Omaha daily bee., 1889-08-19
ptspIEAsEp CALIFORNIA.


weeks have passed since ruling was
made by the authorities at Washington
that Chinese residents in the West
Indies could pass through the United
States on their way to their native
land, and ever since the decision was
announced the California press has
been dencuncing tas an erroneous con-
struction OF the Scott exclusion act,
and threatening disastrous conse-
quences TO the republican party Of the
Pacific coast II it is allowed to stand.
An appeal was made by certain
parties engaged in transportation to the
secretary of the treasury for permission
to convey Chinese going to China from
the West Indies through the United
States, and after very careful study of
the exclusion act by the attorney gem
erat. he decided that it contained moth
ing to prevent this being done. Upon
this decision the secretary OF the treas
ury notified the parties who had APP
pealed to him that they could carry
Chinese travellers through this country,
conditioned upon their giving bond,
as they proposed TO do, that such pas
sengers should not be allowed to land in
the country for the purpose of re-
naming. This, in the view of the
California papers-and it may be re-
marked that upon this subject they all
agree, regardless of political predilec-
tions-was distinctly hostile to the
spirit and intent OF the exclusion act.
They claim that the act plainly dis
tinguishes between traveller or tour
ist and a laborer, the coming into the
country of the latter being prohibited
without qualification, while Chinese
tourists may come upon proof that they
are tourists or travellers. A tourist has a
right under the law to travel Where he
may please. If he is a tourist the de-
partment cannot lawfully restrict
his right; if he is not a tourist,
but laborer who wants to
get into the United States, he has no
right under the law to enter. Admit
ting Chinese laborers as tourists and
attempting to restrain them after ad-
| mission is an exercise of power for
which no law can be found.
So argue the California newspapers,
and they hold also that if the policy Of
allowing Chinese to enter freely at any
port of the United States for transporta-
tion across its territory the inevitable
result must be that many Of them will
get away and remain in this country.
Nothing is more easy than to raise
a ntNnr
while it certainly is probable that
transportation companies might not
always be able to prevent the escape of
Chinese travellers across the United
States, obviously the danger OF any con-
siderable accession to our Chinese pop
ulation from this source could never be
great. Besides, If American vessels
and railroads were not allowed to get
this traffic it would 60 to British vessels
| and Canadian roads, and there being no
conditions imposed upon those roads
| requiring them to prevent the landing
| OF Chinese travellers along their route
they could land freely in Canada and
easily find their way, as many have done,
| into the United States. American trans
| portation lines would lose the benefits
OF this travel without the country being
| any better protected, if so we'll, against
an addition to its Chinese population.
1t seems evident that the adoption of
the exclusion act has not settled, as it
was hoped it would, the Chinese ques-
tion, and very likely the next congress
will be called upon to give construc-
tion to that act, so far as the matter of
transit is concerned, and perhaps to
make its terms SO plain that any mis-
take regarding the intent of the
act will be impossible. Undoubtedly
California will ask this, sup
| ported by other portions Of the
Pacific coast. But it is possible that
there may be developed a considerable
sentiment in other parts of the country
favorable TO more considerate and lib
eral policy toward China. The Ameri-
| can minister to that country has sup
| plied some very valuable statistics show
| ing the extent of it's foreign commerce,
| which last year amounted to about two
hundred and fifty million dollars. A
| very small portion of this is enjoyed by
! the United States, and our commerce
| with China is likely to be reduced by a
continuance of the policy we have pur-
| sued toward that country. On this ac-
count other interests than those of Cali
fornia may demand to be heard.