The morning call., 1893-06-08
ONE MORE LEAK.
Now the Chinese Cannot
Be Stopped.
ALL WILL BE MERCHANTS.
This Administration Seems Endowed
With rliracuIous Faculty for Aid
ing Coolie w-Breakers.
Special to THE MORNING CALL.

WASHINGTON, June IA problem
which has been giving more or less trou BILE
to Government officials was decided to-
day. It relates to the issuance of Chinese
certificates of identity. and has been the
subject of considerable correspondence
between the State Department and the
treasury branch of the service.
Some time since Secretary Carlisle re-
ceived a communication from the Collector
at San Fran cisco, stating that he was in
formed by the Consul at Hong Kong that
he, the Consul, was unable to ascertain
that the Chinese Government has given
any authority to any of its officers to issue
certificates to merchants and other Chinese
persons of the exempt class under the
sixth section of the Chinese exclusion act,
which permits such persons to come into
the United States provided they are fur
nished with certificates by their Govern
ment OF their right TO enter this country,
their title or official rank, age, type,
physical peculiarity. former and present
occupation or profession and place of
residence in China, and that the person TO
whom such certificate is issued Is entitled,
in'conformity with tire treaty, TO come into
the United States. Upon receipt of this
information Secretary Carlisle wrote to
the State Department detailing the facts
set forth and requested that steps be
taken at once to ascertain definitely and
accurately what is the nature of the in
slructiOns Of the Imperial Government of
China TO its consular off ers and also
whether any action has been taken by
that Government with res pect to the issu-
ance of certificates to persons of the
exempt class Dy officers in China.
Secretary Gresham replied to-day with
an Enclosure from the Chinese Minister
at Washington, in which the Minister
S ates that customs officers are authorized
to issue certificates of identity to Chi
nese persons other than laborers who de-
sire to come to the United States. and that
all Chinese ConsulS in foreign countries
are authorized to issue such certificates of
identity
The Treasury Department is bound to
respect the statement OF the Chinese
Minister and the certificates will be ac-
cepted.
o. II. Simons. United States Consul at
Hong Kong, China, has informed the
State Department that he believes. as
result Of investigations made, from 500 to
1000 fraudulent nOtarial certificates have
lf distributed TO intending Chinese i'm
nf1lsnsss each month for the past three or
four months. Consul Simons refused to
certify two certificates, as the persons
presenting them, while ostensibly having
been in the United States, a their certifi-
Gates showed. could not give any account
of the country, and in fact declared that
sedan chairs were the only means of
travelling in America"
Consul Simons stated. that the most OF
these Chinese with fraudulent certificates
reach America by steamers that land at
: Vancouver. B. C. Treasury officials con-
tend that nearly all the Chinese landed
there ultimately reach the United States,
coming over the border at night
Instructions Will be sent to all Collectors
OF Customs calling attention to these
fraudulent certificates in circulation and
containing caution against receiving
them.