Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-05-18

privileges and immunities accorded to
the subjects of the most favored nation.
But while breach of national faith.
the act is not a violation of the consti-
tuition The power of congress to enact
legislation which annuls or violates a
treaty is fully conceded.
But there are features of the law
which seem to be foreign to American
ideas of government, if they are not in
violation Of fundamental provisions
OF the constitution. One of these prin-
ciples is that every person is presumed
to be innocent until proved to be
guilty.
Tie Geary law holds a Chinaman
guilty until he proves his innocence.
Trial by jury is cardinal right. 1t
is denied to every Chinaman in the
country by the Geary law. The right
to give bail is recognized except in cap
ita1 cases. That right is denied arriving
Chinese by this act. Under the statute
Chinese cannot establish their innocence
without the testimony of white wit
nesses.
NEWS III OuluaIOWn.
San Francisco, Cal, May 15.-The
news that the United States supreme
court had confirmed the constitutionality
Of the Chinese exclusion act was re-
celved with great interest. Chinese
stood about in large groups before their
own bulletin boards for some statement
from the six Companies" which COM
PEELED them to refuse to register. They
were not inclined to receive the report
through the American newspapers.
During the first hour there was no
outward excitement among them, but
it was evident that the news was dis
tasteful and unexpected.
Chinese Vice-Consul Chong OWang
was seen by q representative of the
Associated Press, to whom he said:
you are the first to bring me this bad
news. [ have nothing to say in regard
to the Immediate effect the final decision
Of the supreme court will have on the
Chinese in America. 1t will be a great
blow to business in Chinatown. AS to
what the Chinese government may do
in the matter I have still less to say
The treaty between China and America
has been broken by the government at
Washington and is no longer a contract,
and will not be regarded by the Chinese
government as a factor in governing
any action they may see fit to take.
During the noon hour crowds of
whites were attracted to the vicinity
of the stock exchange by the appearance
OF DIR. O'Donnel and Dennis Kearney,
local anti-Chinese agitators, who urged
their hearers to hold mass meetings
approving the decision. The crowd list
ened to the speakers, but displayed little
interest in what they had to say.
News from interior points where
N'neSe colonies exist, as at Sacramento.
Fresno, Los Angeles and San Diego,
show that the Chinese are taking keen
interest in the next move which might
be made, but the decision was other
wise quietly received.
Collector of Internal Revenue Quinn
said the decision did not surprise him.
He would take no action, however,
until he received further advices from
the treasury department, as he was
notified some time ago not to make
any arrests until ordered
A number of prominent Chinese mer-
chants were seen this evening and
expressed great regret at the decision
of the court, saying it meant a terrible
set back for their business interests.
Chong Chan said he estimated it would
mean q loss to Chinese merchants of
over $5O,0OO,0OO They look, he said
for a modification of the law
Dispatches from Portland, Ore, and
many points in this state say the Chi
nese, as a rule, received the news quiet
ly and declined to talk until they had
advices from the ''Six Companies"
White people throughout the state
generally received the news with ap-
prevail the exceptions being some east
erners and a few clergymen.
Will Retaliate.
New York, May 15.-Government of
ficialS here declare that if they are
ordered to arrest all Cinnamon who
are not registered under the Geary act
it will take a small army to gather
them in.
Travellers recently arrived from China
say that if the United States govern
ment enforceS the law the Chinese
will retaliate by deporting all Ameri-
cans in China.