Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-09-22
DANGEROUS CHARACTER OF THE AC
TON UPON THE SCOTT BILL.

OAN0GhOOo OhhhAS1Gh OE 1E1E Az
TIoE UPON THE SCOTT BILL.
While il gratities the people of the Pa
ci6c coast to secure from Congress bill il
any measure restrictive of Chinese immi
grafton, the manner in which the Scott bill
was brought to notice, its treatment il
Congress, and the relation of the Admins
tration to it, humiliate and shame lis. Il
is, in short, more than humiliating that tc
supposed party exigency we should be in
debted for that which, in justice, should
long since have been granted to us.
The action of the House of Representa-
tives il refusing to direct its enrolment
committee to deliver the bill when duly
passed by both Houses of Congress to the
President for approval or rejection, was
properly characterized by Senator Stewart
as revolutionary" This conformation Of
delay by the committee, if it is to become
a precedent, is one Of the most dangerous
character, and puts the liberties of the
people II jeopardy. AS it is, it is hunil-
iatinglY disgraceful, and must reflect in
juriousiy upon the capacity of Congress to
deal honorably with great questions.
Ever since the foundation of the Gov
ernment, in both the State and National
Legislatures, the rule has been to transmit
bills TO the Executive Immediately upon
the completion of the enrolment, and to
hasten that process by all posi-
bic legitimate means. That practice
has taken on the form, aud has all
the force of law; it IS inwoven
with our system of legislation and any at
tempt to Depart from il must be accom-
panied 5y greatest evil. Let Us see-aside
from al The partisanship involved in the
Chinese restriction bill-what the exact
situation was when Mr.. Kilgore usurped
the powers of Congress and stayed the will
OF the supreme authority of the pecvle,
by simply Withholding his hand from
duty.
The Administration-and for the pur-
poses OF the argument it makes no difel-
euce in sneh case whether it is Demo
cratic or Republican-procured The intro
duetor o a bill III the House forbidding
ChiHes, immigration. The biil vas sud
denly sprung upon the House Icy. a repre-
sentative whose constituency has not had
the experience OF contact with the Chinese
eyi. il was admittedly introduced for
the express purpose of securing legislation
upon the subject in the present Congress.
1t w2s d party measure and no conceal
menl was made of the fact that it was ex-
pecteG TO conserve the interests of the
dominant political party. 1t was an Adj
minislration measure, and was considered
In the White House prior to introduction.
1t wa railros ded through the House
without the usual reference to committee,
and was passed under suspension of the
rules
Now, il must be borne in mind that the
Pacific Coast delegates have been laboring
diligently for very long time TO secure
such legislation, but have been unable to
bring the House, IN which the party of the
Administration has q majority, to the sup
port Of s2ch measures that is essential TO
their passage. The sudden change in the
temper Of the majority was, therefore, all
the more remarkable, especially when ac-
companied by a demand for the suspension
of the rGles and the immediate passage
of the bill. The Pacific coast delegation,
desiring a reasonable time to examine the
measure, was denied the privilege, was
forced TO take the bill "as it few" content
themselves with "a few hasty amendments,
and only such examination as could be
made "on the run" Every plea of the
Pacific men for few hours delay was
scorned-not moment Of time could they
gain, but the bill was rushed through and
sent 10 the Senate within the hour.
1t must be kept in view that the Adj
ministration had negotiated treaty with
China upon this very subject. 1t had been
amended in the Senate, approved and sent
to the Chinese Government for ratifca-
tion. Meanwhile bill to carry the treaty
into effect had been prepared and was ON
its way through Congress according to
usual routine. Without any official COM
munication from the Chinese Government
concerning its action upon the treaty, with
nothing more than vague rumor that the
Emperor of China had rejected it, the
whole scheme of treaty negotiations and
legislation under it was suddenly aban-
doned All the excuses made by the ma
iority for non-legislation were thrown
overheard; nothing more was heard of
"the wisdom of convention with China
before legislation" or of the gross viola
tion of international law and etiquette to
legislate against pending treaty" All
these things we're swept aside, and the
Scott bill was passed.
In the Senate this extraordinary matter
assumed a new phase. The very men who
had been so hasty to pass the bill and who
denied the Pacific coast opportunity to de-
liberately examine into its provisions, sud-
denly shifted their course, and now sought