THE DAILY PROVINCE
MARCH 27, 1907

p.10

HINDUS ARE EXCLUDED BY
UNANIMOUS DECISION
--------------------Classed with Chinese and Japanese Amongst the
Nonvoters.

--------------------ACTION OF LEGISLATURE.
--------------------House in Uproar Over Remark by the Outspoken
Member for Nanaimo.

--------------------VICTORIA, March 27.--(Special.)--The Hindu shall not vote. Though he is a
British subject and though he becomes a permanent resident of British
Columbia, he shall not be permitted to exercise the franchise. The House
agreed to this yesterday without a dissenting vote. It is the second measure
this session to receive the unanimous support of both sides of the Chamber.
The other is the eight-hour day.
But while the Opposition agreed to this, it criticized[Sic] the method
adopted by Mr. Bowser and the Government in securing this end, and the
debate upon this reached an imperial scope.
Mr. Bowser, in introducing his bill to so amend the Election Act as to
include the Britisher from India with the already disfranchised Chinese,
Japanese and Indian, said in part:
“It must be admitted that the Hindu, being strange to our language, laws
and customs, can never assimilate with the people of this province, and
although we have been told that we have not the right to bar him out, we have
at least the authority to deny him the privilege of franchise.

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MARCH 27, 1907

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Slap at Fitzpatrick.
“I regret exceedingly,” continued the senior member for Vancouver, “that
the federal authorities have taken a very strong stand in regard to legislation
of this character. Had the late Minister of Justice, the Hon. Charles Fitzpatrick,
the present Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, had his way we would perhaps
not only have had the Hindu but the naturalized Japanese and Chinese upon
our voters’ list, with the dangerous prospect of having him here with a seat in
the House. That was the logical conclusion of the intentions of the former
Minister of Justice.
But I ask the Liberals of this House to break away from party allegiance in
this and keep British Columbia a White man’s country to the extent that is in
our power.”
The Opposition greeted this with smiles, while from the right of the Speaker
came an approving chorus of “Her[Sic], hear,” and cheers.
“It seems that my honorable friend from Vancouver must mix politics with
his subject,” returned the leader of the Opposition. He must know that the
Liberals of this province have always stood for legislation of this kind.”
Then Mr. Macdonald added his qualifications.
Considered by Ottawa and London.
“I do not say that he takes the right view of this particular question. It
has a very important imperial aspect. The Hindu, as we all know, is a British
subject, and the imperial Government will look upon this kind of legislation
with great care. It invites the serious consideration both of Ottawa and
London. I agree in keeping foreigners out of our voters’ list as I do the Hindu,
even though he is a British subject, for not one in a hundred can read or speak
our language. Nor are they even familiar with our laws and customs. But I am
not sure that this is the best way to reach that end.”
Getting deeper into his subject Mr. Macdonald added:

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MARCH 27, 1907

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“But we all know that there are a large number on the voters’ list today
who cannot read or write; who cannot even read the ballot. Some of them
don’t even know whether it is upside down or not. Yet they are permitted to
join in ruling our destiny, for a few voters in some of our constituencies can
turn an election.
“So I would suggest that the Government revise our election laws, and
while depriving these Hindus and naturalized foreigners of franchise, exclude
others unable to read even a ballot paper. Until such action, I propose to vote
for this measure.”
There were united cheers for the leader of the Opposition for this. Then
he enlarged upon the “broader view,” inviting the House to join him- the
imperial aspect, for such legislation might jeopardize the interests of the
Empire.
“There was not the slightest justification,” he added, “for dragging such a
question into the mire of party politics.”
Better Than Liberals, Anyway.
Then the House heard the views of the member for Nanaimo, and the
debate grew in interest as well as intensity, the members for Nanaimo and
Delta finally coming to a verbal clash.
“I notice that the member for Nanaimo does not support the
Government now with the zeal he once did,” smiled John Oliver.
“Well,” returned Mr. Hawthornthwaite, “unfortunate as it may be that
the Government has been returned with the majority it has, it is infinitely
better than if the gang of buncombes who paraded through the province in the
name of Liberals had been elected to power.”
And the House roared a roar such as has not been eclipsed this session.

