Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-09-02
WASHINGTON.
Talk About the Rejection of
Chinese the Treaty.
JOHN BULL SHOWS HIS HAND
Treaty or No Treaty the Chinese
Must G0-COngressiOnal
Opinion.
Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD


the Chinese treaty, cabled last night. In
the absence of an official report from the
American Minister in China the Secre-
tary OF State declines to be intervie wed
in regard to the matter.
The friends of the Administration say
the treaty contained arrangements with
China which the British Government
was most anxious to make, and British
influence set to work to secure rejection
of the treaty by China.
When President Cleveland came into
power very excited and unsatisfactory
state of things existed on the Pacific
Coast regarding the Chinese question,
and one OF the earliest important tasks
Secretary Bayard set for himself upon as
suming the duties OF his present off .e
was to secure by negotiation new treaty.
Minister Cheng, gentleman of great in
telligence, then representing China, was
absent in South America, and on his re-
turn, few months later, the subject was
broached to him. He had, however, re-
Gently been stricken with paralysis, and
his successor was already on the way
from China. So the beginning of nego-
tiations was postponed until the arrival
of the new representative.
HOW THE TREATY WAS NEGOTIATED.
Secretary Bayard sought from the out
set to impress upon the mind of the
Chinese Minister the fact that the differ
ent conditions in the social and political
life in the two countries, made anything
iiyn IN vol loy IN, 1a
terms of the concessions to be made on
one hand and the other impossible, and
to the end that these conditions might be
fully appreciated, he recommended the
Chinese Minister to travel through the
country at his leisure and observe the
habits and modes of living of our people
for himself. The chief point of differ
ence, of course, was the fact, which was
to be considered as the very starting
point, that the whole length and
breadth of the United States was open
to residence and occupation by any
Chinaman who should secure entrance
to this country, while only a few re-
stricted ports of China could be visited
by Americans, even by the American
Minister, under any circumstances. In
course of time, the Minister having fully
informed himself, willingly entered upon
negotiations, filled with desire to secure
redress for the unpunished murder of his
countrymen in various parts of the West
ern Territories and for the loss and de-
struction of the property of others.
The purpose which inspired the Sec
retary was to secure the exclusion of
Chinese laborers, in compliance with the
emphatic and simultaneous demands of
the Pacific States. The subject of the nego-
tiations consumed months of careful
deliberations. When they were con-
cluded the result was one which was be-
lieved by the negotiators on both sides
to meet the substantial requirements of
the Governments they represented.
The treaty was at once transmitted to
China for approval Gn March last), and
nothing was heard from that Govern
ment to indicate any lack of entire ap-
proval.
THOSE FATAL AMENDMENTS.
Fifty-seven days after the Senate re-
ceived the treaty it was ratified, but with
amendments which the friends of the
Administration regarded as superfuous.
The Secretary Of State re-opened negotia-
tions and succeeded after some CORE
spondence in securing from the Chinese
Minister his assent to the Senate amend
ments, his assent being in the form of an
exchange of notes which embodied in
substance an acknowledgment that the
amendments did not substantially alter
the text of the treaty as it had been
originally signed. There seems to
have been, however. in the mind
of the Minister, an impression that China
was being trifled with, and the amend
ments were sent out to China. The pro-
ceedings were not understood by the
high authorities of that government.
About a month ago inquiry
was received from the Chinese govern
ment by cable, asking if power still re-
mained with the Senate to further amend
the treaty. To this the Secretary of
State replied at once that the treaty
could not be further amended.
CHINA SUSPICIOUS OF OUR MOTIVES.
Nothing further has been heard on the
subject, but it is thought by the friends
of the Administration that in the natural
course of events the stringent measures
introduced into Congress. designated to
carry into effect, by anticipation of its
ratification, the provisions Of the treaty
had been brought to the attention of the
Chinese Government, and it had been
apprehended that these steps respecting
treaty which had not yet formally
been agreed to, consequently not in force,
served to add further embarrassment and
lead to further doubts on the part of the
Chinese authorities as to our ultimate
purpose.
An interview was sought with Secre-
tary Bayard this morning on the subject,
but the Secretary declined to express
himself for publication, beyond stating
that no information had been received
on the subject by the Department. eff
true that China has rejected the treaty" !"
the Secretary added, why we have the
former treaty still in force, and the re-
strictive legislation now on our statute
books"
NEGLIGENCE AND CoLLUsIoN.
It is believed by many in high official
positions that the evils Of which the Pa
cific Coast people now complain 80 loudly
are due to negligence or to the collusion
of our own officials, and that the remedy
lies largely with ourselves. Recently,
for example, thare came an application
for extradition for man who had stolen
a certificate which covered the re-entry
of Chinaman, and who was seeking to
secure the entry Of other Cinnamon on it.
The certificate was in the custody and
control of our officials, and were it not
for either negligence or collusion, it's
theft and misuse would not have been