The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-06-06
Selling Certificates in
Hong-kong.
ONE TRICK THAT is VAIN.
The Chinese Are Not All That
Washington Official Fancy
Painted Them.
Special to THE MORNING CALL

WASHINGTON, June Sat the Treas
ury Department for some time it has been
believed that the Chinese were using affi-
davts Of Authorization for illegitimate
purposes. Some taken out here were sent
abroad and sold to Cinnamon. and in
other cases the Cinnamon w0lld dispose of
them after reaching China; while in both
instances the law was violated. Under the
law Chinese merchants who desire to
leave this country to visit China have
heretofore been furnished with papers
which. when indorsed by the United
States Consul at the port of debarkation.
entitle them to re-snter the United States.
Acting Secretary Hamlin thinks this abuse
should be stopped, and has addressed the
Collector at Boston the following letter on
the subject:
Under date of April 10 last the United
States Consul at Hong-Kopg transmitted
to the Department Of State affidavits SUBJ
mitted to him for authorization, and
which appeared to have been issued at
your port on September 5. 1892 and Feb
ruary 4, 1893. over the signature of Deputy
Collector ]. L. Swift TO Yee Sing and Yee
Mot Zip respectively. alleged to be Chi
nese persons residing in Boston, who left
the United States with the intention of re-
turning thereto.
The Consul declined to indorse said
documents for the reason that it was evi-
dent that the persons presenting the same
had never been in the United States, as
was shown by their inability to answer
any questions relative TO this country, not
withstanding that tho affidavIts stated
that they had resided here for a number of
years. 1t is evident the persons present
ing affidavts were not those to whom they
were issued at Boston, and In view of the
misuse of papers thus prepared in the
United States The department is of the
opinion that it Is not advisable for Col
lectors of Customs or their deputies to GER
tify the same, and you are requested to
give the necessary Instructions to discon-
tinue the practice at your port"
The State Department will probably not
interfere in the case of the steamship Dan
ube. at Portland, Or. where the captain
appealed 10 the British legation for re-
lief from the order of court which required
him to bring $50 Chinese passengers before
the court to answer writS of haheas cor
pus. The captain was willing the Chinese
should answer. but feared TO assume the
heavy responsibility of preventing the es-
cape of the Cinnamon when once ashore.
Sir Julian Pauncefote, the British En-
bassador. was at the State Department to-
day, probably TO present the case to Sec
retary Gresham. 1t is believed at the de-
partment that there can be no difficulty in
complying technically with the order of
court while avoiding the possibility of the
escape of the Chinese. This could oe done
f-the marshal served his writs on board
the vessel and left deputy on board in
charge of the Chinese until the court had
passed upon the cases.
NEW YORK, June 5.-The Times saws:
1t is possible the entire Senate committee
on immigration, of which Senator Hill is
chairman, may take a transcontinen m tai
trip this summer.
Senator Squire has urged that an exam
ination of the Chinese question be made,
and that at least subcommittee be sent
to the coast to ascertain the condition of
the Chinese In California. and, possibly,
Oregon and Washington. Some members
of the committee favor going n body to
San Francisco and attempting to find out
by personal inspection what sort of citi-
zens the Cinnamon make.