The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-04-06
WHY HE VETOED IT.
The Message of the President on the
Chinese Bill

The Message of the President on the
Chinese Bill.
WASHINGTON, April 4.-Immediately
after the reception of the presidents
message vetoing the Chinese bill, the
president pro TEN suspended operation
of business to lay the communication
before the senate, and directed it to be
heard The reading of the message was
listened TO with much interest by the en-
tire senate. The vital objection of the
president is to the twenty years suspen-
sion of immigration, which he CONSTITUTES
as virtually prOhibitory, and, therefore,
in violation of the spirit, if not the let
ter of the negotiations upon which the
treaty was based, as breach of national
faith.
The message calls attention 10 the
propositions made by United States
commissioners on this point, and the
convention propositions on the part of
China to show that the understanding
of the latter country in the agreement
which was ultimately made was that
immigration would be limited or re-
stricted to shorten the period. The
president then points out other features
Of the act which, in his opinion, can be
modified to advantage. The system of
personal registrations and passports is
specially mentioned as undemocratic
and hostile to our constitution, and he
alludes to the omission of the act TO
make any provision for the transit to
China of Chinese subjects now settling
in foreign countries. to which subject
the president adds that his attention
has been called by the Chinese minister.
In discussing the meaning of the word
''laborers," as used in the treaty, the
president comedies that it includes arti-
Fans and skilled iaborers. In regard to
the term of suspension he says: 1.-THE
examination which have made of the
treaty and of the declarations which its
negotiators have left on record, of the
meanings of its language, leaves no
doubt in nay mind that neither contract
ing party in concluding the treaty of
1880, contemplated the passage of an act
prohibiting immigration for twenty
years, which is nearly a generation or
thought that such q period would be a
reasonable suspension or Limitation, or
intended to change the provision of the
Burlingame treaty to that effect. / re-
gard this provision of the act as q breach
of our national faith, and being unable
TO bring myself in harmony with the
views of congress upon this vital point,
the honor of the country constrains me
to return the act with this objection to
its passage, and adding that good policy
as well as good faith, requires the modi-
fication of the twenty years suspension"
The president says our first treaty with
China is not yet forty years old it is on
ly since we acquired California and es-
tablished the great seat of commerce on
the Pacific coast that we may be said
to have broken down the barriers which
fenced in that ancient monarchy. Under
the spirit which inspired the BuFlIngame
treaty many thousand Chinenae labor
ers have come here. These have been
instrumental in building railroads, and
the country has prospered by their in.
dustry. There may be other sections of
the country where this species of labor
may be advantageously employed with.
out interfering with the laborers of our
own race.
The message speaks of the opening of
China TO the worlds commerce as hav-
ing enormously benefited the Pacific
slope, and deprecates a policy which
would drive oriental trade and CON-
mcrce from us. It concludes to the ef-
feet that while protection to our labor
ers from Asiatic competition may justi-
fy this policy, it is wiser now to make
shorter experiment with a view TO main
tanning permanently only such features
as time and experience commend.