Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-09-08
CHINESE LEGISLATION.
Vest Divests it of Misappre-
tensions.
HOW HARRI ISON VOT e D.
The Whole Republican Party Shown
to be Rotten on Its Chinese
Record.

line WlOle hepuUIlCdu dIty SuVW II
to be Rotten on Its Chinese
Record.
On this coast at least the question of
Chinese exclusion ought to cut a figure
scarcely second to that of Tariff Reform.
In spite of a very culpable lukewarmness
in the first stages of the discussion the
Republican party in California and in
general west of the mountains, later on
developed warm interest in this policy
that is so fer as professions go. Indeed
politicians Of that party make the claim
that their people are as strongly anti
Chinese as are ours. Then comes the at
titude of their candidate for the
Presidency as to this matter.
Mr.. De Young of the Chronicle
at the time of General Harrison's nom
ination loudly proclaimed that he could
not be elected because of his record on
this question. Many and vigorous at
tempts have since been made to show
that Mr.. De Young was wrong. The
Republican press goes further, and now
sets up the claim that the party and can
didate are sounder on the Chinese mat
ter than are the Democratic party and its
candidate. Senator Vest, in his speech in!
the Senate the other day appealed to the
records on this point. His treatment of
the question is exhaustive. Here it is.
We hope every Democratic will cut this
from the Herald, carefully preserve it.
and settle absolutely the status of our
party and of the Republican party when
ever this Chinese business is called up.
The article is long, but no one will re-
gret the perusal OF its every line unless it
be a Harrison Republican.
My principal object in now addressing
the Senate is to show by the record be-
yond any doubt or question that all the
opposition to legislation intended to pre-
vent Chinese immigration has come from
the Republican party, and from distin-
guished Republicans, including their can
didate for the Presidency, Gen. Benjamin
Harrison, of Indiana.
On February "a, 1882, the Senate pro-
ceeded to the consideration of the bill "to
execute certain treaty stipulations with
the Chinese" reported favorably by the
Committee on Foreign Relations, and
which provided as as follows:
That from and after the expiration of ninety |
days next after the passage of this act, and |
until the expiration of twenty years next after |
the passage of this act the coming OF Chinese |
labOrers to the United States be, and the same |
is hereby, suspended; and during such suspen |
sion it shall not be lawful for any Chinese |
laborer to come, or, having come after the ex- |
piration of said ninety days, to remain, within
the United States.
SEC. 2. That any master Of any vessel, of
whatever nationality, who shall knowingly on
such vessels bring within the Jurisdiction OF
the United States, and permit to be landed, any
Chinese laborer from any foreign port or place.
shall be deemed guilty Of misdemeanor, and
on conviction thereof s5an sha be be punished 6y
such Chinese laborer SO brought, and may be
also imprisoned for term not exceeding one
year.
SEC. 3. That the two foregoing sections shall
not apply to Chinese laborers who were in the
United States on the 9TH day Of November,
1880.
The first amendment proposed was
that of Mr.. Grover, Democratic Sena-
tor from Oregon, on February 2S, 1882
used in this act shall be construed to mean both
skilled and unskilled laborers, and Chinese EN-
pl0yed in mining.
On March 9, 1882, this amendment Vas
adopted by the following vote
Yeas-Messrs. Beck, Bayard. Call Cameron of
Wisconsin, Cockrell. Coke, Fair, Farley, Gar
Jones of Nevada, Maxey, Miller of California,
Sorgan, Pugh. Ransom, Slater, Vance, Vest,
Voorhees,. Walker.
Twenty.three Democrats and two Re-
publicans.
Nsys-Messrs AldIich, Allison, Blair, Brown,
Conger, Davis of Illinois, Dawes, Edmunds,
Lapham, McDii, McMillen, Miller Of New
Teller.
Twenty-one Republicans and one
Democrat.
The next amendment of importance
was offered by Senator Ingalls, (Republi-
CAM providing that
From and after the expiration of ninety days
next after the passage of this act, and until the
expiration of ten years next after the passage
of this act, the coming of Chinese laborers to
the United States be, and the same is hereby
suspended
On March 8, 1882, this amendment
was rejected by the following vote:
Yeas-Messre. Aldrich, Allison, Blair, Brown,
munds, Frye Harris. Hoar. INGALLS,, Jackson,
Lapham, McDill, Mcmillan, Mitchell, Morrill,,
Saunders, sewell, Sherman, Teller.
Nineteen Republicans and four Dem
ocrats.
Nays-Messrs Bayard, Beck, Call, Cameron
ei Hse G11e Fair H Farley oaorsad
Jonas, Jones of Nevada, Mcpherson, Maxey,
Miller of California, Miller of New York, Nor
gan, Ransom, Slater, Vest. Walker.
Eighteen Democrats and five Republi-
cans.
By this vote all except five Republican
Senators declared that Chinese immigra-
ton should be permitted after ten years,
while every Democratic Senator except
four voted to prohibit such immigration
for twenty years. General Harrison was
paired with Senator Maxey, the former
being for the amendment.
The next important amendment was
proposed by Senator Hoar Republican,
as follows:
That this bill shall not apply any skilled la
bOrer who shall establish that he comes to thi
country without any contract by which his la
Dor is the property of any persan other thai
himself
Upon the adoption of this amendment
the vote was:
Yeas-Messrs. Aldrich, Allison, Brown, Con
ger, Davis of Illinois, Dawes, Edmunds, Frye
Hale, Harrison, Hoar, Ingalls,, McDill, Nc
MILAN, Malone, Mitchell, Morrill,.
Sixteen Republicans and Democratic
Nays-Messrs Bayard Beck, Call, Cockrel
Coke, Fair, Farley, George, Groome, Hsrris
Hampton, Jackson, Jonas, Jones of Nevada
Maxey, Miller of California, Miller of Ne,
York, Morgan, Plumb, Pugh, Ransom, Saur
ders, Slater, Teller, Vance, Vest, Walker.
Twenty-Five Democrats and Republ