Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-10-11
THE GATES CLOSED.
The President Signs the Chinese
Exclusion Bill.
He Reviews the Negotiations and How the
Treaty Came to he Rejected-Rec-
concentrations as to Return
ing Cinnamon.

70 the CHINESE" approved May 6, 1882.
1t seems to me that some suggestions and
recommendations Tuay properly accompany my
approval Of this bill Its object is TO more
efectually accomplish by legislation the ex-
elusion from this country Of Chinese laborers.
The experiment OF blending the special
habits and mutual race idiosyncracfes
Of the Chinese laborIng class with
those OF the great body OF the people OF the
United States has been proved by the eXpe-
rience OF twenty years, and ever since the Bur
lingame treaty OF 1865, to be in every sense
wise, impolitc and injurious to both nations.
With the lapse Of time the necessity for its
abandonment has grown in force, until those
having in charge the government OF the re-
spective countries have resolved to modify and
sufficiently abrogate all those features OF prior
conventional arrangements which permitted
the coming OF Chinese laborers to the United
States.
in the modification OF prior conventions the
treaty OF November Il, $50, was concluded,
whereby. in the first article thereof, it was
agreed that the United States should at will,
regulbte, limit or suspend the coming OF
Chinese labOrers to the United States but not
absolutely prohibit; and under this article and
act OF Congress approved May g. 1882 (see vol.
%, p 50. statutes at large and amended July 5.
1884, (vol. %, p IL statutes at large) suspended
for ten years the coming OF Chinese laborers
TO the United States and regulated the
going and coming OF such Chinese laborers as
were at that time in the United States. twas,
however, soon made evident that the mercenary
greed Of the parties who were trading in the
labor OF that class Of the Chinese population,
was proving too strong for the just execution OF
the law, and that the virtual defeat OF the OBJ
lect and intent OF both law and treaty was being
fraudulently accomplished by false pretense
and perjury contrary to the expressed will OF
both Governments.
To such an extent has the successful violation
OF the treaty and the laws enacted for its exc
cution progressed that the courts in the Pacific
States have been for some time past over
whelmed By the examination of cases Of Chinese
laborers who are charged with having entered
our ports under fraudulent certificates OF re-
turn or seek to establish by perjury the claim Of
prior residence. Such demonstration OF the in
operative and inefficient condition of the treaty
and law has produced deep seated and increas-
ing discomfort among the people OF the United
States and especially with those resident on the
Pacific coast. This has induced me to omit no
effort TO find an efiectual remedy for the evils
mpllined Of and TO answer the earnest pop
ular demand for the absolute exclusion Of Chin
ese laborers having object and purposes unlike
our own and wholly disconnected with Amen
can citizenship.
Aided by the presence in this country of
able and intelligent diplomatic and consular
officers OF the Chinese Government and the
representations made from time to time by our
Minister in China under the instructions of the
Department of State, the actual condition OF
public sentiment and the status OF affairs in
the United States has been fully known to the
Government of China. The necessity for
remedy has been fully appreciated by that
Government, and in August, 1886. Minister
at Pekin received from the Chinese Foreign
once 4 communication announcing that
China, Of her own accord, pro-
posed to establish system OF strict and abso-
lutte prohibition of her lpborers, under heavy
penalties from coming to the United States and
likewise to prohibit the return to the United
States OF any Chinese labo-er who had at any
time gone back TO China lin order Gn the words
OF the communicatlon) that the Chinese labor
ers may gradually be reduced in number and
causes OF danger averted and lives preserved ~
This view OF the Chinese Government, so
completely in harmony with that OF the |
United States, was by my direction speedily |
formulated in treaty draft between the two
Nations, embodying the propositions so pre-
sented by the Chinese Foreign Office. The
deliberations, frequent oral discussions and
correspondence on the general questions that
Nusued have been fully communicated by me to
lne Senate at the present session and as con-
tanned in State executive document and Sen |
ate executive documents may be properly re- |
ferred 10 as coptaininT complete history OF |
the transaction. 1t is thus easy to learn how |
the joint desires and uneQuvocal mutual IN |
Outstanding OF the two Governments were |
brought into articulation form in the treaty |
Which, after q mutual exhibition OF plenary |
powers from the respective Governments as |
signed and concluded by the pleuipotentiaries |
OF the United States and China at this capitol 1
on March - last.
Being submitted for the advice and consent |
of the Senate. It's confirmation, on the 9TH day |
OF May last, was accompanied by two amend |
ments, which that body engrafted upon it, On /
the twelfth day OF the same month :he Chinese |
Minister, who was the plenipotentiary Of his
Government in the negotiation and conclusion
of the treaty, in note TO the Secretary OF State
gave his approval OF these amendments (as they
did not alter the terms of the treaty. and the
were at once telegraphed to China,
whittier the original treaty had previously
been sent Immediately after its signature on
March p
On the 18th day Of last month approved Sem
ate bill No. 3,3O4, to prohibit the coming Of Chi
nese laborers to the United States. This bill
was intended TO supplement the treaty and was
in the confident anticipation OF an
early exchange OF ratihcationS OF the treaty and
Its amendments and the proclamation OF the
same, upon which event the legislation SO ap-
proved was by its terms TO take effect.
No information OF any definite action upon
the treaty by the Chinese Government was re-
have just approved was presented to me- when
q telegram from our Minister at Pekin to the
OF State, announcing the refusal OF
The Chinese Government to exchange ratit- |
cations Of the treaty unless further discussion |
should be had with view to the period
stipulated in the treaty for the exclusion of
Chinese laborers and TO change the condi-
ions agreed on which should entitle any
Chinese lGborer who might 20 back to .
China TO return again to the United States. BY
! note from the charge d'affaires ad interim Of
China to the Secretary OF State received on | ,
he evening OF September 25 "a copy Of which | !
5 herewith transmitted together with the re-
by theretol third amendment is proposed
whereby the certificate under which any de-
PARTING Chinese laborer alleging the possession {
# property in the United States would be en- {
Ibled 10 return 10 this country should be
,ranted by the Chinese Consul, instead of by !
he United State> collector as provided IN the 6
reaty. The obvious and necessary effect of ,
his last proposition would be practically to
place the execution of the treaty beyond the
ontroi OF the United States.
Article of the treaty, proposed to be so ma
erially altered had been SO settled in acouies- '
ence OF the Chinese plenipotentiary as 70 his c
expressed satisfaction. In 1886, as appears in 7
ne documents heretofore referred to- the Chin \
Sc Foreign Once had formally proposed to our r
finister strict exclusion of Chinese laborers I
rom the United States without limitation and !,
ad otherwise and more definitely stated thar
o term whatever for exclusion was necessary l
Dr. the reason that China would of itself take q
tops to prevent its laborers from coming 10 n
ne United States. In the course of the neco- u
ations that followed suggestions from the b
anne quarter led 10 the insertion in behalf of
he United States Of "a term of thirty years
nd this term upon the representations of tie
hlnese plenipatentiary, was reduced to TWEEN 9,
: years and finally SO agreed upon !,
Article was wholly of Chinese origin and to y,
lat alone owe. its presence in the treaty. And