The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-06-08

bidding federal law is held fol
naught? VINO constitute them? Fol
what purpose have they been organ.
ized? In what business are they on
gaged2 To whose jurisdiction are
they amenable? What relations dc
they bear to the people Of this country
and why their exceeding great influ.
ence over our Chinese population? Is
the like known as to the European
immigrants? These are pertinent
questions.
Notwithstanding the stringency OF
the provisions of the exclusion and
Geary laws and the strenuous and
continued efforts of the government to
enforce the power, yet it is
ALMOST DAILY VIOLATED.
The following, from the able and
trusted correspondent of the Calves.
ton News, in its issue of this date, is
q sample of the information which is
constantly reaching the treasury de-
partment:
secretary Carlisle, during the past
few days, received several kilograms,
which fully confirm the newspaper
dispatches, as to the discovery OF a
conspiracy on the extreme northwest
border to smuggle opium and Chinese
into the United States. The tele-
grams, it is said, intimate that quite a
number of government officials-col-
lectors of customs and special agents
are implicated in the conspiracy"
Here we have the chinese coming
into our country in direct violation of
law and the Chinese residents wilfully
and deliberately violating law. Yet,
Notwithstanding all this, 1 said
in my interview, as published
in the Express and do now say that
further time should be allowed the
Chinese residents in this country to
register, and if they still refuse to
comply with the law, the government
should in its wisdom enforce the pres
ert law-that is the exclusion actor
some law to be enacted, which will
prove efectual. But it is claimed
that the Chinese residents in the
United States should receive the same
treatment as is accorded to the citi-
zens of the most favored nations, and
for that reason the Geary law is a vio-
lation of a compact with China, sought
and proposed by the United States.
When was this compact made be-
tween the United States and China
During the dark days of reconstruc-
tion-at q time when the Southern
states had no voice or influence in fed
eral legislation.
What influence was most potent in
securing this compact and for what
purpose? 1t is said by those who
were then in a situation to know, that
the promoters of the great Pacific rail-
ways, enriched In lands and treasure
by profligate and corrupt congresses,
were greatly instrumental in &C.
complishing these treaty stipulations
between the United States and China,
in order that these enterprises might
be cheaply and rapidly consummated.
But if the Geary law
BE IN VIOLATION
of the compact between the United
States and China, why was not the
same objection urged In Texas against
the exclusion act of Sept, ID, 1888,
when it was passed ?
Granting, however, this to be so,
has not congress the power, through
legislative enactment, to annul and
delcare void any treaty stipulation
andhas it not exercised this power in
the past? 1t is unnecessary to spec
ify instances. such power has been
exercised time and again. But the
main question, the one which lies at
the very bottom of this contro-
versy, is as to the policy
of tho exclusion act OF
Sept. Is, 1888, because the Geary law
is only intended to enforce the pro.
visions of the former act. In other
words and in q more concise form the
question is:
is CHINESE IMMIGRATION DEsIR-
ABLE?
1 say no, however it may be viewed
from moral, a political, or an indus
trial standpoint. To we'll understand
their moral character, Il refer only to
such as are in this country one need
but visit San Francisco and observe
their manner of living. Having done
so, such an one will not be heard to
dispute the fact that for ordinary NOR
atty and common decency the
Chinese, as he will see them the re-,
are not to be commended. From q
political point of view this character
of immigration is less, if that be pos
sible, to be desired. They come here,
not to live permanently, not to be Cit
liens, but only to better their condi-
ton and then to return to their native
country; and should they unfortun-
ately die here, it is promised them
that their bodies shall be carried back
to China. When here, they are a dis
tinct people, with habits pecu-
liar to themselves, incapable
of accommodating themselves to
American habits, manners and GUS
toms, and without the slightest at
tachment to our institutions.
1t is true that these characteristics
do no injury where they are widely
dispersed as in Texas, but when con-
centrated, as on the Pacific coast, their
i'll effects become very appreciable.
Ought they be permitted to compete
with American Informative born or
naturalized? l think not. No other
people can cope with them as to
economy in living and in the matter
of wages. They constitute the cheap.
est Labor Of our time and so adjusting
themselves i'll the scale of industrial
action, their manner of living must
necessarily conform and does e conform