Morning journal and courier., 1892-04-22
THE FIFTY-sRCoND CONGRESS.

| tAOH OaBc SAC OAAy SuDlCCe "cAoI l she House -No Action Taken
 Long Discussion over the Chimes l Exclusion Bfll in tho Senate-Mr
 Sherman's Argument Against 1t l Passage-A Vote on the Measur
 Objected to.
 WASHINGTON April 21.-The first speak
 CT on the Moves Rockwell contested cleo tion case to-day was MT. DeForest of Con necticut, who supported the claims of tn contestant, regretting, however, that b would be obliged to cast his vote to seat | republican and to unseat @ democrat wh, had earned the esteem of his colleague during his service on the floor. MT. Haugen of Wisconsin supported tn claims of the contestant, but very few members honored him with their atten ton.
 MT. Gillegie of Pennsylvania, who signed the minority report, spoke in favor of tn, | sitting member.
 MT. Wike of Illinois argued in favor oi
 the majority report.
 MT. Allen of Mississippi made humor ous speech. Seriously he contended that Rockwell had the better side of the case. MT. De Armand of Missouri advocated the retention in his seat of the sitting member.
 MT. Chipman of Michigan favored re committing the case for further investiga- tion. But should the vote be taken be- tween the majority and minority reports he would favor seating the contestant.
 The house adjourned.
 The house bill to prohibit absolutely the coming of Chinese persons into the United States was taken up for consideration.
 The bill having been read, MT. Chandler moved to amend it by making the term of MT. Dolph said he disagreed with MT. Sherman, who had expressed the opinion that the existing exclusion act would not expire till 1894. He quoted provisions of the act of 1884 (amendatory of the act of 1SS2), and argued that his construction of the law was the correct one.
 Mir. Mitchell questioned his colleagues construction of the act of 1884, but MT. Dolph insisted that he was right.
 MT. Hoar suggested the unproftableness of taking up time on that point when a joiut resolution could be passed in five minutes extending the act of 1882 till 1894. 4ucEo was h ROOu ucdly uc EcudEhcu, lO be said against the pending measure. and he for one wished to be heard upon the matter.
 MT. Dolph seemed to assent to MT. Hoar's proposition and expressed anxiety to have some practical legislation without delay.
 MT. Felton thought it better that there should be, at this time, legislation to ex- clude the Chinese. He read 8 speech composed largely of an indictment against the Chinese race which had, he said, 8 sovereign contempt for western civiliza- tion and religion. The existing law had no practical effect. The Chinese simply landed in Canada and then came into the United States whenever they pleased.
 MT. Sherman said the house bill, in se- verity of language, and in its prohibition of the ordinary rights of humanity, went too far. He thought the senate should agree to an amendment extending the present legislation for ten years and let the bill, as thus amended, go to a con- ference committee and if additional legis- lation should be deemed necessary it could be recommended by the conference com mittee. The house bill, he added, was against the spirit of American civilization, contrary to all the ideas that had been taught as to the rights belonging to every man of every race and cline and unchris- tian. MT. Mitchell remarked that there were 10000 more of Chinese in the United States than in 1880.
 With Mr. Sherman's consent MT. Frye read the following sent to him from San Francisco by c. P. Huntington:
 s'Since my arrival here have learned what effect the passage of the Geary bill would have on both Chinese and Ameri- cans. Thousands of Chinese in transit across the United States landing at ports under regulations made by the secreta, y of the treasury in January, 1883, have paid American transportation companies over $350, ,000 for transportation alone. Should that bill become law this traffic would go to foreign companies via Canada and Panama. Since the passage of the restriction act the custom house records show 32,000 more departures wealthy Chinese merchants, representing firms here, have gone to China and other countries on business under faith of eX- isting laws, having property interests here valued at hundreds of thousands of dol lars. The Geary bill would debar them from returning and virtually confscste their property. Much has been said about thousands of Chinese crossing the boundary. The collectors for British Columbia reported for 1891, 3.275 arrivals at British Columbia ports and 2.277 de- partures for China. I trust that the good business sense of the American people and love of fair play and justice will find expression in congress sufficiently strong to defeat this wicked bill. Our west coast possessions were ob tained in the first half of this century by the best and greatest men in our country as much or more to secure the commerce of the orient as for the territory itself California has the best climate in the world and her soil is unsurpassed. So if the commerce of the four hundred million peo- pie of China is not disturbed it can be said that they (the great men who secured Cali fornia to the republic) builded better than they knew"
 Mr. Sherman resumed his argument. The United States, he said, had vast commerce with China, amounting to many millions year. If this bill were passed consuls here and the United States would have no commercial relations with China. The city of Vancouver would soon, under this draconian system, rival San Francisco in commerce and trade. If this bill be- came law Americans residing in China would have to leave that country. If the United States were ex- cluded from commercial relation with China the commerce of that empire would go to fill the coffers of European nations Mir. Sherman denounced the bill as a violation of the treaty with China. The commercial rivals of the United States, he said, would be glad to have the measure enacted into law.
 MT. Hale inquired as to the present diplomatic relations with China.
 MT. sherman did not know of any dis turbance of them.
 Hr. Hale put his inquiry in another form-his evident object being to draw out some expression of opinion as to MT. Blair's status.
 MT. Sherman simply replied that the United States had an ambassador (Mr. Denby) in China.
 Mr. Hoar asked him whether the pres ent diplomatic relations with China were as complete and cordial as with other coun. tries.
 F Mir. Sherman-Undoubtedl I have never heard anything to the contrary. He then declared the bill was 80 wrong that il was incapable of being amended. It would | only stir up ill feeling and probably lead to the breaking up of diplomatic relations with China.
 MT. Wilson argued against the house bill and contrasted it with bill passed by con | gress in 1868 declaring repatriation the in herent right of all people. The day after the approval of that act, he said, treaty was signed between the United States and l China declaring the same principle. MT. Butler said the substitute wal