The river press., 1882-03-15
PASSAGE OF THE CHINESE BILL.

On the 9th inst the Anti Chinese bill passed
the Senate by the deciced vote of 80 ayes to
Is noes. For several days it had been under
consideration in that body and many very
able speeches were made on either side. Sen
ator Miller, of California, opened in favor
of the bill in speech of great length, which
is pronounced the ablest argument ever pre-
sented in tue Senate chamber by a Senator
from the Pacific slope Senators Hoar and
Dawes opposed the measure with all of their
ability, and were aided in their plea for the
Mongolians by other eastern members. But
the victory for the Pacific States and Terri
tories, where the evils OF Chinese immigra-
ton are felt in the fullest force, was 4 decd-
ed one as the vote above given shows. So
emphatic an Endorsement of the bill was not
expected by its most ssnguine friends.
The bill, which is one agreed upon by the
Senate committee on Foreign Relations as a
substitute for bill on the subject, introduced
in the Senate and referred to that committee,
covers the ground completely and will be eff
fective for the time specified at least in pro-
hibiting entirely the importation and immi-
grafton (there is and ever has been very little
of the latter) of Chinese laborers to the Uni
ted states.
The salient points Of the bill which has
passed the Senate are as follows:
Cd Ninety days after the passage of the
bill the immigration of Chinese laborers to
the United States will be prohibited for the
term of twenty years.
~ Any Master Of any vessel of whatever
nationality who shall bring any Chinese la
borer within the jurisdiction of the United
States shall be fined $500 for every person of
that character 80 brought and may also be
imprisoned for q term not exceeding one
year.
(3) These provisions do not apply to
Chinese laborers who were in the United
States on the 18th day of November, 1880,
or who shall come before the expiration of
the ninety days next after the passage Of this
act.
(D Chinese now here, or arriving within
the specified limit, must register and secure
the necessary passport to entitle them to re-
turn again.
(5) There is no embargo On the coming
of Chinese to this country for the purpose of
travel, securing an education, etc.
These are the principal features of the
measure and it will be seen that, if it becomes
. law, for the next twenty years only those
Chinese who are now in the country will
take any part in degrading labor and driving
the laboring white man from the Pacific
States and Territories. The evil is already
great enough, and all western people will re-
joice at the fair prospect that it is not to be-
come greater.
The following important amendments were
added 10 the bill, which make stronger the
protection secured:
Section Is. That hereafter no State cour,
or court of the United States shall admit
Chinese to citizenship, and all laws in con-
fiict with this act are hereby repealed.
Section II. That the words "Chinese la.
horers" whenever used in this act, shall be
construed to mean both skilled and unskiIled
labcrers, and Chinese employed in mining.
An analysis of the vote elbows that twenty.
one Democrats and eight Republicans voted
for the bill, and thirteen Republicans, one
Democrat and one Independent (Davis)
against it. The Republican Senators who
supported the bill hail from the Pacific slope