, 1881-05-20
AaII-Chlnese Legislation.

\ Washington dispatch of May 9th
says: The character of the legislation
desired by the Pacific coast under the
Chinese immigration treaty is outlined in
| the following conversation with Republic
can Representative Page of CALIFORNIA;:
| Question-What do you people want
in the nature of legislation under these
| Chinese immigration treaties?
Mr.. Page-lnasmuch as the treaty has
| not as yet been proclaimed, it is difficult
| to say precisely what they do expect.
| What they want and what they think
| they can secure under this treaty is eX-
| clusion of all Chinese labore-s as we'll as
| criminals, paupers, imbecIlesand immoral
women, excluded Dv the act of 1873. We
| think that under the provisions of this
| treaty We can secure what we desire. We
| have good cause To desire II, heaven
| knows. We are inundated with Chinese.
| They are everywhere. They constitute
now about one-siXth of our entire popu
lation. They are cut-throat competitors
with our workmen. They are arriving
in constantly increasing numbers, too
hundreds and hundreds in month. A
vast horde of pires is coming in to prey
upon us. You of the east do not appreciate
this thing, but we are face to face with it
every day. 1t is all very Well to talk
about America being the home of the
down-trodden and Oppressed Ofall nations,
| the refuge of the poor unfortunates and
the crushed. So IL is when the people
who propose coming to it propose 10 stay
and become residents identified with its
life; but when they come as the Chinese
do, as sojourners for time, until at low
wages and by close saving they can accu.
mulate $500 or S600-a fortune i'll China
when they turn around and leave for
their fatherland on the next steamer
they are OF no value 10 any country. They
are here simply to get " hat they can take
or scrape together IN the course OF four or
five years. They add nothing to the
| United States, but they take all they Can
grab from it. They have no love for It's
institutions, no regard for It's welfare, no
interest in its affairs. They worship the
! almighty dollar. On that alone centeIs
| all their devotion, and To acquire II all
! their energies are bent. All this might
! be suffered if they did not undermine,
our own citizens. As it is, they must be
! excluded. You would soon find that ont
! if Won lived in California The Chinese
are apt AMI soon become expert, and
would Great, q riot in the east tomorrow.
! Other workingmen and workingwomen
will not 81, nd it. Why, ex President
! Hayes admit 10 ex-senator Sargent
and myselfthat 10000 Chinese workmen
suddenly introduced into lne laooflnS
circles of Cincinnati would produce riot.
Even at South Adams, Mass, when only
few, comparatively an Insignificant
handful, was employed, trouble arose.
They cannot live with US, of course. We
| have no desire, We have no right, be-
lieye, under the treaty TO exclude Chinese
| gentlemen, Chinese merchants, Chinese
travellers and Chinese youth desiring ed
ucational facilities not TO be had IN their
own country. They will be admitted as
! before. What we want TO break up Is
the importation of Chinese labOrers by
Chinese companies III San Francisco.
Practically you know they are slaves.
They belong body and soul 10 the com
panies. OF course We can't expel those
now in the country, but they will disap-
pear gradually and We shall see no more
| replace them.
Q.-Are you preparing legislation such
| as will meet the views OF your people un-
| der the treaty?
A.-Yes l am drafting bill which VIII
think, cover it. OF course | can't com
plete it until the terms of the treaty are
| proclaimed; but in outlining it have the
valuable assistance Of Commissioner
] Swift, who aided in negotiation of the