Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-08-11
PARTISAN TACTICS AND THE CHINESE
BILL.

PARTISAN TACTICS AND THE CHINESE
BILL.
The Democrats in the House of Repre-
sentatives have put another club into the
hands of the Republicans which they will
not be slow to use. A Democratic Chair
man of House Committee choked to
death the most restrictive Restriction Act
ever prepared by the Senate-that which
General Harrison supported, reported and
voted for in the United States Senate.
The plea then was that the bill was too
severe, and that the proposition for new
treaty with China was being favorably re-
ceived. The Senate of the United States
has again prepared necessary Chinese
Exclusion Act, to make effective the
new treaty the instant it is ratified;
precisely such a bill as General Harrison,
if still in the Senate, would have voted
for; just such bill as the California dele
CATION in the House asked for and labored
to obtain. No sooner does it receive the
sanction of the Senate, where there is a
decisive Republican majority, than it is
sent to the House and a California Repub-
lican Representative, asking for its con-
sideration, is met by Democratic "obiec-
ton" Unanimous consent was necessary
and hence the objection sent the bill to
the deep recesses of committee green
bag. On the occasion referred to-Thurs-
day-Mr. Morrow, addressing the House
in behalf of the people of California
and not merely as a Republican, said:
Mr.. Speaker, 1 ask that the bill be taken up
and considered at this time. The bill has been
reported by the Senate Committee on Foreign
Affairs unanimously and has passed the Senate
unanimously. The same bill identically has
been considered by the House Committee on
Foreign Affairs ana has been reported by that
committee unanimously and is now ON our cal
endar. IL is exceedingly important that the
bill should be considered at once and that if
1t is to pass it should become law as soon as
possible. We have negotiated new treaty with
China. That treaty has been amended by the
Senate of the United States and has been sent
to China that the amendments may be ap-
proved by that country. 1t is likely to arrive
here in very few days. By the terms of the
treaty 1t goes into effect upon its ratification
AS this new treaty will abrogate the existing
vide the machinery to carry it into effect upon
its ratification, in order that there may be no
hitch between the old law and the new one
The bill provides for executing the provisions
OF this treaty. The treaty itself is Somewhat
comprehensive. 1t goes somewhat into details
as to what shall be done respecting the prohi-
bition of immigration of Chinese into this
country. 1t provides a method of Identification
of those that shall depart from the United
States. The method of Identification, it is
claimed will be more effective than the exist
ing one and will amount to something in the
way OF preventing the coming in of those who
are not entitled to come The present law
and the present treaty, by reeson of inherent
defects, do not prevent Chinese immigration
On the contrary, the Chinese are now coming
to the Pacific coast. and particularly to San
Francisco, in greater numbers than thew came
before the existence of the present law or the
present treaty. MIR. Speaker, this is an import
ant measure. The people of the Pacific coast
ask, aye, they demand, that Congress shall re-
lieve them of the difficulties that they now en-
counter by reason of previous ineffective meas
u1es on the part of the iaw-making power under
the treaty now i'll existence 1 ask therefore
the immediate consideration of the bill.
This plea, simple, accurate, to the point,
not partisan, ought to have secured the
grant of its petition. The appeal was
made to House dominated by Democrats
who have necessarily iterated that they
are the only simon pure and original anti
Chinese champions, and the very princes
of restrictive Legislators. Yet an Arkan-
sas Democratic Representative objected"
because the Chairman of the Committee
on Foreign Affairs-the same who throttled
and buried in his committee the restriction
bill reported and voted for by General
Harrison-was absent. Two Kentucky
Democratic Representatives also objected
for like reason, though Mr.. Morrow
pointed out how deeply interested the peo-
pie of the Pacific coast are in the meas
ure, and how pressing is the need for its
immediate passage. Then a Mississippi
Democrat joined the objectors, and lastly
an Illinois Democrat. And so the bill was
put aside and put in peril of not being
reached again at this session of Congress.
The defense is made that the members
desired to read the bill. But it had been
upon their desks for many days, from the
hour indeed when sent to print by the
Senate, and they perfectly well understood
its provisions. A defense to the action of
the objectors is also advanced, that if it
went to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
it could be speedily reported back and
have special privilege in being presented
to the House. But that..committee is Off
cered as was the committee that suf-
focated the Harrison anti-Chinese
bill, and besides it was shown that
identically the same bill-as it was intro
duced in both Houses simultaneously
been before that committee and been favor
ably reported and was then upon the
House calendar. Probably the true reason
for this Democratic sensitiyeness about
! formality is in the jealous desire to have
Democratic Representative call up the
bill in the hope thereby to gain some little
campaign advantage for the party. In
these matters partisanship should cut no
figure and measures should be passed when
I they can, which like that referred to, is
free from objection and is approved by all.
The whole procedure shows how ready
party men are to put public interests in
jeopardy to secure partisan advantage.
THE Board of Supervisors of Sacramento
county has, by unanimous vote, directed
the County Clerk to prepare, have printed
and distributed, precinct registers, as is