Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-24
A CHINESE PROBLEM
That Has Found No Solution
in the Senate, Though
There Has Been
AN UNUSUAL EFFORT MADE
A Vote Is to Be Reached on the Sub
ject No Later Than To-Morrow.
SENTIMENTAL SMASH on DECK.
China the Greater Gamer Under the Law
as It Now Stands
SOME SHOP MANNERS IN CONGRESS
AN UNUSUAL EFFORT MADE
SENTIMENTAL SMASH on DECK.
China the Greater Gamer Under the Law
as II Now Stands.
SOME SHOP MANNERS IN CONGRESS
ESPECIAL TELEGRAPHIC LETTER.
BUREAU OF THE DISPATCH,
~ AsE1NErON ID q n,.il

BUREAU OF THE DISPATCH,
WASHINGTON, D. c.. April %.
How to deal with the Chinese question
broadly and vet without injury to the Re
publican PARTY on the Pacific coast or else
where, is a problem that has not yet found
a solution in the Senate, though the Re
publicans Of that body have been trying tc
reach a conclusion for several days. Whether
taken upon the pending bill and amend
ments on Monday afternoon.
1t NAV be safely said that the Geary bill,
which passed the House with hurrah, will
not pass the Senate. Some method will be
found TO apparently restrict Chinese inn
migration and vet to avoid the possibility
of rupture of Diplomatic and commercial
relations with China
If Mr. Geary or his Democratic friends
in the House hoped to make any party cap.
ital out OF this prohibition bill, which they
could not have expected TO pass the Senate,
they Will probably be disappointed. Op-
position 10 anv measure which would be q
direct violation of the treaty now supposed
to be in operation between the United
States and China is not confined to Repub-
licar Senators, and the most earnest sup
porters in the Senate of the Gearv bill are
the Republican Senators of the Pacific
coast.
mother Scott Law tho Probability.
Senator Butler, day or two ago, and
Senator Morgan to-day, both of the Com
mittee on Foreign Relations, earnestly op-
posed any such rigid measures as the Geary
bill. The best legal minds of the Senate
are of the opinion that the Scott law would
remain operative for two years more, but as
there is a dispute on this point, doubtless a
bill similar to that law will be passed as
the simplest and quickest way of setting
the matter at rest.
The opposition TO the Geary bill is curious
TO contemplate. Every Senator in whose
State there are American citizens who are
Immediately affected by ''Chinese cheap
labor" is an earnest advocate of the bill
Senator'S whose constituents are not SO
nearly affected place the mere sentiment of
friendly relations with China superior to
the wishes and welfare of American work
inCmen. Senators Sherman, Morgan, But
lCr, ard the rest, know very well that if
thew represented California or Oregon, in
stead Of Ohio. South Carolina or Alabama
they would now be making eloquent pleas
for the Geary bill instead of war against it
Tho snobbshness of a Committee.
Members of the Senate Committee on
Foreign Relations are more sensitive to the
social feeling and atmosphere of the capital
than any other. They are absolutely snob-
bish in their desire to court the favor of
foreign Ministers, especially those wearing
that absurd insignia, a "title." They will
60 to any length to maintain the dignity
OF the Senate" when any question bearing
on foreign affairs is at stake. 1t was they
vino viciously did what they could to ruin
the unstained reputation of the late Chief
Executive Clerk Young, because secrets of
the executive session touching diplomatic
correspondence were diyulged by an un-
known somebody.
Now, because the principle of inter-
national comfy, which is struck at by the
Geary bill, is condemned in the foreign
diplomatic circle, this tuft-hunting, dining,
and wining and toasting Committee on For
eign Relations of the United States Senate
ignores the whole question of the interests
OF American workingmen and women, and
refuses to accept a bill which will absolute
" shut out the cheap laborers Of China, on
account of a sentiment against the violation
or abrogation of treaties, though they know
very well, from thousand precedents and
authorities, that treaties are made with the
understanding that they are to be termi-
mated at the will of either of the contract
ing parties
Sentim ntal swash las Full Sway.
Speakers in favor of rigid restriction
have shown that the Chinese work for about
oue-third Of the wages that are recognized
as Ust and decent for the American work
men; that they live on food upon which the
American workman would starve; that they
come here simply to earn what will be in
China a fortune, and to then return to their
own land; that their habits are loathsome,
their presence corrupting. Yet, with Sher-
man and Butler and the rest, all this is out
weighed by job-iot of sentimental swash
about amicable relations and honorable ad-
herence TO treaty contract.
Away down in the bottom of the social
well, where the truth of this question re-
poses, there is found another reason. The
men who appear to desire to look broadly at
this matter are really at heart opposed to any
restriction of the immigrants who come from
foreign parts to cut under and lower the
wages OF American men and women. They
were forced by the power of organized labor
to enact the present restriction laws but
having once enacted them they have
Joined In a conspiracy to make
them imperative. The agents of every
department of the Government
who have had anything to do with the en-
forcement Of the law against the imports
tion of labor under contract have. under in
structions, L have reason to believe, con-
spired to make the law imperative, in
etfec.ual and ridiculous. Every immigrant
restriction law has been constructed with a
loophole in 1t through which the most
detestable element of the world could crawl
into America, and it now seems that the
Senate is bent upon erecting new barrier
which has proved to be too weak to shut out
the very worst of these bad elements.
No Use in Mincins Matters.
If the purpose is to shut out the Chinese.
there is no use in mincing matters. The |
law already in operation was intended to be |
prohibitive Of the Chinese laboring element.
ii il be not really so, one which is so abso- |
lutely could hardly be more destructive of
treaties and friendships than the one in
tended to be so. In the light of the simple |
the arguments of the opponents
Of the Geary bill must appear decidedly in !,
sincere.
Senators supporting a heroic measure
have PLAINLY proved tnat there is no danger |
Of retaliation on the part Of China The |
Government OF that country does not wish |
10 encourage the emigration of its subjects |
Wealthy employers of labor there are ac-
tuated by precisely the same motives as are |
wealthy employers of labor in America |
The more workmen the lower the wages to |
be paid by the employer. A numerous idle |
lass can always be used to hold in check !
md take the place of the employed class {
y hen the latter attempt to force wages up 4
ward.
China the Greater Gamer.
Again, the trade of America is of vastly
more value to China than that Of China is to