Speech #550163471

In referring to that I can not forbear allusion to the fact that even now this Congress is engaged in the consideration of the question of an urgent measure to prevent the incorporation of alien peoples into our newly acquired Hawaiian territory. I have a report here of a Committee on Labor of one of the bodies of the Congress of the United States. in which it is set forth that since the passage of the joint resolution whereby Hawaii became annexed to the United States there have been imported a large number of Japanese laborers. The committee say: The passage of this bill becomes advisable. in the judgment of your committee. because contract laborers are being taken into the Hawaiian Islands with such rapidity that it is inexpedient to await the passiage by Congress of a bill providing a general system of government for Hawaii. It is officially estimated that 3.000 laborers have been taken into these islands under contract since the raising of the United States flag over them. The news of the passage of the resolution of annexation appears to have reached Honolulu on July 13. 1898. and on the following day. July 14. applications for 2.875 Japanese male laborers were approved by the board of immigration after a meeting with the representatives of the Planters Association. On N ovember 3. 1598. applications for 5.935 Japanese male laborers were approved by the Hawaiian (Government. 3.467 of whom were to be brought in during the first quarter of 1899. If the extension of our anticontract labor laws as provided for in this bill is no t sp eed ily made. approxiemat el0.00 cntract labors wiSe~ll get intfo the laws over them. The wisdom and the necessities of the people of the United States urged Congress to pass a law prohibiting the immigration of people from the Chinese Empire into the United States. There were only a few thousandone hundred and odd thousand. if I am not mistakenthat had gotten in. and here now we are seized with a spasm of apprehension lest 10.000 additional Japanese contract laborers get into Honolulu for the purpose of working on the sugar plantations in those islands. But. Mr.