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MARCH 27, 1907

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The member for Nanaimo, while supporting the bill, agreed neither with
the Government in its methods, nor with Mr. Macdonald’s suggested revision
of the Election Laws.
“That is an impossibility,” he declared with reference to the last. “The
member for Rossland says they do not speak our language. What language?
We have a million or two of French. Of course, the member for Rossland does
not seek to disfranchise a million at once.” (Laughter.)
Then he turned to the bill.
“This is a piece of cowardly legislation. There’s not the slightest doubt of
that whatsoever.”
The House was now really interested, which is not always the case when
the member for Nanaimo has the floor.
The Hindu Navy.
And now followed the reasons of the “cowardice.”
“If the Hindu were strong and mighty and had a navy of his own the
senior member for Vancouver would not introduce this measure.” (Laughter.)
There was much more upon this line and then the member for Nanaimo
brought in his inevitable “wage-earner.”
Following a statement that it was now possible for Socialists, by
constitutional and legal methods, to obtain even revolutionary reforms, the
member for Nanaimo wandered down into the mines, declaring that there
were hundreds of Japanese and Chinese now working in the mines not
physically fit for the work, adding that the present Medical Board of
Examiners was a “farce.”
“Yet, notwithstanding all this, I will support this bill.”
Night School and Church.
Parker Williams followed in like vein.

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MARCH 27, 1907

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“Why,” smiled Parker, “it only takes the Japanese three months to join a
night school and a Presbyterian church.”
The House again roared.
“If we can’t keep them out of the country, we can keep them out of the
ballot booth, so I support the bill,” concluded the nimble Parker.
Then the Premier was heard in support of the bill and in defence of his
department.
“If such conditions exist as my honorable friend from Nanaimo has
referred to, I can assure him that the Government will lose no time in setting
them right and make their recurrence impossible. But,” added the Premier, “I
have no information that they do exist. My department has not one complaint.
Nor have I heard any in my trip through the mining portions of the province.”
The Premier added that he did not wish to doubt the word of the
honorable member, but the information of the Department of Mines fully
supported the competency of the present Board of Examiners, which had
carried but the laws applying to the board in every particular.
“I do not think that the charge just made is justified,” continued the
Premier. “If the Chinese or Japanese is fully competent, it is right that the
board should issue him a certificate, and I shall make further inquiry to see
that the laws are carried out to the very letter, as I now believe they are.”
“Will you appoint a competent commission to see and investigate?”
asked the member for Nanaimo.
Not Condemn on Mere Statements.
“If my honorable friend can point to a case, if he can show that the
present board has failed of its duty in the way he charges, I shall not hesitate
to grant his request. But I cannot grant it now and so condemn the board upon
his mere statement. That would not be fair or just.”

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“It is impossible for me to give names, for it would mean dismissals,”
returned the member for Nanaimo.
“I am sorry to hear it,” returned the Premier. “But as I have said, I cannot
condemn a board, which I believe is doing its duty, upon mere statements.”
Then the Premier turned to the imperial aspect of the bill.
“There are, as we know, portions of the Empire, South Africa, Australia
and New Zealand, for example, having laws excluding Hindus and other
British subjects, measures which have passed through the Colonial Office in
London and have received approbation.”
The Premier then quoted Mr. Chamberlain in support of the right to
pass such laws, and added:
“If it should ever come the time that the Colonial authorities, for the
benefit of these British subjects, ask this Government to repeal its legislation,
we shall not hesitate to do so.”
He concluded with a reference to the seeming impossibility to ever
assimilate the Hindu, and added that the province should not therefore
encourage conditions or give him the slightest inducement to remain.
Cheers from both sides of the House followed.
New to Mr. Oliver.
The Socialist member for Grand Forks, Mr. McInnis, for the third time
this session addressing the House, ventured this suggestion:
“I think we should give those who brought the Hindu here a dose f this
medicine,” and then added:
“I think the Hindu is moving so much he wouldn’t have a vote
anywhere.” He too, however, would support the bill.
Then the member for Delta jumped on Nanaimo with his full two
hundred pounds. “The honorable member says the conditions of which he

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speaks have existed for some three years. Strange, that he hasn’t given it to
the House before. It is new to me.”
“I have referred to it time and again,” hit back Nanaimo.
“Perhaps my memory is defective, but it has escaped me if that is so.
“But surely,” sighed Delta, “there are more effective methods than
questions. A motion of censure of the Government, for instance?”
And with another rapid-fire reply from Nanaimo, that he had before
referred to the matter in the House, Mr. Oliver returned a counter attack with
emphasis upon the vanishing zeal of the member’s former vigorous support of
the Government as its “savior and champion,” to which Nanaimo replied with
that rap at the “gang of buncombes” called Liberals. The incident closed with
Nanaimo and Delta in their safe and distant seats.
Then Mr. Bowser’s bill “To amend the Elections Act,” was read a second
time, with the unanimous support of the House. The third reading in this view
is a formality. It will come after the Easter egg.