Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-04-22
EXCLUDE OR LIMIT.
Shat Shall Be Done Relative
to All Sin?
THE QUESTION UP IN THE SENATE

Geary's Bill Not Much in Favor-Sher-
man and Butler of south Carolina i'm
Opposition - The RustIers Want the
President to Hear Them-CoIored Men
Complain of outrages in the south
Notes OF the Raum Inquiry-Claim of a
Maryland Town.
WASHINGTON, April 22-The status Of
the Chinese exclusion law was the subject
ofadebate in the senate yesterday, in which
the Geary bin which passed the house
some days ago came in for some decided
hostility on both sides of the chamber.
The Geary bill was taken up on motion of
Dolph. The bill had been amended by
the senate committee so as to continue
In force the present restriction laws for
ten years. The Geary bill was passed in
the house with a rush-without discussion
and has been denounced by many con-
gressmen as an outrageous violation of
existing treaties
Dolph Wants Early Action.
Dolph insisted upon some immediate
action on this question. He had read in
the New York papers that there were 1000
Chinese in Vancouver ready to cross into
the United States after the 9th of MAY.
and that they had engaged eminent coun-
sci TO defend their rights. He said he diff
fered from the chairman of the committee
on foreign relations (Sherman) that no
further Legislation was needed before the
9th OF May next because existing laws
continued in force until 1894 He believed
IL was absolutely necessary to at least
pass bill continuing existing laws as
ga.4
and now pending as an amendment to the
house bill.
Hoar Suggests Time Saver.
Hoar asked why was it profitable to en-
ter upon protracted discussion of the
question AT this times A simple rcsolu-
ton that the provisions of the act of lSS2
should be co tinued i'll force until some
time In 1894, it seemed to him, would re-
heve all doubt as to the construction of
existing laws, and such resolution conld
be passed in five minutes.
Mitchell-Better pass the house bill.
Hnar replied that a good deal could be
said against the house bill, and Sherman
proceeded to prove that Hoar was right by
opposing Geary's measure very vigor-
ously.
Calls 1t a Barbarous Decree
Sherman then took the floor and stated
his objections to the bill He said that a
biI which prohibited 400, 900 600 Of people
from landing on our shores for any purpose
under penalty of being sent to prison for
nVe years was little more than barbar-
Gus decree, only to be justified by circum-
stances which did not now exist The pas
sage of such an act would inevitably break
of diplomatic relations with China. and
what would become of cur commerce with
that country: We should once more he
compelled to obtain orr tea and other Chi
Dese products through British ports. and
Vancouver might soon rival San Francisco;
and what would become of the thousands
OF American citizens in Gilman
unjust, Unmanly and Un-American."
These considerations should cause sena
tors to pause little before they entered a
maelstrom, the effect of which might mass
all their comprehension. When congress
was urged to repeal u treaty the reasons
must be apparent, or the general juda&
ment OF all the nations of the world would
denounce the United States for its action
1t would be unjust, unmanly and I'M
American for us to violate and break
down our treaties with China, without
stronger reasons than we had today He
presented figures showing the result of the
exclusion law passed in 1sS2) Custom
house records showed that since its pas
Chinese from our ports than arrivals
Effect on Chinese Merchants
Hundreds of wealthy Chinese merchants.
representing firms here, have gone to
China and other countries on business un-
der faith of existing laws, having prop
erty interests here valued at hundreds Of
thousands of dollars. The Geary bill
would debar them from returning and
virtually confscate their property Much
had been said about thousands of Chinese
crossing the boundary from Canada Col
lectors Of British Columbia report for 1891,
S,215 arrivals at British Columbian ports
and 2,277 departures for China.
Butler's Personal opinion.
Wilson of Iowa strongly condemned the
Geary bill, and argued against its passage
by the senate and Butler of South Caro-
lima followed on the same side, reading the
treaty stipulations with China, which he
contended the Geary bill violated. He
added his personal opinion that the passage
of the Scott exclusion act was disgrace
to our civilization.