Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-03-25

OBJECTION is made to the proposed
nav treaty with China on the ground
that it will not exclude Chinese
laborers from entering our ports any
better, if as we'll as the existing
Swift-Angell convention. The reason
on which this objection is based is
that the clause permitting Chinese
who have $1,000 in property in the
United States to return, will be made
loop-hole through which these
people will come at pleasure. From
the terms of the treaty it is difficult
to see how this is to take place. The
main features of the new treaty are
that for period of twenty years from
the signing thereof, Chinese labor
ers shall be absolutely prohibited from
landing, excepting in the case of those
now in the Union, and who, wishing
to make visit to China, may leave
behind in this country a lawful wife,
child or parent, or property to the
value of $1,000, or debts due to the
like amount. These shall have the
riglA to return here under the follow
ing conditions: In the first place,
before leaving the Union they must
deposit with the Collector Of Customs
of the district whence they take their
departure an accurate description of
what they leave behind, together with
satisfactory proof that the same is
theirs. Then this privilege of return
must be exercised within year
after the claimant departs from our
shores. Should sickness or other un-
avoidable circumstance prevent the
holder OF certificate from returning
here at the end OF his year, he must
60 before the Consul representing the
Uuited States at the port of departure
nearest his home, and before that
official make full proof Of his
inability to return to the United
States. In case of satisfactory proof
his time is to be extended one year
more. Now, it is necessary to remem-
ber that the Swift-Angell treaty is
about to expire, and therefore new
convention of some sort is called for.
No sane man will deny that the pro-
posed treaty is far better than the one
whose place it is to take. When the
present treaty was signed it was the
very best thing to be obtained from the
Republican party. That convention,
with all its defects, was at first pro-
posed for "a period OF twenty years, but
Mr.. Arthur set his veto on the meas
ure Oh the ground that its length was
unreasonable. He did not want
the Chinese to be shut out for so long
a period. 1t is needless to say Mr..
Arthur's party, as a rule, upheld him
in his views. Under the present sys-
tenn there is held in our ports no
check on the Mongol laborer who de-
parts hence. He has full sway in the
matter Of substituting any other of
his race to take his place on the re-
turn trip. Furthermore, he may re-
turn at any time he may see lit.
Under the new treaty the right
to return at all is limited to
few of those now resident in this
country, and that right must be exer-
cised within year from the date OF
their departure hence. An important
safeguard is provided-the required
proof Of qualification to come back be-
ing left behind in the hands of the
customs officers. in the fact of such
patent improvements over the existing
system, when we find the Republican
Chinophiles opposing the treaty, we
are forced to suspect tkat the true mo-
tive is not disclosed.