The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-06-28

will never be modified to
change the policy of the government. But
as there will be good deal of idle talk
and great many reckless assertions, AS
to the views and votes of Gen. Harrison,
while in the Senate, we prefer to give TO
the public the facts of the case, in order
to put at rest the wild assertions and foel-
ish differences of the more sensational OF
our political opponents.
Mr. Harrison entered the Senate at the
beginning of XLVlIth Congress in 1881
and sat till March 4, 1887. Oh April y.
1882. discussion was had in the Senate
on House bill 1904: IA bill to execute
certain treaty stipulations with the chi
nese." MIR. Harrison made two brief
speeches on that bill, occupying only
few lines of 'sThe Record" and printed at
pages 1850 and $500 of 1.-THE Congress
sional Record" KLVIIth Congress, first
session. Mr.. Harrison commended that as
the treaty used the work "laporerss IL
was not in the power of Congress to en-
large the meaning of that word by ieglsia
ton: that whatever the word 'lahorers -
implied in the treaty, that same word
would be held to have TIE same meaning
in any law that Congress might pass lie
asked Senator Grover, of Oregon, the per-
tinent question, whether. if he found the
proposed law and the existing treaty IN
conflict, he would still persist in passing
the law and thus "trampling upon our
treaty obligations % To this inquiry Mr..
Grover made no reply. Mr.. Harrison
logic was invincible, and it was sustained
by the Senate. 1t may be added that this
position has since been maintained by eve
nv President and Secretary of State down
even to Grover Cleveland and Secretary
B.yaid.
This record is entirely acceptable to
California aid The uthar Pacific coninqnl-
ties. as IS evidenced by the following
stal elnel: to New York Tribune cores
pondrnt, 10y Representative Morrow, OF
California, the ahlest aud most earnest ad
yacup OF Chinese restriction among the
Pac fife coast delegates III Cungrt IS. lie
sai
Mr. Harrison s views on the question al e en-
tirely satisfactory to us i'll California. We are
all protectiomiAts over the re: we are more IN
terested in kroging what is going 10 De dohe
with prnnes and rsisns, and borax and manu-
fact urlny interests generally tnan III muuifiDS
VIII MAI: thought ON The C,tlhess alesti,1f ,a
matter settled at last ana we certainty prefer
Mr.. Har"isoii's views of The inHi 'iahillty OF
treaty obligations to those al Nil CteFeiahu,
who proposes /, introduce Chinese products
tree of duty. The California delegation LOOK IL
leading part in bringing about Mr. Harrson's
nomination, and we shail give him our votes,
though. OF course. you know VINO our nfst
choice was
Senator MITCHELL of Oregon, one OF the most
pronounced promote of anti Chinese legisla-
ton in Congress, says it Ii mistake to sup
pose that General Harrson's record Is ohjee-
tonabIe to the people of the Pacific slope and
that to those who are familiar with 1t it needs
no apology.
81 wasauoted," said Senator Mitchell, I'm
the newspapers Of Indiana, two or thfee
months ago, as saying that Generai harrls4l
was acceptable to the people OF we racine
slope ana it brought out comments in pAe
careful examination of the record and to make
inquiry of senator who served with General
Harrison in the Senate during the early part OF
ais term when was lot "a member of the BODY.
found that he voted against Two measures pro
vidlng a form of restricting Chinese 1minigfa.
ton. | talked with General HARRISON apout
the matter and he gave me Inc GROUNDS on
which he objected TO the proposed legislation.
which were Ihat the measures were in direct
conflict with existing TIRE aties. He held that
| before we passed statutory laws we ought 10
| abolish the existing treaties, SO as 10 aNoid
| conflict THAT rs exactly the position occupy,
and about Two years ago l introduced JOINT
resolution in the Senate processing the aDroga-
| ton OF every treaty with China. commercial as
well as those on the subject of i'm migration,
| ana my Intention was TO introduce genera
| chinese immigration bill which WDplq take
| the form OF statutory law.
zone of the bills that senator Harrison OPP,
| posed was passed by both houses and was vetoed
| by Pr, sidenJ Arthur. During one al my ,talks
| with Senator Harrison he said: AS a lawyer !
| could not afford to vote for laws which knew
| to be in direct conflict with existing treaties
| and which knew could not stand even the
test they would be subjected to IN the lower
courts. did not want to make myself rldlcu'
| IouS by voting for IL me assure which would con-
| 1ici wit tleety PLACED on the statute pooRS
| during my own tenn of public life have
| continued Senator Mitchell, Hreceved many
| inqi tries fran my constituents on this subject
| and / have without exception stated that
| considered General Harrison's record on this
subj CT not inln cal TO the interests OF our peo-
| "Rut the Chinese question will not be the par
| amount issue in The approaching campaign
| on he Pacific slope. Mehaye ecured as much
restriction OF i'm IN igrati0n and as mgrh restrlc-
| ton OF the rights of Chinese in in orr country
| as we get al this time. Uur people are prae-
tically quiet on the subject and the is sue II the
| polls in November will be fought on the tariii.
| The recent election III Oregon shows what POSI-
| ton The people there hold on this subject The
| nominations of Gen. Harrison. it seems to me-
| WAS Inc pest pUt SlD]e SOULFUL vi Vie
| tion in which the convention found itself this
| morning..
This view is conquered in by all the Re-
publicans from the Pacific slope now in
the Senate and House of Representatives.
The delegation voted solidly for Harrison
on the two last ballots and expressed their
entire satisfaction with his position on the
question which seems to dist urb our Dem
| oeratic friends so much.
The real question IN the Pacific slope is
the tariff. The wool interest is very ex-
| tensive in all the Pacific country. 1t is
something of to-day. 1t relates to the
pockets of the people who have invest ed
their money and dedicated their lands to
sheep-raising and wool growing. The wool
question entered into the recent Oregon
election, with the result of oyer 1000 Re-
publican majority on the general vote and
Almost a clean sweep of the Legislature.
A similar result awaits the November
election in all the Pacific States, when the
full electoral! vote will be given to Harri-
! son and Morton.
The Fa1dicdtOr pretends that it has d s.