The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-11-05

The Now Chinese Bill.
The Senate OF the United States. on the
day before its adjournment passed the act
for tho amendment Of the GEARY Exclusion
law precisely as it came from the House
In view OF this decision and Of tho over.
whelming majority which the measure
had received in the House. 1t must stand
as the matured expression Of the Judgment
OF tho representatives Of the American
people as n whole.
1t is rather noteworthy that while the
period OF extension granted to the Chinese
for registration is six months after the en-
actment Of this new law. the time will ex-
pire during the first week OF next May, or
almost exactly one year after the period
fixed in the original GEARY act. That year
will have taught much to our Monaghan
fellow residents. and they may DO expected
to avail themselves almost to a man Of the
privilege now accorded by Congress.
The new law requires OF the applicant a
photograph. and this provision has some
times been stigmatized as importing
rogues' gallery methods into its execution.
That criticism Is not sound. Many rail-
roads. as was pointed out in the House de-
bate. in giving their most favored custom
ers the privilege Of what are known as
thousand-mile tickets for lower price
than ordinary mileage rates. require that
upon such u ticket shall be placed, not only
the purchasers name, but his photograph
In order that nobody else may use it.. Most
OF those persons who had season tickets
OF free admission to the Chicago Fair were
in like manner obliged to attach their pho
tographs to the tickets. In these and SINH
lar cases the purpose Is not humiliation
Naturalization. so that privileges granted
may not be misused by persons who come
wrongly into possession OF them. That Is
exactly the case with the Chinese, and there
Is nothing else in the requirement Of pho
tograph for the certificate OF protection.
Secretary CARLISLE did indeed remit this
feature Of the registration rules last year.
but it was because the GEARY act did not
specifyit. AS matter of fact, for more than
ten years the protection certificates issued
to Cinnamon who visit their native land.
emitting them to return. have carried tho
photographs OF those to whom they were
issued. This. accordingly. is no new sys-
TEN. even as applied to the Chinese. and the
analogy between the new certificate for
protection and the old certificate for return
is perfectly obvious. We have dwelt upon
this point because it is not everywhere I'M
derstood. and clear comprehension Of it
must silence Il great part OF the Indignation
expressed not only by the Chinese, but by
others against this particular requirement.
Another important new feature Of the
amended act Is that which defines the word
merchant" as used in the GEARY law. No
one can question that it is better to have a
precise description OF what Is intended by
this term than that it should be left to con-
jectural Interpretation outside OF the law
making power. A merchants now declared
to be. for tho purpose OF this act. a person
engaged In buying and selling merchandise
at q fixed place OF business. which business
is conducted in his name. and who. during
the time he claims to be engaged as a
merchant. does not engage IN the per-
formance OF any manual labor. except
such as Is necessary in tho conduct OF his
business as such merchant" This does not
appear to be an unjust definition. or one
unduly strained for the purpose OF exclud-
ing persons from the status OF merchants
who are fairly entitled to It, But however
that may be. tho words thus used In the
amended act are directly drawn from SINH
lar definitions, either in preceding Chinese
Exclusion acts. or in existing Treasury de-
cis!ons interpreting those acts. and estab-
fishing rules for their execution.
The question OF tho justice or the expedl-
ency OF the original Chinese exclusion pol
Icy. adopted nearly dozen years ago. Is
not directly involved at the present time.
The real question now IS as to how that
policy, so long rs IL remains embodied In
the statutes. shall DO adequately carried
into effect. The GEARY law was tho result
OF an effort to put down the smuggling OF
which had reached great pro-
portions, In utter defiance OF the law
Of the land, 1t had become evident that
unless this systematio violation OF the
statutes was to go on. more effective repres-
sion OF 1t must be undertaken. AS pre-
llmnary, to avoid the persecution of such
Cinnamon az are lawfully here. a system
Of protection became imperative. and out
Of that necessity grew the plan Of regis
tration.
There is reason to believe that the Chi
nese understand these facts better than
they did year ago. aud will now submit to
The law. That 1t discrlminates against them
as race is undesirable. but for moro than
Ten years the laws have SO Disseminated
against them. On the other hand. the
practical effect OF the present measure is.
BY keeping out intruders. to give them
more of a monopoly than ever OF the In
iustries to which they have devoted them