The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-17
Unregistered Chinese Will. Stay in This
Country for a Few Months at Least.
Uncle Sam Placed in a Psrplexine Situation
by the Failure of Congress to Provide Funds
10 Carry Out the 6eary Exclusion Act.
Cabinet Decides that the Law and the
Court Decision Cannot Be Enforced.
Retaliation Feared ty Naval officers and Mis-
s.ouaries-CuIrages on Americans Predict
ed by Persons Who Have Lived in China.
CANNOT BE CARRIED OUT.

CANNOT BE CARRIED OUT.
The Cabinet Decides the Gesry Act Cannos
Be Enforced for Lack of Money.
WASHINGTON. May 16.-The Chinese ques-
ton occupied the entire attention of the
Cabinet at it's meeting to-day. Before 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. Suisse
quently the Chief Justice had an inter-
view with Secretary Gresham. lt Is un-
derstood that the conclusion reached by
the Cabinet was that the law could not be
enforced for the lack of money available
for that purpose. The act only carries an
appropriation S100.000 Secretary Carlisle
showed that not more than $4,000 of
that sum remained. 1t was estimated that
1t would cost to deport all Cinnamon now
in the country who have not complied with
the law, more than Sc COO. GOO. This state
ment exhibited what one member of the
Cabinet called the utter inability of the
government to give any effect 20 the law
without further action by Congress. Under
the circumstances, it was understood that
nothing could be done, and 1t is said that
there is little IL any probability of the fed
eral government making any immediate
effort to put the law in effect. One
prominent member of the Cabinet,
who is regarded as q man of great
force and strength of character,
made the broad assertion. after the
session was over, that the law was nothing
short Of o political scheme. enaoted for
political effect. He said. in fact. some
thing about "%demsgogy." and he intl-
mated that there had been q general hope
among his associates that the court would
have held 1t to be unconstitutional.
1t is ssumed that in she ordinary course
of diplomatic usage q copy of tho decision
OK the Supreme Court. as soon as tho ma
jority of members of the court have deter
mined upon its exact phraseology. will be
transmitted to the Chinese minister. to be
by hun for warded to his government. This
will necessarily involve considerable de-
lay. and Congress- will probably be again
In session before a reply can be made to
this communication.
1t in evident that the administration was
surprised by the decision. and that the
situation is very Derplexing. With the
constitutionality of the law settled 1t is
en- barrasslng not TO he able TO enforce IL,
but IN the absence of the money for the ex-
penses of depOrtiDR the Chinese there seems
TO be nothing that can be done. Ii the
Chinese would simply accept the situation
and comply with the law 1T 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 ex pense OF en-
forcing the law 1t is not by any means sure
that if Congress were IN session the money
would be appropriated.
ITS EFFECT WILL BE FAR
The effects of the Chinese decision are
far reaching and involve, according TO the
vie VS. of many iplomates and Dava officers.
the severance of our diplomatic and COM
mercial relations with the Chinese. empire.
They are firm in the belief that the Chinese
Will retaliate in kind against the United
States. in the event that unregistered
Chinese are driven unfortunately out of
this country. This is an extreme view of
the situation. but that it is not regard
ed altogether as an i~mprobsbiil-
Nv is evidenced by the tact that
naval officials are considering the question
In connection with the reorgauiZatlon OF
the Am erican squadron N Chinese waters.
Tie original plan was TO substitute the
steel cruiser Baltimore for the wooden ship
Lancaster as the iagship or the station. lie
Is now thought thas it may be necessary
to enlarge tho fleet and to substitute two
or more modern ships Tor those now In Chi
nese waters. The consideration of this
question is delaying the settlement of the
question of the assignment tn stations OF
the vessels now CON posing the naval re-
view feet.
On the other hand. ct the State Depart
ment rumors and surmises of Chinese re-
tsiiatiOn are not given credence. Not even
an intimati0n bearing on the report that
the Chinese government lntends to depOrt
| American missionaries and all other clti-
zens of this country has come to the ears of
the department. officials. Mr. w. w. Rock
hill, chief clerk of the State Department.
who has correspondents in the Chinese
diplomatic service. and also a Der of
| American friends in that country, Gays he
has not heard a word concerning retalia.
tiOn. and. further. that there is hardly q
| Likelihood that such action Will be consid-
cred. much less taken.
The IMPRESSION 10 unite general that the
administrat ton will have to allow the pres
ent orders TO collectors not TO make ar
rests TO stand. The final solution of the
problem would seem to devoIvs on Con-
gress, and until that body assemblies it
does not appear that the law can be en-
forced. Secretary Carlisle received many
kilograms to-day asking Tor q suspension of
the operations of the law for at least six
months. The best opinion obtainable on
this subject in the Treasury Depart
ment is that the law IL explicit
s sn d ah'' Ma. S0'n as the hsVi i"., d ssS up sSS
which registration could be made. and.
consequently, IL Is beyond the power of
even the President 30 eXted this limit.
Among the telegrsns received by Secretary
Carlisle was one from the attorneys of the
Chinese Six Companies. who ask for a sus-
pension of the law. Treasury officials ac-
Quaintcd with the record OF the Six Com.
psnies during the past three OF four years
regard this request coming from them az
rather surprising In cool assurance.
These officials assert that of the no..
900 Chinese now IN the United States.
probably one-third have come into this
country illegally; that the Six Com panies
have encouraged the violation of the law
10y furnishing transportation from China
TO this country TO Cinnamon; supply ina
them with fraudulent certificates on their
arrival. and taking collateral from them
whom they landed for money advanced for
passage. In fact. the SIX Companies. il Is
asserted. have. practically. mortgages
upon the labor OF thousands OF Cinnamon
for years TO come. and If they be now de-
ported tho Six Companies will lose hun.
dreds of thousands OF dollars advanced by
them TO Chinese immigrants. Secretary
Gresham declined TO discuss the matter,
saying that there was nothing new and
nothing TO talk abonf.