The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1911-09-15
THE POINTS AND PURPOSES
or THE DILLINGHAM; BILL
What the Proposed immigration Law Means to
Country at Large and Especially TO
Territory Of Hawaii.

reported IN the senate OF the United
States, changes the existing law, In 20
far m Hawaii is concerned, in several
material respects. Again, on some
rather important propositions, tho bill
appears 20 be somewhat vague, with
ample opportunity afforded the courts
for different constructions.
On the question Of aliens travelling
between Hawaii and the mainland and
on the question Of examination of
aliens thus travelling, the law is mate
rally altered. When any alien arrives
at any port on the mainland from Ha-
waii, or arrives at Honolulu from any
port on the mainland OF from the Phil
ippines. the master of the vessel carry
ing this alien is required TO deliver to
the immigration officials at the port of
arrival, lists or manifests made at the
time and place of embarkation of the
alien on board such vessel.
This list contains more or less COM
plete history of the alien, requiring
amongst other things, statement as to
whether married or single; personal
description, including height, complex
ion, color of hair and eyes and marks
of Identification; whether able to read
or write; country of birth; name and
address of the nearest relative in the
country from which the alien came; by
whom passage was paid; amount of
money possessed; whether going to join
a relative or friend, and if so, what
relative OF friend, and his or her name
and complete address; whether ever in
prison or inmate of an institution sup
ported by charity; whether under con
tract; condition of health, mental and
physical; whether deformed or Grip
pied, and if SO, for how long and from
what cause. A similar list must be
fled by the master of the vessel before
departure from port.
Strict Examination.
The provisions concerning the pro
cedure upon the arrival of aliens al
any port require strict examination
both by officers of the marine hospita
service and by immigration officials
The law does not directly provide tina
this examination shall apply to alien
travelling from Hawaii to the mainland
or vice versa, but the context woult
appear to indicate an intention to in
clude in the examination all aliens re
quircd to be manifested. If this con
struction should be adopted then al
aliens travelling between the mainlan
and Hawaii would be subjected to thi
examination.
The part of the law which permit
the Territory to recruit and pay 70
the transportation of labor contains
most material modification. The effec
of the modification will depend largel
upon construction by the court an
regulation by the department of CON
merce and labor.
Under existing law the Territory
permitted to recruit labor, irrespectiv
of any restriction save that applyin
generally. The proposed bill will limi
the right of the Territory to bring i
alien settlers. 1t will at once be see
that much room is here left for col
struetion and regulation. Probably IL
view which would be taken by IL
courts and immigration officials is tn;
the word "settlers" refers to clai
intent on acquiring home and citiZe
ship in the United States Unquestiol
ably it would be given a more restric
ed meaning than the word "imm
grant"
Peculiar Exceptions.
The provision requiring an educ
tioanl test does not apply to Hawai-
However, aliens who come to Hawa
may not go to the mainland unless alb
to read and write as required by IL
law. The law in this respect is pee
liar in that it says the provision sha
not apply "to the inhabitants of I'll
Philippine Islands, Guam, Porto Rio
or Hawaii. - This exception, howeve
is immediately followed by the prov
sion requiring the examination of an
aliens later arriving on the mainlan
This was probably inserted owing to Il
somewhat uncertain status of the n
eives of the Philippine Islands, Qua
and Porto Rico. By the Organic Az
all persons born in Hawaii were ma
citizens, so of course the word China
itaRts" has practically no Applicant
here.
The much mooted question of {
status of a returning immigrant is, U
der the act, still up in the air Its
termination is a matter of more i
pOrtance to Hawaii than might at fl
blush appear. The bill repeats all
the provisions of the Chinese exclusi
act, placing the Chinese on the saI
basis as all other aliens. Under ext
ing laws, Chinese merchants and labt
ers may visit their native country a
return to the United States upon co
plianee with certain provisions. Shot
the bill be so construed as TO reQui
the rejection of returning aliens, for
Of the causes which exclude aliens
irving here for the first time neitl
chinaman nor Japanese can retr
to the United States after visit
his native land. He would be met W
the provision Of law rejecting him
cause not eligible to become a eitii
ef the United States.
Once Out, Stay Out.
The law, in one section, does rs
to returning immigrants. Int This r