Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1886-03-11
Cleveland's Suggestions.

The president SEM q message TO the senate
on the I'D inst. on the Chinese question. he
says the condition Of the Chinese In the vest
ern states and territories is lar from tatisiac-
tory. All the power OF the government houid
be cxerted to maintain the amplest good faith
towards China In the treatment of these IN. u,
anu ,he intexible sternness of the law in
bringing wrong-doers 70 justice should be in
sisted upon. Every effort has been made by
the government TO prevent VIC ent outbreaks,
ana the president says he Is prepared To give
earnest consideration to any further remedial
measures within treaty limits, which the wis
dom OF congress may desire.
The message then presents the solemn OBJ
ligaI.on imposed by the treaties and begins its
review of the situation with a reference 10 the
Hot Springs, Wy. T., affairs. Ii says:
The facts which so far are not controyerted
or affected by any excupatory or III. tigating
testimony, show the murder OF number of
Chinese subject in September last the wound
Ing OF many Others, and the ISOLATION Of the
property of all This outrage on law and
treaty engagements was committed by lawless
mob. None OF the aggressors-happily Tor
the national good fame-appear by the reports
10 have been good citizens OF the United
states. They were aliens engaged In that re-
mote district as mining laborers who became
excited against Chinese laborers, as IL would
seem, because OF their refusal to join them liz
a strike TO secure higher wages. Tne oppres-
sion OF Chinese subJecls by their rivals In the
competition for labor does not differ in violence
from that applied TO other classes OF native or
alien labor. All are equally under the pro-
lection OF law and equally entitled to ENJOY
benefits of assured public order.
Was there no treaty in existence referring to
the rights OF Chinese subjects; did they come
hither as all other strangers who voluntarily
resort to this land of freedom, OF self-govern-
ment and Of laws; here, probably, TO win their
bread and To live their lives, there can be no
question that they would be entitled still 10
the same measure of protection from violence,
and the same free forum for redress of their
grievances as any other aliens. BY the treaty
of 1850 1t Is the duty of the United States Ia
exert its power to devise measures for their
| protection and To secure to them the same
rights as may be enjoyed by citizens or sub
lects of the most favored nation, and to which
they are entitled by treaty.
This article Of the treaty, the message goes
on to say, may be held to constitute "a special
privilege for Chinese subjects Ia the lnitet.
states as compared with other aliens but II
does not create any peculiar rights which
Others do not share. The question whether
the general government is TO amend its gen
eral laws so as TO embrace the claims made
by the Chinese government Is TO be considered.
The Chinese minister's note gives an eXagger-
| ated statement OF the lamentable incident and
presents that the proceedings OF the courts were
"A mCckery OF justice. so far as this Is the
oasis OF his appeal no fur her exception can
be taken, but when he offers as a preceden;
he action oi the government In the cases oi
American citizens in China whose lives anu
proper ties have been endangered he argues n
reciprocal obligation on the part oil the nlted
states u indemnify Chinese subjects VINO
suffered at kock Springs. 1t now becomes
neces. AIRY to meet his argument and 10 deny
emphatically the conclus. ons he advances as
10 the liability OF this country and the rignt of
China 10 Insist upon IL.