The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-04-19
THE CHINESE BILL.
To Be Called Up for Discussion
in the Senate Today.
LIKELY TO BE MODIFIED.
The Provisions of the MOdus viyendi
Submitted to the Senate.
Naval Appropriation Bill Passed by tho
House, After Defeat of Amendments
Democrats in the House Intent
on Nots Committing the Party to
Anything.

WASHINGTON CITY, April 1s.-The Pa
cific coast senators are making ready for
bitter struggle when the Chinese restrIc-
tion bill comes before the Senate tomor-
row, and will endeavor to have the Senate
adopt the bill as it came from the House,
instead of the Senate committees substi-
tute bill. To do this they must overcome
the scruples of large number of senators.
Many Democrats are at present inclined to
the belief that the House bill is unconsti-
tutional and repugnant to the fundamental
principals of the republic. There are also
some senators who believe the busi-
ness interests of the country will be very
injuriously affected by the enactment of
the House bill, holding that execution of
the law would be followed by the exclu-
sion from China of all Americans, mainly
the representatives of American importing
firms. The advocates of the House bill,
however, contend that it is the only meas
ure now before congress that promises
real solution of the Chinese question,
and that it must be adopted by the Repub-
lican Senate under penalty of heavy loss
on the Pacific coast next November.
Senator Chandler today introduced a
number of amendments to the House bill.
This action is significant as an indication
of the extent of the belief that the House
bill will prove to be the basis of action of
the Senate, rather than the committee
substitute. In substance the amendments
provide that the coming of Chinese per-
sons INTO the United States shall suspend
for period of fifteen years, in place of ab-
solute prohibition of the House bill. They
reduce from five to two years the imprison-
ment prescribed as punishment for Chi
nese found unlawfully in the United
States, and finally strike out part of the
last section of the bill, abrogating all
treaties in conflict with it.
Senator FELTON, proposes to offer the fol-
lowing amendments to the Geary bill:
Strike out part of section s. providing that
the secretary of the treasury may make
such rules and regulations as will allow
Chinese, other than laborers or artisans,
to temporarily visit the United States;
also to strike out all of section 13 of Geary's
bill after line IL, being the provision
requiring Chinese now in the United
States to pay So for a certificate of resi-
dence, to be issued by the commissioner of
internal revenue or deputy. The senator
said:
A certificate of residence should be required,
but it would be unjust to impose q tax upon
Chinese for this purpose while our own people
are not required to pay fee for such registra-
ton. the expense is borne by the state govern
ment. As there are certain senators who will
surely take exception to this provision, he be-
lieves it will be good policy to make such q
change in it. The amendment will propose that
the money be appropriated by congress to pay
for this Chinese registration. He estimates that
there are 100000 Chinese within our borders and
that the fee for each certificate should be about
80 cents, which would require an appropriation,
therefore, of about 100000.
1t is not believed that the senators will
antagonize Geary's bill as amended by Fell
ton, solely ON account of its carrying a
small appropriation like this.
SAN Francisco, April 1S.-The United
States circuit court of appeals rendered a
decision today allowing Gee Lee, alias Lee
Hoy, a native of China, to remain in the
United States. Hoy was arrested at Port
Angeles, Wash, year ago, on his arrival
from Vancouver, B. c., on the ground that
he had no certificate of Identification, and
he was ordered remanded to China. He
set up the claim. however, that he had
been a resident of the Unitad States for
ten years and engaged for a part of that
time in business as merchant, and that
his trip to Vancouver was made for the
purpose of visiting relatives. The district
court released him, and the circuit court,
in sustaining that decision today, held
that Chinese merchant domiciled in the
United States on his return thereto after a
temporary absence therefrom is not re-
quired to produce the certificate provided
for in the act of July 5, 1854, in the case OF
u, fr+n h.
States.
LONDON, April 1s.-It may yet turn out
that Chinese diplomacy with Europe will
have an interest for the United States.
There has been an open collision between
European ministers and the Chinese for
eign office. The earlier details are chiefly
important because the Russian minister
broke away from the lead of the German
minister, who is the senior of the diplo-
matte corps, and the French minister had
orders from home to support his Russian
colleague in any line he might take, and
he did. Ultimately all the ministers had
an audience with Prince Tsung-Li-Yamen,
and handed in joint note, beginning
with the assertion that their respective
sovereigns were the equals of the
Chinese emperor. Having read this
audacious declaration, the prince presi-
dent handed it back, or. according to other
accounts. flung back the paper and broke
up the audience. The same day brought
the news that the Chinese government
had failed TO arrest Chan Hau, the author,
or one of the authors, of the outrages and
murders of the Christians last year. 1t
does not seem quite clear that they wished
to do more than go through forms in order
to silence diplomatic complaints of virtual
completely with the party which provoked
and executed the murders of foreigners.
Behind Chan-Hau and his accomplices
are the people of China. They do not
care about being converted, and they hate
the foreigner for the various concessions
he has extorted from them. 1t takes time
to do anything in China, and there is no
present question of applying military
compuision 10 the dilatory officials at Pc
king. But what is important to US is the
fact that Europe has controversy with
celestials which must be settled, and as we
also have controversy with them, both
Europe and America are more likely to
carry their points together than separ-
ately.
VioroRIA, B. c., April 1s.-iSpecial !
The steamer Empress of Japan arrived
here tonight, ten days and four hours from
Yokohama, with sevenIy-three saloon pas
sengers and $50 Chinese, 80 of whom are
for this city. The balance will no doubt
sooner or later visit the United States by
the underground passage. On the arrival
of the steamer she was ordered TO be de-
tanned twenty-four hours by the doctor, as