Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-07-27
Gen. Harrison and the Chinese.

StdDuS On lElS SUiJCCt, ~hi hCN A'S
votes and opinions are regarded on
The Pacific coast. Mr.. Morrow
said:
Il notice that the Tribune has
several times said that Senator Har-
risod voted for the Page bill. This
is mistake, as you will readily see
on examining the Record The
Page bill was considered in the Sen
ate in the early part Of 1882. and
Senator Harrison voted against 1t.
The.bill, however, failed as q law to
keep out Chinese immigration and
was amended in 1884, There is no
record as to Senator Harrison's posi-
ton on the amendment bill, but it is
known that he favored the additional
legislation; but even the law as
amended proved Intellectual, and in
the XLIXth Congress l introduced
bill which became known as the Nor
row bill. 1t was drawn with consid-
erable care, as | was familiar with
the subject. having been Assistant
United States Attorney at San Fran
cisco and familiar with the Federal
jurisdiction. The bill was approved
by the Collector of the Port, the
United States Attorney, and it was
supposed that it would accomplish
everything that legislation could do
under the treaty. The bill was in
trodnced in the Senate by Senator
Fair, the Democratic Senator from
Nevada, and referred to the Commit
tee on Foreign Relations, of which
General Harrison was then a mem
Der. | had occasion to meet with
members of that committee several
times while the bill was before the
Committee, and among others with
Senator Harrison, and [ know that
he was in favor of excluding Chinese
immigration, either by suitable legis-
lation under the treaty, or new
treaty that could make exclusion ab-
solute. | remember he and | were
members of small party that went
to Philadelphia in the early part OF
1886 to attend dinner given by the
Glover Club. During the trip | had
quite talk with Senator Harrison
on the subject of Chinese immigration
and | was gratified to find that be
was not only in favor of further leg
islation in restraint of such immigra-
tion, but he was in favor of new
treaty that would provide for abso-
lutte exclusion.
"The bill introduced Ly Senator
Fair was considered by the Commit
tee on Foreign Relations of the Sen
ate and passed the Committee unani-
mously. 1t was reported to the Sen
ate by Senator Sherman, who said:
The bill has been carefully examined
in the Committe on Foreign Rela-
tions, and as far as | know every
provision was assented to with entire
unanimity.' This statement will be
found on 1858 of The Congressional
Record of the first session of the
XLIXth Congress. 1t is we'll known
that Senator Mitchell of Oregon, is
extremely radical against Chinese
immigration, in discussing this bill
(Which Harrison voted for in the
committee, as / have just stated Sen.
ator Mitchell said: This bill is a
great improvement, permit me to say /,
in my Judgment, upon any bill that
has eyer heretofore at anytime been
reported by arv committee Of either
branch of Con. ress upon this ques-
tion' The Senator's speech will be
found on page 5,l09 Of the Congress
ional Record of the first session of
the XLIXth Congress. Tie bill
passed the Senate unanimously, but
was smothered in the House Com
mittee on Foreign Affairs, of which
Mr.. Perry Belmont was chairman,
and the only action the Democratic
House took in furtherance of the ac-
tion of the Senate on the Chinese
question was to pass the Chinese In
demnity bill, providing for the pay
ment of STAT, 900 to the Chinese for
the Rock Springs outrage.
"BGt it is said that Senator Harri
con, in 1882, opposed legislation
against Chinese immigration, and
that he voted against an amendment
to the bill then pending. offered by
Senator Farley, providing that here
after no State court or court of the
United States shall admit Chinese to
citizenship, and repeating all laws in
conflict with the act. Senator Ed
munds opposed this form of amend
msnt. saying that the naturalization
laws did not authorize naturalization
of Chinese. The Senator was cor
rect. -Four years before, in 1878,
Judge Sawyer. the United States
Circuit Judge for California, Oregon
and Nevada, had decided on the ap-
plication OF All Yup, that native
Of China of the Mongolian race was
not entitled to become a citizen OF the
United States. On the authority OF
this decision Senator Edmunds pro.
posed an amendment in these words:
Nothing in the act shall be constru-
ed TO change the existing naturaliza-
ton laws SO as to admit Chinese per-
sons to citizenship Senator Har-
rison voted for this amendment in
preference to the one proposed by
Senator Farley. This is all there is
in this vote.
Senator Harrison was undoubted-
ly opposed to the abrogation of a
treaty by indirect legislation. He
was in favor of a clear cut PROPOSE
tion for abrogaiing the existing
treaty, with its annoying limita-
tions, and excluding the Chinaman
absolutely, and it is an interesting
fact that this is precisely the position
occupied by the Senators and Repre-
sentatives from the Pacific Coast.
We have favored an abrogation of
the treaty, because of its limitations
on the power Of Congress to legislate
in defence of the county. Senator
Harrison has occupied precisely this
position, and his votes on the amend
ments to the Page bill prove this fact
hauopI donht E-,rt harn,ora Gar