Speech #560019938

As a matter of fact. thousands and thousands of Japanese workmen have been imported into the Hawaiian Islands. They come there under contract made with the managers of those companies. As evidence of that fact. permit me to read an extract from the report of Commissioner Powderly. made one year ago to our committee: Detailed information of a confidential nature has been received. showing that since the passage of the joint resolution annexing the said islands immigration thereto has been greatly stimulated. as many as 7.000 Japanese have been contracted for by residents and 260 Italians engaged to work on sugar plantations. These figures. by a comparison with arrivals prior to the passage of the said act. indicate that interested parties are exerting themselves to land in said islands many immigrants as possible of such classes as would be excluded if the operatio of our immigration laws were extended so as to embrace arrivals in Hawaii. It is a notorious fact that since this. one year ago-