The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-02-01
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THE CHINESE QUESTION.

As the Chinese exclusion act expires
IN May congress will undoubtedly pro
vide for the renewal of the act or substi-
tute another law for the same purpose.
Congressman Stump, of Maryland,
chairman Of the house committee on
immigration, has prepared a bill of this
sort which will be submitted to the com
mittee. 1t has already received many
favorable comments and will probably
be introduced. The subject is n of
vast Importance to the people Of this
country and there is a general demand
from laboring people that the law should
cover all points. AS Mr.. Stump has in
vited criticism and suggestions it would
be we'll for the labor organizations Of
Helena to study the bill. At a meeting
the other evening they showed much in
terest by signing a petition asking on
gress for an exclusion act similar to the
one now in force. The salient features
of that prepared by the Maryland con
gresham provide first, that it shall be
unlawful for a period Of twenty years
after the passage Of the act for any Chi
nese laborers, whether subjects Of the
Chinese government o. any other for
eign government, including those now
here or who may hereafter leave the
country and attempt to return thereto,
and those who never have been here, or,
having been here, have departed there
from, to come within or cross the boun-
daries of the United States or land or
remain at any port or place within the
United States. One section provides
for Chinese laboreIs who come to the
United States for the purpose of transit
only, as we'll as those who come here for
any other purpose.
The term "laborer" means both the
skilled and unskilled laborer. All Chi
nese other than laborers in order to visit
the country or pass through it must OBJ
tain a proper permit from the United
States consul at the port of departure.
In form this shall be much like an ordi-
nary passport to a foreign country.
Chinese merchants in the United States
who sell $4,000 worth of goods a'year
will be allowed to visit China and return
to the United States. 1t is provided
that all persons who shall assist in
bringing Chinese into this country in
violation OF the law shall be punished.
1t will be the duty of all Chinese now
in the United States to register before
an officer of the United States within
five months after the passage of the act,
and to apply for a residence certificate
granting them permission to remain
within the United States. Persons
found thereafter %unprovided with the
certificate as required by the act will be
liable to deportation unless they can
show that by some unavoidable causes
they were unable to procure a certlfi-
cate, and That they were residents of
the United States at the time of the
passage OF the act. 1t is made unlaw-
full for common carriers to transport or
for any n to employ any Chinaman
who does not first exhibit his certificate
OF registration, as required by the act.
An important feature of the bill,
which will remove d much discussed
point in the present law, is that a China
man entering the United States by way OF
contiguous territory shall be deemed as
having come direct from China and
shall be deported there unless he car
prove that he is a citizen of such con-
tiguous territory. No state or United
States court can admit a Chinaman tc
citizenship.
AS The INDEPENDENT has severa
times observed, the difficulty lies in thu
failure of the government to enforce thu
present law. 1t is not difficult to fran.
statutes that will fill all requirements
The Helena Journal has been foolish
enough 10 assume that the law canno
be enforced. The government has an
parently never tried to do it's duty /,
the matter. II a strong force of depu
ties were placed along the northern
border OF the state there would be few
complaints Of the influx of Chiname,
into Montana.