New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-11-10
THE PRESIDENT 4ND THe CHINESE QUES-
TTON


| THE PRESIDENT IND THig CHINESE QUES-
TON
The President has at last issued proclamation
against the promoters of anti Chinese move
ments on thc Pacific Coast, and some steps have
been taken in Washington Territory by the
Federal authorities toward the prosecution Of
several persons charged with participation i'll
acts of lawessness. The LreaiRg Post regards
this proclamation as :" a fresh proof OF President
"Clcvelands stern and intcXibc determination
ito enforce the law of the land against men OF
"every race and condition, without rcgaid to
:" local feeling" and declares that III issuing II
he tulns over Il new leaf III American politics,
"and shows us the difference between an up
fright mag istratc, who does not bear the sword
| " in vain, and Il tricky dcmagoguc or weak and
" timid trimmer who is always seeking Tor an
"cxcusc for not Offending powerful criminals
In view of the facts this commentator OF the
Presidents action seems somewhat cXtrava-
CANT. For the outragcs upon the Chinese III
Washington Territory were not the beginning OF
trouble, but the direct outcome of previous
awcsSnrSs, failure 10 punish which encouraged
the same spirit in Washington and elsewhere.
There can be no doubt that il the Rock
Springs massacre had been punished the cylc-
ton of the Chinese from Tacoma would not
have occurred But the Rock Springs mas
sacre was permitted by this President who
q does not bear the sword in vain to pass un-
punished. 1t was committed in a Territory,
where Federal authority is Supposed to be para
mount, and it was committed by foreigners.
Yet, though the crime brought discrcdit upon
the American people, it elected no evidence Of
! H. al iutin L. ii
termination to enforce the law of the land
against men of every race and condition, with
out regard TO local feeling On the contrary,
the inacton of the Federal Government, and It's
failure to this day TO bring any OF the criminals
of Wyoming to justice, appcar to warian; the IN
ference that local feeling was very much
more considered than National honor and the
obligations of treaties. But the suplneueSs of
! the Administration did not end here. The I'M
! punitv with which the Rock Springs massacre
! had been carried out put premium upon
! brutality aud sayagcry, and ut once all the law
| less elements on the Pacific Coast began to
! cOnspire against the Chinese. For weeks the
/ agitation proceeded ever growing Gcrccr.
! Presently the Tacoma outbreak occurred. The
Chinese were violently eXpellcd,and their prop
ertv wantonly burned. Still the Government
made no sign, and it was only when a move
| mcnt had been set on foot to drive the Chinese
out of every considerable town Oh the Pacific
Coast that the much'vauntcd Presidential
proclamation appeared.
The Post inadvertently admits that this is
the first attempt of the Government to fulfil
:" its legal and moral obligations toward the
Chinese" 1t certainly is the first attempt of
! President Cevcland's Governmental do 50, and
because it is the first attempt 1t does Dot de-
serve the praise accorded it by The IoSt
| There is ample ground for the belief that II the
| Wyoming massacre had been properly treated
| none of the ensuing outrages would have Oc-
| cured. No reason has been given, or assuredy
no sufficient reason, for the inaction OF the
! Government on that occasion. because OF that
inaction, however, the American people have
| been held accountable for n chine committed
by q mob of aliens, among whom there was not
a single American citizen, and dangerous
state Of excitement and lawlessncss has been
fostered on the Pacific Coast Perhaps the EX
ecutive interference is better late than ncN er,
but it is preposterous 10 claim for such
elcventh-hou activity the merit which belongs
alone to timely, bold and vigorous measures.