Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-04-13

WltillIl llAc WLlOlS COu1tI Y, Vi III
any part of it. The act recites that
in the opinion of the government Of
the United States, the coming of Chinese
laborers to this country, endangers good
order in certain localities hereof. but
that it is much broader than the reci-
tai. II acts upon the residents as well
as immigration; its provisions are ef-
fective throughout the United States.
| think it may fairly be accepted as the
expression of the opinion Of congress;
that coming as such laborers to us or
their residence here effects our inter
ests and endangers good order through
ont the country. On this point l
should feel it my duty 10 accept the
views of congress. The first article
further cenfers the power upon this
government TO regulate, limit or sus-
pend, but not actually prohibit the
coming of such laborers to, or their
residence in the United States. Nego-
tiators of the treaty have recorded with
unusual fullness their understanding,
sense and meaning for which these
words were used, as the class of per-
sons to be a ,cted by the treaty.
The Americans inserted in their
draft, that the words Chinese laborers
signify all immigration other than that
for teaching, trade, travel, study and
curiosity. The Chinese objected TO
this, that it operated to include artisans
in the class of laborers, whose emigra-
ton might be forbididden. The Amer
leans replied that they could not con-
sent that artisans shall be excluded
from this class of Chinese laborers, for
it is their competition of skilled labor
in cities-for it is this very competi.
ton that Chinese immigration concen-
trates, which has caused the embarrass-
ment and discomfort. In subsequent
negotiations the definition dropped
out and does not appear in the treaty.
Articles of "I' and 20" confers with
the article which accorded to citizens
and subjects of the most favored ma
tons and Chinese subjects proceeding
to the United States as teachres, stu
dents, merchants, or from curiosity.
The American commissioner reports
that the Chinese governments. claimed
that this article did by exclusion pro-
vide that nobody should be entitled to
claim benefit of the general provi-
sion Of the Burlingame treaty but
those who might go to the United
States in these capacities, CT. for these
purposes l accept. this as the dehni
ton of the word "laborers" as used in
the treaty rs to the power of legisla-
ton respecting this class. The new
treaty provides, that we may not abso-
lutely prohibit their coming, or resi-
dence. The Chinese commissioners
gave notice in the outse. that they
would never agree to the prohibition of
voluntary immigration, notwithstand-
ing that the United States commission
ers submitted draft in which it was
provided that the states might regulate,
limit, suspend or prohibit it. The
Chinese refused to accept this, but said
they were willing to consult with the
wishes of the Chinese government in
preserving the principle Of free inter
course between the people of the two
countries, as established by the exist
ing treaties, providing the United
States government use its discretion in
guarding against any evil Of the lmml-
grafton to the Chinese labor
ers as recognized. Therefore
if such concession removes all difficulty
on the part Of the Chinese commission
ers (but only in that case,) United
States commissioners will agree to re-
move the word prohibit from their
articles and to use the words regulate
the limit or suspend" The Chinese re-
ply to this can only be inferred from
the fact that in place of the agreement
as proposed by our commissioners, that
we might prohibit the coming or resi-.
dence of Chinese laborers, there was
Inserted in the treaty an agreement by
which we might not do it. The re-
manning words. limit and suspend. first
appear in the American draft when it
was submitted to the Chinese. They
said, 1--WE infer from the prases regu-
late, suspend or prohibit, that the first
is general expression referring to
others. We are ready to negotiate
with your excellencies, and limitations,
either on the point of time or num-
bers, may be fixed on.
Upon the emigration OF Chinese labor
ers to the United States, at subse-
Quent interview, ne salu' Dy hinlta-
ton in number they meant, for exam
pie, the United States having as they
supposed, a record of the number of
immigrations in each year, as well rs
the total number of Chinese here, that
no more be allowed to go in any one
year in the future than the greatest
number which had gone in any year in
the past, or that the total number
should never be allowed to exceed the
number now there; rs to the limitation
of time they meant that the Chinese be
allowed to go in alternate years, or ev-
cry third year, or that they should not
be allowed to go for two, three or five
years. At subsequent conference the
Americans said the Chinese commission
ers have i'll their project explicitly
recognized right of the United States
10 use the same discretion and have
the proposed limitation as to the time
and number. This is right 10 regulate
the limit or suspend. In one of the
conferences the Chinese asked the
Americans whether they could give
them any idea of the laws which would
be passed to carry the powers into ex-
ecutiops The Americans answered