Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-09

Of Republican senator's. The oppci.
ton was led by the New England
element. s4d Senators Hoar OF
Massachusetts,. Dawes Of Massa-
chnsetts, Hale OF Maine, and others,
we're at the head. The Demo-
cratic senator's voted to q man in
favor Of 1t, and with them joined some
of the Republican senators Of the Pa
cific coast, where the blighting effect Of
Chinese competition had been felt by
the American laborer. This combina-
ton made il apparent that enough Re-
publican senator's would not vote with
their party against the bill, and the
prospect was that it would pass.
Seeing this, Senator Hoar, Of Massa-
chusetts, determined to save all he could
from the wreck, and also that If he
couldn't admit the Chinese in q mass
the American mechanic at least should
have Chinese competitor. He there
fore offered an amendment providing
that Chinese " skilled laborers " might
come TO this country. Here is his
amendment
Prorided, That this bill shall not apply 90
any skilled laborer who shall establish that
he comes to this country without any con-
tract by which his labor Is the property OF
any person other than himself.
And these are the senator's who voted
for the adoption OF this amendment
Ycs-Messrs. Aldrich, Allison,
Brown, CoDger, Davis Of Illinois,
Dawes, Edmunds, Frye, Hale, Harri-
son, Hoar, Ingalls,, McDill, Mcmillan,
MALONE, Mitchell, Morrill-l7.
The Democrats, however, were solid
against it, and voted it down.
As last effort to accomplish his OBJ
iect of introducing Chinese mechanics
to compete with American mechanics,
Mr.. Hoar introduced this amendment:
Pro,fded further, That any laborer who
shall receive a certificate from the United
States consul at the port where he shall
embark that he Is an artisan, coming 10 this
country at his own expense and OF his own
free will. and has established such fact TO
the salts faction OF such consul. shall not be
affected by this bill.
The Senators who voted for this
dI6hEntIb NClO
Messrs. Aldrich, Allison,
Brown, Cenger, Davis of Illinois,
Dawes, Frye, Hale, Harrison, Hoar,
, ingalls,, Jackson, McDill, Mcmillan,
MALONE, Mitchell, Morrill,, Plumb,
Saunders-l9.
The Democratic senator's defeated
that amendment also. The bill was
finally passed, and then President Ar
thur, the Republican confederate Of Sen
ator Malone, retoed it. That was a
nice record for the Republican party as
a friend Of the American workingmen |!
But the Democratic party was not to be
wholly foiled in its efforts for Ameri-
can labor. 1t hung on to its purpose,
and, finding that as long as there
was Republican President it could
not get Chinese labor excluded
from the country forever, resolved
to accept its exclusion for ten years,
and such bill was gotten through and
became law. This ought to be an in
structive lesson to the laboring classes
of Virginia, both white and black, for
if ever the Republican party gains as
cendancy in both the legislative and ex-
ecutive departments of the nation, there
is no doubt that it will carry out its
Chinese immigration scheme, and as
little doubt that Senator Malone, if he
is in the Senate, will give his vote to-
wards it. That is the party which would
subject honest labor not only to CAPT
tai" but to the overwhelming competi-
ton Of Chinese cheap labor, if it had
the power.