The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1893-11-24
The NEW CHINESE sILl..
Tho Photograph Provision and the DeaiR-
rnaInrn nnIinnnnln,. hal.ianI.l.r.Aa


Tho Photograph Provision and the DeeiR.
ration Concerning Merchants.
The senate Of the United States on the
day before its adjournment passed the
act for the amendment Of the Geary ex-
clusion law precisely as ii came from
the house. IN view of this decision and
Of the overwhelming majority which the
measure had received Ia the house, IL
must stand as the matured expression of
the Judgment Of the representatives Of
the American people as q whole.
II Is rather noteworthy that while the
period of extension granted to the Chi
nese for registration Ia six months after
the enactment Of this new law, the time
win expire during the first week Of next
May, or almost exactly one year after
the period fixed In the original Geary
net. That year win have taught much
to our Mongolian fellow residents, and
they may be expected to avail themselves
almost to man Of the privilege now ae-
corded by congress-
The new law requires of the applicant
@ photograph, and this provision has
sometimes been stigmatized as import
ing rogues gallery methods into Its eK-
eention. This criticism 10 not sound,
Many railroads, as was pointed ont In
the house debate, in giving their most
favored customers the privilege Of what
are known as 1000 mile tickets for low.
eT price than ordinary mileage rates, re-
quiTe that upon such ticket shall be
placed not only the purchasers nama,
but his photograph, In order that no-
body else may use 1t, Most OF those
persons who had season tickets of free
admission to the Chicago fair were in
like manner obliged to attach their pho
togFaphs to the tickets, In these and
similar cases the purpose Is not humilia-
tion, but Identification, 90 that privileges
granted may not be misused by persons
who como wrongly into possession Of
them, That is exactly the case with the
Chinese, and there Is nothing else in the
requirement. Of photograph for the GER
tifeats Of protection.
Another important new feature of the
amendmant act IL that which defines the
word merchant" as used in the Geary
law, No one can question that ii is bet,
ter TO haVs o precise description Of what
Ia intended by this term than that It
should be left to eonjeetural interpreta-
tion outside Of the lawmaking power,
A merchant is now declared TO bs, for
the purpose of this act, 70 person on.
gagged ia buying and selling merchandise
Rt fixed place Of business, which bust
ness iaGgldueted IN his Hanle, and who,
during the time he claims TO be engaged
Rs q merchant, doea not engage IN the
performance of any mammal labor, ex-
cept such as is necessary in tho conduct
of bis business as such merchant" This
does not appear to be an unjust definition,
or one unduly strained for thepnrpose of
excluding persons from the status Of
merchants who are fairly entitled 10 It.
But however that may be, the words
thus used in the amended act are direct
" drawn from similar definitions, either
in preceding Chinese exclusion acts OF
ia existing treasury decisions interpret
ing those acts and establishing rules for
their execution, New York Sun.