Morning journal and courier., 1882-04-05

and the taking out OF passports which not i'm
posed npon natives can be required of the Chinese
invite the attention of Congress to the fact that the
system of personal registration and passports is up
democratic and hostile to The spirit of insttu-
tiOns. | doubt the wisdom of putting an entering
wedge of this kind into our laws. nation like the
United States, jealous of the liberties of its citizens
may we'll hesitate before it incorporates into its poll
cy system which is fast disappearing in Europe be-
fore the progress of liberal institutions. wide ex
perience has shown how futile such precautions
and how easily passports may be borrowed exchanged
forged by persons interested to do so.
If it is nevertheless thought that passport is the
most convenient way for identifying the Chinese
titled to he protection of the Burling2me treaty. it
may still be doubted whether they ought to be re-
quired to register 1t is certainly duty under the
Burlingame treaty to make their stay in the United
States in the operation of general laws upon them
nearly like that our own citizens as We can con-
s,ently with our right to shut out the laborers.
No good purpose is served in recurring them to regis
ter. My attention has been called by ths Chinese
minister to the fact that the bill 1t stands makes
provision for the transit across the United States of
Chinese subjects residing in foreign countries.
think that this point may well claim the attention
of Congress in legslattng this subject. have said
that good faith requires us to suspend the immigra
ton of Chinese aborers for less period than twenty
years now add that good policy points In the same
direction. Our intercourse with China is of recent
date. Our first treaty with that power is not yet for
ty years old 1t is only since we acquired California
and established n she'd great seat OF commerce cree
to have broken down the barriers which
fenced that ancient monarchy. The Burlingame
treaty naturalylfollowed Under the spirit which 1t
created many thousand Chinese laborers to the
United States No say that the country has
not profted by their work They were largely fnstru
mental constructing the railways which connect
the Atlantic with the Pacific. The States of the Pa
cic slope full of evidences of their industry.
After enterprises profitable alike to the capitalist and
to the laborer of Caucasian origin, who would have
been dormant but for the %, q time has come
when it is suppos that they not needed, and
when is thought by Congress and by those most
ouainted with the sub ec that it is best to try to get
along without them. There may, however, be other
sections of the country where this species of labor
NAV be adyautapeously employed without Interfering
wi a of
proposed experiment 1t may be the part of wisdom
well of good faith to fix the length of
the experimental period with reference to this fact.
Experience has shown that therade of the East the
key to natural wealth and influence. The opening
benefited section of it than the States of
Pacific slope. The state of California and its
great maritime port especially have reaped enormous
advantages from this source Blessed with an ex-
ceptional climate, enjoying an unrivalled harbor,
State its rear the wealth of the whole Union
pouring into it its lines of railway SanFran-
cisco has before it incalcula BILE future of our
friendly and amicable relations with Asia
remain undisturbed. 1t needs argument
to show that the policy which we now
propose adopt must have direct tendency to re-
pei Oriental nations from and to drive their trade
and commerce int more friendly hands 1t may be
that the great paramount interest CT protecting
our labor from Asiatic competition would justify
in pern anent adoption of this policy But 1t is
wiserin the first place to make shorter experiment
with view hereafter of maintaining permanently
only such features as time and experience may COM
mend.
the treaty with China which panied the
confidential message of President Hayes the Senate
memorandum respecting the act herewith returned.
which handed to the Secretary of State by the
Chinese minister in Washington.
CHESTER A. ARTHUR.
Executive Mansion, Washington, April A, 1882.
Memorandum
The time fixed in the bill, namely twenty years, is
unreasonable" The language of act that "labor-
ers" shall not be absolutely prohibited from coming
to the United States and that the suspension shall be
brief period intended The total prohibition
of the immigration of Chinese laborers into the Uni
ted States for twenty years would in opinion be
unreasonable and violation of the meanipg and the
intent of the treaty.
Two-The Inclusion of "skilled labor" in the bill
addition to the words and intent of the treaty
1t will operate with harshness upon class of Chi
merchants entitled to admission to the United
States under the terms of the treaty. The shoe
chants and cigar merchants of China manufacture
the goods they sell at their places of business and to
shut out the skilled labIrers they need would prac-
tically shut them out WELL it would prevent
them from carrying their business in this country
The laundryman who Keeps his shop and has a small
capital with which to prosecute his trade cannot in
any just be included in the class of "aborers
and the liant tailur in the category.
Third-Tha clauses Of the bill relating to regstra
ton and passports discrimination against Chi
nese residents and emigrants when act two provides
explicitly that thew shall be entitled to all the priv
ileges conceded to the subjects Of the most favored
nation The execution of these provisions of the
bill will irritation and in the of the loss of
the passport certificate of registration Chinese
residents entitled to remain may be forctbly expelled
Fourth-If the bill becomes law ii will leave the
impression in China that its government strangely
misunderstands the character of the treaty that
Congress has violated some of its provisions and this
will tend to pref udice the intelligent classes against
the United ST ates government and people whom they
now greatly admire and respect.
Fifth-There is no provision in the bill for the
transit across the Uited States of Chinese subjects
residing in foreign countries Large numbers of
Chinese i've in Cuba, Peru and other countries, who
cannot return home without crossing the territory of
the United States or touching at San Francisco To
international law and the comfy of nations and if
bill becomes law 1t will in this respect result in
great hardship to many thousands of innocent Chi
nese in foreign countries.