The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-03-12
THE CHINESE QUESTION.

l WASHINGTON, Marcn 3-In0 fTeSlO0O0
sent the following message to Congress-
| yesterday:
To the Senate and House Of Representatives.
1t is made the constitutional duty of the
PRESIDENT to recommend to the considers
ton of Congress, from time to time. such
measures as he judges necessary and expedf
eni. in no matter can the necessity Of this.
DC more evident than when the good faith OF
the un'teo states under the solemn obliga--
! uon OF treaties with foreign powers is con-
cerueo. The question of the treatment Of
the subjects of China sojourning within the
| jurisdiction Of the United States presents
such matter for the urgent and earnest con-
sioeration or the executive and Congress. In
my nrst annual message, upon the assem-
ohuR Oh tne present Congress, I adyerte6
10 TINS 9uestiOn- At the time wrote this.
the SHOCKING occurrences ut Rock Springs.
in Wyoming Territory, were fresh in tho
minds of all and had been recently presented
anew to the attention of this Government by
the Chinese Minister in a note which. while
not unnaturally exhibiting some miscoucep.
| ton Of our Federal 81 stem Of administration
/ In the Territories while they as yet are not.
! i'm the exercise Of the full measure o. thai
| sovereign self-government pertaining to the
States Of tho Union. presents in truthful
| terms the main features Of the cruel outrage
there perpetrated upon inoffensive subjects
of China.
THE ROCK SPRINGS OUTRAGE
| In the investigation of the Rock Springs.
on which the Chinese Minister'S statements
| rest. the Chinese representatives were aided
by the agents OF the United States and the
reports submitted. having been thus fremed
and recOunting facts within the knowledge of
| witnesses ON both sides possess an impartial
tIuthfulness which could not fail to give them
great impressiveness. The facts. which so
far are not cOntrOverted or affected by en-.
culpatory or mitigating testimony. show the
murder Of o number of Chinese subjects in
September last at Rock Springs. the wound
property Of all when the unhappy survivors
had been driven from their habitations.
There is no allegation that the victims, by
any lawless or disOrderly act on their part.
contributed to bring about o collision. On
the contrary. It appears that the lnw-abiding
disposition OF these people who were sO-
hospitality and express treaty obligations
! was made the pretext for the attack upon
them. This outrage upon law and treaty en-
! gagements was committed by a lawless mob.
None OF the aggressOrs-happily for the ma
tiOnal fame-appear by the reports to have
been citizens of the United States. They were
aliens, engaged in that remote district as
mining labOrers. who became excited against.
the Chinese labOrers. as II would seem. be-
cause OF their refusal to join them in strike
secure s heSer Nv wages ,S The oppression OF
petition for labor does not differ in violence
and illegality from that applied to other
CLASSES OF native t OF alien Labor All are
equally entitled to enjoy the benefits of as
sured public order.
TREATY RIGHTS.
Was there no treaty in existence referring
to the rights of Chinese subjects? Did they
come hither as all other strangers who vol.
UNFAIRLY resort to tn 8 land OF freedom. OF
self -gOvernment and of laws. here peaceably
to win their bread and live their lives, there
can be no question that they would be en-
titled still to the same measure of protection
from violence and the same free forum for
the redress of their or evances as any other
alien. So far as the treaties between the
United States and China stipuiate for tho
treatment OF the Chinese subjects actually in
the United States as the citizens or subjects Of
the most favored nation are treated they
create no new status for them. They simply
recognize and conform to general and
existing rule, applicable to all aliens alike for
none are favored above others by domestic
law and none by foreign treaties unless it be
the Chinese themselves in some respects.
vember II, 1880. between the United States
and China. it provides that: ARTICLE q. IL
Chinese labOrers or Chinese Of any other
class. either permanent or temporarily re-
ding in the territory of the United St8tes,
meet with i'll treatment Mt the hands
Of ANY GtheG the
power to devise measures for their prOtec-
ton and to secure them the same rights,
privileges. immunties and exemptions ne
may be enjoyed by the subjects of the most
favored nation. and to which they are en-
titled by treaty" This article may be held to
constitute special privilege for Chinese
subjects in the United States as compared
with other aliens: not that II creates any
peculiar rights which others do not share,
but because. in case Of i'll treatment of the
Chinese in the United States. this Govern
mcnt is bound to exert all its power to de-
wise measures for their protect on" by Sc
curing to them the rights to which. equally
III nVpd0 <pfh f<.vx thx.xr
entitled.
WHAT CHINA WANTS.
Whether il 10 now incumbent upon the Uni.
ted States to amend their general laws or de-
wise new measures in this regard. do not
consider I'm the present commun cation, but
confine myself to the particular point raised
by the outrage and massacre at Rock Springs.
The note OF the Chinese minister and the
documents which accompany IL give. rs
believe, AN unexaggerated statement Of the
lamentable incident and present impress
the proceedings. in the name Of just ce.
for the ascerta nment OF the crime and
fixing the responsibility therefor we're
a. the Chinese minister. under his In
structi0ns. makes this the basis of an appeal
to the principles and convictions Of man
he goes further and taking as his precedent
tho action OF the Chinese Government in
past instances. where the lives of Amer can
citizens and their property in China have
heen endangered, argues a reciprocal oblisa
fiOn on the part Of the United States to in
cemnify the Chinese subjects who suffered At
his argument and to deny most emphatcaly
the conclusions he seeks to draw as to the
existence of such q liability and the right Of
the Chinese Government to insist upon it.
INDENNITY TAINTED.
i draw the attention of Congress to the lat
ter part of the note of the Secretary of State
Of February Is. 1850. In reply to the Chinese
Minister'S Representations, and invite espe-
cial consideration of the cogent reasons by
which he reaches conclusions. that VIII LIST the
United states Government IS under no obli-
CATION whether by the express terms Of ite
treaties with China or the principles of inter.
national law. to indemnify these Chinese sub
iects for losses caused by such means and
under the admitted circumstances, yet that,
in view OF the papable and discreditable fail.
ure of the authorities Of Wyoming Territory
to bring to justice the guilty part es
partial forum in which to seek and
obtain compensation for the losses which
these subjects have incurred by lack
further the entire absence Of provocstion Of
contribution on the part of the vict ms. tho
executive may be induced to bring the mat
gress in order that that body in its high
discretion. NAV direct Government aid of in
nOcent and peaceful strangers. whose mai
treatment has brought d scredit upon the
country with the distinct Understanding that
such action is in no wise to be held As q pre-
cedent. is wholly eratuitOus, and is resorted
10 IN q spirit OF pure generosity toward those
who are otherwise helpless. The correspond
ence exchanged is herewith submitted fog
the information Of Congress.
GROVER CLEVELAND.
Executive Mansion, March I, 1885.
S
A Terrible Jump.
CHICAGO, ILL.,, March SC. O'Hara, SUI
perintendent of the Pullman Palace Car
Company. while deliri0ns from erysipelas
which affected his head Oyerpowered his