Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-17
THE CHINESE PROBLEM
The President Yet Undecided What
Course to Pursue,
A CONFERENCE PROPOSED
He viii Consult With Secretaries Gresham
and Carlisle This Afternoon-what Repre-
sentative Caminetti Suggests-Some of
the Callers at the White House Today.

! "a
more he thinks over the matter the more per-
| picking he finds the situation. Later this af-
! ternOon he is to hold q conference with
! the Secretary Of the Treasury and the Secre-
| tary of State with a view Of coming to some
| conclusion as to what will be done. Toe ques-
| ton presented is how they are going to
| enforce the law without money for neces-
! sary expenses It seems that the promoters
! Of this legislation were taken by surprise when
SO speedy decision in the case was reached by
the Supreme Court They had expected chat
the delays Of litigation would carry the matter
over until Congress would have time to provide
money for the deportation OF those Chinese who
might be adj7dged to be illegally in this coun-
try.
REPRESENTATIVE cAMINKTTIs SUGGESTIONS.
Representative Caminetti called on the Pres
ident today and had q long talk with him on
the subject, urging the prompt enforcement Of
the law and pointing out reasons why, in
his Judgment The lack OF money
need not operate TO make the law q dead
letter. He told the President that he thought
the m oney now on hand would be sufficient for
the purpose until Congress should provide
q further appropriation, aud argued
that the sum total OF the expense Of
enforcing the law would not be anything like
as great As has been estimated. His sug-
gestions were that the prosecution would
| first be directed to securing from those
who may be entitled to remain proofs
that they have this right and to COM
pelling their registration. As there will
be no deportations in these cases there will be
but slight expense. IN the next place, he
! urged that those who remain here in
violation of the law were subject, under the
provisions of the act. to punishment Of i'm
prisonment before deportation. and il they
were Imprisoned for six months or year.
those convicted will not have to be deported
until Congress had had ample time to provide
the means Moreover, he urged that the fact
that those who were convicted of violation
o. the law were being imprisoned at hard labor
would cause others who had not the right to
remain to Immediately leave the country in
| order to avoid punishment, thus saving the
governments the expense of their deportation.
He dwelt at considerable length on
this very ingenious plan o. frightening the
Chinese into deportlng themselves az their own
expense. The President did not say what he
intended to do. but indicated that he proposed
to enforce the law if he could.
1t is not at all certain that Mr.. Cleveland will
adopt the suggestion Of Mr.. Caminetti but
they will be considered in the conference
between him and the two Secretaries,
and the indications now are that there
WILL be at least preteEse OF enforce
ing the law and that all will be done that can be
law approve of the course of the admnistra-
ton thus far and say that by suspending the
prosecutions until after the decision OF the
Supreme Court great deal of time WAS ga 7ed
and the enforcement OF the law implied
SOME WHO SAW THE PRESIDENT.
The President was busy during all the morn
ing receiving Senators and members and few
others with whom he had appointments.
Among the Congressman who saw him
were Senators Vest, Cameron. Cockrell and
Martin and Representatives Dockery Pendle-
ton. Swanson. Alexander, Bsnkhead, Graham.
Robbins. Hall. Caminetti and Livingstone.
Mr.. Dockery is here in connection with the
department investigation authorized by the
last Congress and talked to the President ON
that subject He proposes to make the in
vestlgation very thorough with an eye to econ
omy and reform. Mr.. Livingston called to
present some further testimony to prove the
offensive partisanship OF Marshal Buck Of
Georgia and also to bring to the Presi-
dents attention his complaint against Secre-
tary Hoke Smith in the matter Of u fourth
class post Office appointment. Mr.. Living
stone Is the member who found that dur
ing his absence to investigate the claims Of
candidates for post Offices in his distric: he
was deprived Of the opportunity 20 make
recommendations Dy the appointment OF a man
on the recommendation of Mr.. Smith. The Of
nee in question Vas at Conyers, Ca. Mr.. Living
ssoue uau uOslueu Tue uep IfOenl cttneTe were
five or six candidates for the place and
that he was going to look into
the matter, and on his return would present
their applications and recommendations. The
day he got here he was informed by Assistant
Postmaster General Maxwell tina. Secretary
Hoke Smith and Senator Gordon had insisted
upon the appointment OF friend OF Mr.. Smith
for the Office and that the appointment had
been made. Mr.. Livingstone then had The
applications OF six candidates and their
strongly indoSsed papers. and he insisted thai
the appointment should be held up and
that these applications should be considered.
This morning ne laid he case before Post
master General Bissell. Mr.. Bissell agreed to
hold the appointment up and make a careful
examination of the payers in the case. To
make still more certain his position and to
show that ne does not propose to lie. the
matter drop without giving all or doing all be
can. Ir. Livingstone brought the papers with
him to the White House today.
GRAND ARMY REPRESENTATIVES.
Gen. Burdette ard Commander Fauuce. rep
resenting the Grand Army of the District. saw
the President by appointment today. They
surrounded their visit with q good deal OF Sc
crecy. refusing to state publicly their OBJ
jec., but saying that they were not here
to convey any invitation to the President 10
take part in the Decoration day exercises.
They said that they were there TO represent the
~ pay respects
to the President and say some other
things. 1t is understood that tney
wanted to impress upon the President the pro-
priety of giving special consideration to Grand
Army men in the public service.
Representative Terry OF Arkansas was at the
White House today, but saw Secretary Thurber
and not the President. He told a STAR reporse
that he WAS looking after small game. and had
q little story to illustrate how he Is
getting along with his hunt for patronage.
Il am reminded he said. "of whea was
boy hunting pigeons had little cheap
single-ba-reIed shotgun woich didn't have
power enough to reach the birds on the high
limbs. and l used to hunt around all day
without getting anything unit! toward evening
I'd find sleepy old pigeon in the lower
branches OF tree and would bag him and go
home. Now I hunt around all day for the big
Offices and when I find l can't get any call
around on Assistant Postmaster General Max
well and get fourth-class post Office
No NEW ORDERS FROM THE TREASURY.
To quote the words of cabinet officer
this morning the Chinese question is
''smmering." Thus fa- TO orders have been
issued from the Treasury Department rescind-
ing those already sent our.- which instructed
the officials not to make any arrests This