Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-09-08
rhe Daily Intelligencer.
LAxcAsrHR. sEprsnBER 8. 1859.
The China Set.


The United States Senate does not
Gxhibit itself In good shape to the country
IN IL treatment OF the bill, which 1t has
socsiyed from the House, summarily
ordering al Chinese out OF the country.
THIS measure passed the House
uuouimously in one days session,
on the motion Of William l.. Scott, who
Was accredited with introducing 1t as the
nouthpiece of the administration.
\ Itnow appears that he spoke not in such
character but simply for himself. With
constitutional impetuosity, he proposed
30 the House to kick the Chinese out on
The newspaper rumor that China had re.
jected our treaty. All parties In the
House ran In to the support Of this mo.
Aon, to escape political damage in the
close states of the Pacific coast, where a
Chlnamsn is like red rag to bull.
AL this was conduct that was not very
surprising 10 the House and that body
was Furthermore justified by Its belief
that China really had rejected the treaty
and that Mr.. Scott, as the con6dant of
the administration, knew IL. But the
Senate has not this justification. 1t
knows that the treaty has not been re-
jected, but that decision upon it has been
suspended. The president has communi-
Gated to It advice from our minister to
this effect. Before hearing this the Senate
had been mumbling the bill over,
afraid to adopt 1t or reject 1t, and pre-
tending that 1t waited to know what
China had really done about the treaty.
Senator Sherman said he would vote for
the bill on the understanding that China
had rejected the treaty, and if the
TACT was not 50, the Democratic
administration would be responsible
for the wrong. But after the
president told the Senate that China had
not rejected the treaty, Senator Sher.
man was still unable to vote against the
House bill. He did not vote al
all and the bill passed and ther
was reconsidered. It is still pend
Ing and doubtless will not pass as long al
the fate Of the treaty is undecided. The
senators who voted for It, never in
tended that 1t should pass. If 1t did
they know the president would not ap
prove it while there remains fair hop'
that the object sought will be gained b.
treaty.
Everyone know that good relation
with China are too important to us to b.
lightly lost. 1t Is . great empire, with |
trade to which we are natural heirs AM
) which we have been ardently seeking. 1
Is . nation that we have found very wei
disposed to us. The fact that We hav
negotiated treaty with 1t, under whicl
China agrees to the exclusion of her peopl
from our shores, shows how very mucl
she is willing to concede. To no othe
nation has any such proposition eve
been made and to none other could it b
made with hope of success. But after thi
treaty was accepted by China, the Ssnat
pnt on couple Of amendments ut tn
Instance of the. Pacific coast senators
Xaic6 secured nothing more, and wer
only intended to make more clear wha
had been secured; and then the troubl
came. China did not understand th
thing OF proposing treaty, and gettin
her acceptance, and then amending i
Sac wanted TO know when the procei
w)uld end and q treaty be finally bory
Certainly her objection was just.
We do not believe that there Is an
danger OF our relations with China b,
coming strained. The president la
always shown great good sense upon sue
eaergencies as this, and we have grea
c,n6dence that he will be able to avoi
the trouble that the hastiness of Ii
House and the weakness of the Sena,
would probably cause There is no da,
Ger that he will seek TO placate the Pacii
coast sentiment at the cost of the coul
try's honor and interest; nor do we SUI
pose that such sentiment demands an
sacrifice Of the kind. The restless pol
tician who is always 8 looking for somethin
to satisfy popular sentiment, is likely
learn from this experience that the be-
thing to do is the right thing and v
desire to express the satisfaction whiC
the level-headed action of Senator Go
man in this affair has caused us, and
note that this ID mocratic leader is ont
more found standing steady and straigl
and, In the midst of party tumult al
clamor, heading right. We have lately hs
occasion more than once to approve Il
wisdom of Senator Germans leadership
and we are glad indeed torecord it agail