St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-05-17
It Is Put There by the Deeis-
ion on the Geary
Law.
Six Million Dollars Required
to Carry Out the Laws
Provisions.
Only $4,000 Of the Appropri-
alton Available for That
Purpose.
Chinese Six Companies Dis
play Their Nerve in a
Request.

WASHINGTON, May 16.-The Chinese
question occupied the entire attention
of the cabinet at its meeting today. Be-
fore the cabinet meeting Chief Justice
Fuller, who dissented from the decision
OF the supreme court, called at the
White house, and had brief talk with
the president. Subsequently the chief
had an interview with Secretary Gresh-
am. 1t is understood that the con-
clusion reached by the cabinet was that
the law could not be enforced for the
reason that there was no money availa-
bic for the purpose. The act only car
ries an appropriation of 100000. Sec
rotary Carlisle showed that not more
than $4,000 of that sum remained, 1t
was estimated that it would cost to de-
port all the Chinese now in the country
who have not complied with the law
more than $6,000,000. This statement
exhibited what one member of the cab
met called the utter inability Of the
government to give any effect to the
Under the circumstances, ii was under
stood that nothing could be done, and it
is said there is little, il any, probability
of the federal government making any
immediate effort to put the law into
effect.
The Situation Perplexing.
1t is evident that the administration
h,y-f thot
the situation is very perpieXing. With
the constitutionality of the law settled
it IS embarrassing not to be able to en-
force it, but in the absence of the
money for the expense of deporting the
Chinese there seems to be nothing that
can be done. If the Chinese would
simply accept the situation and comply
with the law, it would simplify matters,
but the impression is that most of them
will not do this, but will resist as long
| as possible. AS to the expense of Gu
forcing the law. it is not by any means
| sure that if congress were in session the
| money would be appropriated.
| The effects of the Chinese decision
are far-reaching, and involve, according
| to the view of many diplomats and
naval officers, the severance or our dip
| lomatic and commercial relations with
| the Chinese empire. They are firm in
the belief that the celestials will retail
1 ate in kind against the United States in
| the event that the unregistered Chinese
| are driven Unfortunately out of this
country. This is an extreme view of
| the situation, but that it is not regarded
| altogether as an improbability, is evil
4 denced by the fact that the naval Off
| afatc n
| connection with the reorganization of
the American squadron in Chinese
\ waters.
The Original Plan
| was to substitute the steel cruiser Balti-
the flagship of the station. 1t is now
thought that it may be necessary to en-
| large the fleet and to substitute two or
| more modern ships for those now in
| Chinese waters. The consideration of
this question Is delaying the settlement
Of the question of the assignment to
stations of the vessels now composing
| the naval review fleet. On the other
hand at the state department rumorS
and Surmises of Chinese retaliation are
not given credence to. Not even an
intimatien bearing on the report that
| the Chinese government intends 10
deport American missionaries and all
other citizens of this country has come
A to the ears of the department officials.
The impression is quite general that
the administration will have to allow
the present orders to collectors not to
make arrests to stand. The final Solu-
ton of the problem would seem to de-
| vOlve on congress, and until that body
assemblies it does not appear that the
law can be enforced.
/ Secretary Carlisle received many tele
| grams today asking for suspension of
the law for at least six months. Tie
best opinion obtainable on this subject
in the treasury department is that the
law is explicit on this point, having set
the 5th of May as the last day upon
which registration could be made, and,
consequently, it is beyond the power Of
even the president to extend this limit.
Among the kilograms received by Sec
| rotary Carlisle was one from the attOr
| neys of the Chinese "SiX Companies"
who also
Ask for a Suspension
of the law. Treasury officials acquainted
with the record of the six companies
during the past three or four years re-
| gard this request, coming from them, as
| rather surprising in cool assurance.
| These officials assert that OF the 10000
| Chinese now in the United States, prob
| ably one-third have come into this coun-
| try Illegally; that the Six Companies
have persistently encouraged the viola
ton of the law by furnishing transpor-
tation from China to this country to
Cinnamon: supplying them with fraud
ulent certificates on their arrival and
taking collateral from them when they
landed in the United States for moneys
for passage. In fact the Six Companies,
it is asserted, have practically mort
cages upon the labor of thousands of
Chinese for years to come. and if they
be now deported in accordance with the
decision of the supreme court the Sig
Companies will lose hundreds of thou
sands of dollars advanced by them to
| Chinese immigrants.
Secretary Gresham was seen this
morning, but he declined to discuss the
matter, stating that there was nothing
new and nothing to talk about. No
action concerning the exclusion law
from a diplomatic standpoint has yet
been taken by the state department.
The Chinese minister in Washington
has not communicated with the depart
ment relative to the enforcement of the
law. At the legation it was stated that
there was absolutely nothing to give out
in regard to the matter, and would not
be until the home government had been
heard from.