Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-10-26
HarrisOn's Chinese Record.

General Harrison has always been a
consistent friend Of the Chinese. His
voice has ever been raised in theil be-
half. All measures looking to a re-
striction of Chinese immigration have
found in Harrison o most bitter op-
ponent. January IL, 1879, he read
an essay before literary society Of
indianapolis, the title of which was
"The Chinese. ID America" Taking
up the question q presented in the
memorial of California to Congress
for relief and projection, he argued to
three conclusions:
Fyst-That NJ prayer Of the Cali
1f6fnians was insincere.
I Second-That Congress was power
less to grant it, even if disposed to do
so.
Third-That if Congress had the
right and authority it should not act,
because in a cosmopolitan nation like
shat of the United States the China
man was rs likely to become a good
element as was any other race.
The Congressional Record shows
that from the introduction of the first
bill to restrict Chinese immigration,
to the passage of the law now in force,
Senator Harrison was active in oppos-
ing it. He voted against the anti
Chinese bills at every stage when he
was present in Congress, and on the
occasions when he was absent he al
ways paired with one of its supporters.
The details of his official course are:
At the first session of the Forty
Seventh Congress Senator Miller, of
California, introduced bill to restrict
the immigration of Chinese laborers
into the United States. The bill was
referred to the Senate Committee on
Foreign Relations and reported back
with amendments-See Congressional
Record, volume l, part l, page $50.
On the amendment of Senator Hoar
to admit Chinese skilled laborers, the
vote stood: yeas, II; nays, q. Sena-
tor Harrison voted yea.-Ibid., p.
1,7l6.
On Senator Hoar's amendment to
admit Chinese artisans, the vote was :
Yeas, 10; nays, "a. Senator Harri-
son voted yea. Ibid, p. LII.
On Senator Ingalls, motion to
strike out the limitation OF suspension
of immigration to twenty years. 70 in
sert ten years, the vote was: Yeas,
20; nays, 81. Senator Harrison was
absent and paired with Senator Maxey,
who announced that if Senator Harri-
son was present he would vote yea.
Ibid, p. 1852.
The bill finally passed the Senate by
vote of 20 yeas to 10 nays. Sena-
tor Harrison was absent, but Senator
Maxey, his pair, announced that if
present lac would vote against the bill.
Ibid, p. 1853.
The bill was subsequently passed
by the House by a vote of 167 to &C.
See Congregational Record, Vol. 13,
part 3. p. 1927.
President Arthur returned the bill
to the Senate with his objections.
The Senate voted to pass the bill over
the veto: Yeas, %; nays. 81. Sena-
tor Harrison voted nay. But the bill
failed for the want Of . two-thirds vote
in its favor. Ibid, PIP. 2,6l7.
House bill 5.804, to restrain Chinese
immigration, was reported by Congress-
man Page, Of California, from the
Committee on Education and Labor.
See Congressional Record, Vol. 13, part
4, p. 2,SlO. 1t was passed by the
House by vote Of POI yeas to 81
nays. Ibid, p. 1913.
The bill went to the Senate and
was reported fayorably from the Com,
mittee on Foreign Relations by Sena-
tor Miller, with amendments. Ibid,
p. 3,038.
The amendment to strike out the
second clause, prohibiting any court
from admitting any Chinese to citizen
ship was rejected by vote of yeas 26,
nays %. Senator Harrison voted in the
affirmative and both California Sena-
tors in the negative. Ibid, p. 3,264.
The amendment TO strike out the
section which contained the words
"Chinese laborers" to include
skilled" laborers was rejected-yeas
20, nays 2. Senator Harrison voting
in the affirmative. Ibid, p. 3,411.
The House bill was finally passed by
the Senate by vote Of AZ yeas to Is
nays. Ibid, p. 3,412.
The bill became a law by the ap-
proval of the President, Ibid, p. g.
TT.
In the Forth Eighth Congress, first
session, u supplementary bill relating
to Chinese immigration was intro
duced in the House and passed by
that body, and was subsequently
passed by the Senate by vote of
yeas 43, nays -, Senator Harrison
was not present and did not vote. See
Congressional Record, volume l6, part
6, p. 5,93S.
Such is the official record, and Har-
rison must stand or fall by it. We
have no doubt he voiced his convic-
tians when he voted against this legis-
lation restricting an inflow of cooley
laborers, but he must now pay the
penalty of his independence and cour-
age of the loss Of California in Novem-
Der.
The American laborer has only
labor for sale, and foreigners come