Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-01-31
EDITOR

li~hcd an account Of the SrnatrS action on tn
conference committees report, when the confer
ence report was approved without any rNcrp-io
in favor Of this territory. \ special tiisiHn>:
ton for Hawaii was expected, but Senator Sil
mons Of North Carolina said he forgot to see tia
il was made. AS the bill now stands, aliens mus
pass the litcracy test to enter the territory.
This at once strikes blow at the territory
work of securing Spanish and Portuguese labor
crs. OF course the bill has not been final
passed, but yesterdays news makes it quite plai1
that it will be long fight to force an exception
for Hawaii through Congress with the IOus
committee in it's present frame of mind TIL
StarBulletins Washington correspondent thu
comments Oh the attitude of Representative Bun
nett. chairman of the house committee:
Senators Dillingham;, Lodge and Simmons all
quested the house committee on immigration to make
change in the educational test clause and except
Hawaii. Chairman Burnett took the matter up and
gave hearings, which were attended by representa-
tives of Hawaiian interests.
1t subsequently determined by the house
mittee to accept the Simmons amendment it stood.
The matter thus barred from discussion of mod-
fIcation in conference. The rules prohibit consider
alton of any feature not in dispute between the two
branches of Congress. 1t thus followed that although
other sections the Dill were rewritten whipped
into compromise shape the educational test para
graph remained precisely drafted by Mr. Simmons.
The situation in Hawaii fully explained to
Representative Burnett by Senators Lodge and Dill
lirgham but he not conversant with matters in
ttat territory. His answer was that If the homestead
laws amended it would be possible to de-
sirabe immigrants for Hawaii and the necessity for
bringing in illiterates would be removed He could
not realize that large proportion of the
productive wealth is located in the output of sugar.
cane and high grade labor not available for its
cultivation.
Senator Dillingham; said corrective bill would be
prepared at and persistently urged, with the
hope that it might become law before the adjourn
of this session, and before any serious injury
was inflicted upon the cane-growers Of Hawaii
Incidentally, this Washington correspondence
exactly bears out what the Star-Bulletin sale
several days earlier,-th Chairman
Burnetts attitude is not very friendly to assisted
labor Immigration here, particularly as he be
eves the work of the territory is largely offset b.
the bringing of Filipinos by the planters. AS 1
matter Of fact, if Chairman Burnett had oppor
tunity to learn at firsthand the facts about Fill
pino immigration, he would be surprised to fine
cut that the little brown brothers" are not Onl.
satisfying many of the managers, but are devel
oping into cane-cOntractOrs, hOusehOlders, skilled
millmen Some of the facts about Filipino labe
have been misunderstood or misrepresented, al
can be proved.
But this is by the way. The main point is tina
the lteracy test is quite likely to stick in the new
law and quite likely to apply to this
territory We cannot look forward with an.
confidence to special favors. And the natura
result is that Hawaii must turn to new fields fOl
labor,-tO countries where the percentage of lit
eracy is high and the citizens of the true agricul
tural type.
As to the probability that the literacy tes
will be insisted upon, the following from yester
days correspondence is conclusive:
at is frankly confessed that any suggestion
Of changing the application of the ilitcracy test
will meet with considerable opposition in the
house. 1t may be found impossible to secure &C
ton there Present Indications are that much
line will clapse before Hawaii is excepted from
the new provisions In fact, friends of the cor
lection are not now hopeful of success