Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-22
FRIENDS OF CHINESE
Defend Them in Debate on the Geary
Total Exclusion Bill.
4 CALIFORNIAN'S OPEN LETTER,
In Which Attention Is Called to the Pos
sibilities Of Revenge.
DISORDER DURING DEBATE DENOUNCED

WASHINGTON, April 21.-In the tenn
porary absence of Vice President Mortol
the chair was occupied to-day by Mr. Man
derson, President pro tenn of tine Senate
Mr.. German gave notice that on Friday
May 6, he would ask the Senate to conside,
resolutions relative to the death of his lat,
colleague, Mr.. Wilson. The Senate theI
proceeded to the consideration of bills or
the calendar, passing a number, one of then
appropriating s5o4, 800 for large number
of lighthouses and other aids to navigation,
mostly on the Great Lakes. The House bill
to prohibit, absolutely, the coming of Chi
nese persons into the United States was
taken up for consideration, and Mr.. Chan.
dler moved to amend it by making the term
of exclusion Is years instead of 10 years:
Mr.. Dolph said he disagreed with Mr..
Sherman, who had expressed the opinion
yesterday that the existing exclusion act
would not expire until 1894 He quoted
certain provisions of the act of 1884 (amend-
atory of the act of 1882, and argued that
his construction of the law was the correct
one, and not MIR. Sherman's construction of
it Mr.. Dolph expressed his anxiety to
without delay. If the House wanted some
stringent measure of Chinese exclusion it
could put an amendment on the Senate bill
and let the matter 60 to conference.
The Necessity of Some Legislation.
Mr. FELTON, said he was In accord with the
Senator from Oregon as to the necessity of
some legislation on the subject He thought
it better that there should be at this time
legislation to exclude the Chinese. He ap-
preached the discussion OF the subject with
reluctance, conscious of the fact that there
existed a sentiment among worthy people
who had little or no practical knowledge on
the subject and who were opposed to the ex-
clusion of the Chinese. He would have re-
manned silent but for the fact that he rep
resented, in part, a constituency that had
suffered from the evil for a third of a cent
ury He had learned bv bitter experience
the great economical and moral objections to
the incoming of Chinese. 1t was moral,
social and economic question.
Mr.. Felton's speech was composed largely
of an Indictment against the Chinese race,
which had, he said, sovereign contempt
for Western civilization and religion. His
objection to the mere continuance of the e1-
listing law was that it really had no prac-
tical effect. Its only effect was to turn away
the incoming of Chinese from the American
line Of steamers to San Francisco to a British
line OF steamers to British Columbia The
Canadian Government received S50' head
for every Chinaman landed in that country,
and the United States Government got him
all the same. 1t was a notorious fact, he
said, that the number of Chinese in Canada
had but very slightly increased, for they
came into the United Safes whenever they
pleased
sherman's Opposition to the Bill.
Mr. Sherman opposed the House bill
When that bill went before the Committee
on Foreign Relations it had been fairly
considered, and it had been deemed best, on
the whole, instead of passing that severe
law, to postpone action upon it, and to pro- |
vide for the continuance for ten years of the |
present regulations restricting Chinese |
immigration. At that time it had been
assumed that the existing law would be |
passed on the 9TH of May, 1892 |
Atterward, and on further examination of |
the law, it was the opinion of the Com
mite on Foreign Relations that the present |
restrictions would not expire until 1894, |
and that therefore there was no special |
hurry in acting on the matter His own
opinion and advice was that the Senate
should agree to an amendment extending
the present legislation for ten years, and |
let the bill as thus amended go to confer
ence committee, where the matter might be |
fully considered, and, if additional legis-
lation should be deemed necessary, it could
be recommended by the conference COM
mittee and brought before the TWO Houses
for approval or disspprovaL
The House bill, Mr.. Sherman added, was
against the spirit of American civilization,
to all the ideas that had been
taught as to the rights belonging to every
man of every race and cline, and un-
christian.
Mr. Huntington Talks Business.
The following telegram was read by Mr..
Frye:
SAN FRANCISCO, April 16.
Hon. W. P. Frye, United States Senate, Washing
ton: |
Since my arrival here have learned what
effect the passage OF the Geary bill would
have on both Chinese and Americans |
Thousands of Chinese in transit across the
United States landing at ports. under regu-
lations made by the Secretary of the Treas
ury in January, 1883, have paid American
transportation companies. since the restric-
alone. Should that bill become q law,
this traffic would go to foreign countries via
Canada and Panama Since the passage of
the restriction act the Custom House records
show $4,000 more departures than arrivals at
this port Hundreds OF wealthy Chinese
representing firms here, have |
gone to China and other countries on bust
ness, under faith of existing laws, having |
interests here valued at hundreds |
Of thousands of dollars. The Geary bill |
would debar them from returning, ana vir- |
tually conf1scate their property.
Much has been said about thousands of |
Chinese crossing the boundary from Canada.
The collectors from British Columbia report |
or 1881, S,215 arrivals at British Columbia
ports, and 9,2U departures for China
rust that the good business sense of the |
American people, and love of fair play and |
ustice will find expression in Congress suffi-
,lently strong to defeat this wicked bill |
bur west coast possessions were obtained in | !
he first half of this century by the best and |
greatest men in our country, as much or
IS for the territory itself California has
he best climate in the world, and her soil is |
unsurpassed. So If the commerce of the
90, ,0O0, 600 people of China is not disturbed. |
t can be said that they Ithe great men who
ecured California to the Republic) builded |
'etter than they knew ,
C. P. HUNTINGTON.
An End to Diplomatic Relations.
Mr.. Sherman resumed his argument In {,
pposition to the bill 1t admitted, he I
aid, Chinese persons who were duly ac- 1
redited to the United States Government:
ut what, he asked, would Chinese diplo-
mats come to the United States for If all
ther Chinese people were to be excluded?
he passage of such bill, he said, would be
ure to break off all diplomatic relations
etween the United States and China.
What then, he asked, would become of
american commerce? The United States
-as depending on China for tea. The q
United States had q vast commerce with Z
hina, amounting to many millions year. !
this bill were passed not only would 9
hina have no diplomats and no consuls ]
ere, but the United States would have no c
relations with China The tea 7
ON China for the United States would +
len be sent through Vancouver Island. :
Mr.. Sherman denounced the bill as a vio- '
Ition of the treaty with China, and said il
lat any nation which violated a treaty un- f
uly and without cause would be regarded