I think this feature of the law would result in many hardships. I freely admit that there are many excellent provisions in the law. but there are also many provisions that. in my judgment. should never be enacted into law. The matter of the literacy test is the most Important of these. I discussed that at some length when the Burnett bill was up for consideration in the House. The application of that test will be particularly hard in the case of the Territory of Hawaii. for the provisions In this bill will require all immigrants who go to the Territory of Hawaii to be able to read. For many years the labor in the sugar fields and plantations of Hawaii has been oriental. At first it was altogether Chinese coolies who were the workmen on these plantations. When we annexed Hawaii we extended our Chinese exclusion laws to the islands. Subsequently there was a large influx of Japanese coolies to the Territory. Indeed. the immigration of the latter was of such proportions that today the Japanese population far outnumbers any other on the Islands. The experience of many years has demonstrated that the oriental is not a satisfactory laborer. The planters and the citizens of Hawaii desire to supplant these orientals with Caucasian labor.
Identified stereotypes
Orientals are described as not being satisfactory laborers.