obtaining or
encouraging immigrants, or otherwise;
what the needs of the islands appear to
be from the various opinions OF peo-
pie here nearest to the problem, and
particularly, what is the sentiment OF
the people, all the people, in regard
to immigration. Our system Of 1nves-
tigation, or gathering of information,
will mean such collecting of facts
as, when tabulated, will reveal all con-
ditions and circumstances; who and
what the laborers here are; how they
came here; how they are getting
along here; what their prospects are;
| whether they are the people to BEN
eft the country; whether they are the
people best adapted to the country;
the nature of their employment; what
kinds of living they make: what man
ner of worl1men they are; their health
conditions, the hospital records, the
school records, the criminal records;
the records of their entire history and
| development here; together with the
changes that come to themselves and
to the country in which they work,
whether better or worse, as generation
succeeds generation.
1--WE want to know the degree of CT
vilibility of the various peoples which
have come or are coming to your
shores We want to know whether
they have made, or are making or will
make good American citizens
From what hear said Mr.. Wheel
err, Senator Dillingham; and have
come here at quite an opportune time,
for believe you are just getting over
strike of the Japanese plantation la
! borers."
| And then the Commissioners fired,
hot and fast, a succession of interro-
cations as to local conditions, past
and present, especially inquiring as
to what it was thatw as wanted down
here.
The Commissioners were asked il
| they would call a public meeting to
listen to expressions of various opin-
ions.
Senator Dillingham; stated that the
investigation into immigration mat
terswas most comprehensive. 1t in
cludes the study of steamship steerage
conditions and everything else that
directly or indirectly has to do with
people coming into the country.
The Siberian and Philippine and
Azores and other labor experiments
will be investigated; the U. S. lmmi-
grafton officers at this port will be in
terviewed, and the various industries
and employers will be Intercepted and
consulted. A card system of inquiry,
used elsewhere on a great scale may
be used to employers who distribute
them among employees who in turn,
individually, fill in with information
required, thus answering questions as
to nationality, place of birth, parent
age, age, sex, occupation, duration of
occupation, wages, health, schooling,
who brought them here or how they
came here, what property they own,
etc.
1t is understood that an investigation
of the recent Japanese troubles here is
one of the main objects of the pres
ence of the Commissioners, though
all nationalities will come in for a
complete study.
The Commissioners will report at
the next session OF Congress and Will
make certain recommendations Our
Il recommendations will be entirely de-
pendent on the facts as we ind them, -
said Wheeler.
The National Irrigation Commission.
OF which Senator Dillingham; is chair
man, is composed of the following
members: William p. Dillingham;, U.
S. S., chairman; Henry Cabot Lodge,
u. s. s., Anselm j. McLaurin, U. s. s.,
Btnjamin e. Howell, M. C., William s.
Bennett, M. O., John H. Burnett, M.
e., Charles p. Neill, jeremiah W..
jerks, William r. Wheeler.
United States Senator William Paul
Dillingham;, also an attorney, was
born in Waterbury, Vermont, Decem-
: Der II, 1S43. He was secretary OF civil
affairs in Vermont from 1874 to 1876.
He was States attorney, Washington
County, Vermont, for four years.
Member of the Vermont legislature
1876 to 1884; State senator 1878 to
1880. Commissioner OF State taxes
from 1882 to 1888; Governor of YER
mont from 1883 to 1890 Elected U. s.
Senator, October IS, 1900 Reelected
1902; term expires this year.