The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-09-13

macy, we nave USSn li1auC 10 dppottA AlulCu-
lous through our hasty action toward China.
We have stepped into our own basket of
eggs, and through sheer laundering folly
ieopardized our Oriental trade, worth mil
lions annually.
We have doubtless also defeated the ami
cable settlement of the Chinese immigration
question for some time to come, when the
matter seemed about to eliminate in an adj
justment satisfactory to all concerned. The
Chinese is a very sensitive Government, and
the question was, at best, extremely delicate;
but Great Britain could not have acted more
insolently toward the ZuIus than we have
done where extreme fnesse was called for.
At our instance new treaty was nego-
tiated, with view to absolutely put stop
to further Chinese immigration. Although
it had an unneighborly SAVIOR, the Chinese
Government, recognizing our industrial ne
cessities, seemed to acquiesce in friendly
spirit, and it was signed and sent on to
Picking for ratification. It was transmitted
to the Senate by the President, and ratified
on our part. Furthermore, to cIinch mat
ters, after many days of debate, law was
passed only week before last to carry out its
provisions.
This act had barely reached the White
TTc,,uo III T,,d >, ~ go Ico,, al 7,c nv +J,.
President, when a newspaper dispatch from
London reported a rumor from China to the
effect that the Imperial Government at Pelz-
ing had rejected the treaty That very day
Mr.. Scott, as the accredited mouthpiece the
President, rose in the House and offered
bill in direct contravention of the provisions
of the treaty, and demanded immediate
action upon it. The bill went through with
out roll-call, and was sent to the Senate
for concurrence.
Here it was also attempted to hustle it
through at once, and only a conservative
suggestion from Mr.. Edmunds and Mr.. Sher-
man caused it to be laid over for little
consideration for appearance sake at least
A reference to the Committee on Foreign
Relations was promptly refused, and the bill
was passed.
The denoument would have been ludi-
crous were it not so grave matter, for the
next thing that transpired was an official
notice to the effect that the treaty had not
been acted on at all, but was under consid-
Grafton by the Chinese Government
We then stood in the attitude of having
violated a treaty of our own making, which
was still pending before the other Govern
ment, TO which we ourselves had proposed
| it,
Senator German, as the Administration
spokesman at his end of the Capitol, was
under the embarrassing necessity of rising
to beg the Senate to reconsider the vote and
refer it to the committee, to save the Presi-
dent from the modification of vetoing his
own bill.
The net result of such diplomacy with
England or Germany would be an immedi-
ate apology or war.
With China the case is different As the
effect of such trifing we shall only restrict
our Chinese market, which will go to oul
competitors, the English, Germans and
French, with whom for years we have beer
fighting for this trade.
Our commerce with China in the face o
German and English Vaccinations, and oui
own desire to exclude the Chinese from TIT
country, has been worth over $25,000,OO0
year to the United States. Americans owl
an important line of steamers that ply TO
800 miles on the Hoang Ho River. Fur
thermore, American rolling-mill owners hav
negotiations now pending to supply the stee
for the great railroad projected from tn
Coast to the Chinese Capital, which if Sc
cured would have given work for the mex
year to thousands of our workmen. Al
this vast interest has been put in peril, an
in great part beyond question thrown ava
: for years to come through this indecen
, action and inconsiderate haste.
1t seems that the whole thing was cleve
f scheme of British agents at Hong Kong VIII
were bidding against US to sell China til
? steel rails for this road, and who desired I
2 get up new irritation against Americans Il
q business reasons.
They set the trap, and we put our fot
into it.
y 1t can hardly be expected now that Il
Emperor viii ratify the treaty, and Il
# Chinese immigration sore viii continue
: tester.
+ The readers of THE NATIONAL TRIBUN
a well understand our attitude on this que
h ton, which is that we have the perfect rigl
y to exclude the Chinese, and further that o,
n duty to our own citizens demands that the
IS coming to this country be prohibited.
sr GEN. BANKS TO RUN FOR CONGREs