Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-04-06
THE CHINESE BILL,
Bitter Comment. By the California Press.

SAN Francisco, April 5.
The Alta, this morning. comments bitterly
on the action of the President in vetoing the
Chinese bill. 1t says. "The veto appals ev-
ery republican in the state, and proves that
the President is a slave and not master oi
the eastern bigots and soured New York
merchants. He reminds Us of our insignif.
canoe at the east, that the wants of California
are nothing to Massachusetts and New Eng
land.
The veto means the loss to the republican
party of California, Nevada. Oregon, Dakota.
Arizona, Utah end Wyoming. and the demon
alization of the party west of the Rock,
Mountains. We acknowledge the bitterness,
Of the defeat. but we do not give up the fight
The veto is perhaps the most arbitrary act an
American President ever performed. The
veto Of the Fifteen Passenger" bill by Pres
ident Hayes was q stretch Of power, but
not go wantOn an exercise Of the executive
prerogative as the veto under consideration.
the President in peculiar way is guar
dian of treaties, and it was on the ground OF
a violation of the treaty agreement that the
Hayes veto was passed; but Arthur has no
refuge for escape. The message of the Pres
ident is conclusive that any bills he would
sign would have no effect in restricting the
Chinese from coming to this country. He
| objects to the passport system undemo-
cratic, but without some such means of en-
forcing the provisions of the treaty. they
would never be carried. ~
| On the point whether Chinese labor is
needed on tins coast, the opinions of the PEG
pie living here might be expected to have
some weight But the President undertakes
to decide this question for US. The message
is worse for the President and his party than
| if he had based it on the excessive term OF
prohibition. 1t Is a fiat contradiction of the
platform on which he was elected, and raised
the question whether the anti Chinese plank
in that platform was not deliberate deceit
practiced on the people Of this coast"
The Chronicle says: "rhe detection caused
on the receipt of the news soon gave way to a
very general determination that the fight is
not to be ended by the veto, and will be re-
newed in Congress, with all vigor that can
be brought to bear on it from every quarter.
The Pacific coast senators and representa-
tives are expected to exert all their influence
for the passage of the bill over the veto.''
| The republican party of California appeals
from the action Of the President and his cab
int to Congress, and most urgently asks that
body to pass the bill, the veto nOtwithstand
ing. In this city on reception of the news of
the veto, crowds gathered on the streets and
around the bulletin board. and expressions of
Indignation, disgust and encouragement were
universal, men of all shades of political opin-
ion uniting in the sentiment.
Gentlemen connected with the republican
State central committee, remarked that a
meeting of the committee had been called to
organize for the campaign. but in face of the
veto they might all shut up shop. Dispatches
from all parts of the interior, express uni
form feeling of anger and dependence. Some
of them note movements for the formation OF
an Anti Chinese League to take legal steps
to drive Chinese from their vicinity. Others
report public meetings called, and in some
cases the President was hung and burned in
efigy.