The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-20
Will the Chinese Cop

1t is plain from tho action Of Congress
this week that our unregistered Monaghan
friends, who have hitherto escaped exclusion
under the GEARY act. are enjoying respite
only. and will certainly be called upon once
more. and finally. to comply with the provi.
sions Of that law.
1t Is also possible that some OF them
| might have Jared better under the GEARY
| act as 1t now stands than they will under
the amendments of it. which the House
by an overwhelming majority has just
passed. The MCCREARY bill may CLEAN
| still closer than the GEARY law. The latter
is directed against Chinese laborers only
| and some Mongolians may have been pre-
pared to show that they were not la
borers. but merchants or tradesmen. In
a case of doubt. they would per-
haps have received construction Of
the statute favorable to them. The new
bill. however. carefully defines merchant
as person who buys and sells in his own
name, at fixed place OF business, and per-
forms no other manual labor, than Is Incl
dent to his business as a merchant. 1t de-
clares that the term laborels is meant to
include those engaged in skilled labor as
well as those engaged in unskilled labor.
and specifically mentions mining. fishing,
huckstering. peddling. laundering. and
curing fish as forms Of labor covered by the
law. 1t is true that this latter definition
repeats language Of the acts Of 1882 and
1884 and of Treasury Department circulars.
But any plan Of fitting up a little annex
to the laundry. in which various goods are
offered for sale, will not relieve the laun-
n, 80 IT. IL.
Chinese merchant who returns from a
visit to China. must prove. in order to
secure readmission. that he had been a
merchant here. in the statute sense for at
least year before he went away.
Again. Secretary CARLISLE. in order to
make the GEARY law less Objectionable to
Cinnamon. abrogated that rule OF his
predecessor which required them to file
their photographs for registry. The origi-
nal GEARY bill had called for these portraits,
but before it became law this matter was
left to the discretion Of the Internal Reve-
nue. Bureau. which was to draw up regula-
lions for registry. subject to the approval
OF the Secretary. Hence the requirement OF
the photograph could be abandoned 1t was
found. however. that. in spite of this con-
cession. the registration was small, and
now the new bill exacts a portrait. This,
therefore. is another feature OF strictness.
resulting from the delay.
Still other features are the prohibition of
bail for Chinese whose deportation has been
ordered. and the directions to send away
those who are now subject to deporta-
ton. In short, the whole tendency Of the
new bill is to reaffirm the serious purpose
NJ In fha Gr,Ap L.
to assure the Chinese that the law cannot
be nullified or trified with.
The great favor granted to them is that
of another chance to register the period
allowed for this purpose being six months
following the enactment Of the new bill. |
This provision. as the debate showed,
was made on the assumption that they
had been led to expect decision O, the |
Supreme Court OF the United States in |
their favor. while that decision. which up- |
holds the validity Of the GEARY law, was |
not pronounced until May 10. 1898, after the |
end of the registration period.
The Senate has still to act on tho Mo
CREARY bill. and it may be modified lit
tie; but the vote of 1877 to by which 1t
passed the House. afterward made 178 to 1
when tellers counted it. shows what our
Mongolian fellow residents may expect.
They must now see that the GEARY law will
be executed. and that they are to be pro-
tected. as far as Congress can protect them,
from the inroads Of hordes Of their country
men. coming to compete with them In the
Industries which have brought to SO many
If them good wages and happy lives. Look
ng at the situation with their wonted
philosophy they may be expected to make
l large contribution Of photographs next
year to the national portrait collections.