The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-17
THE FEATURES OF THE GEARY Law.

The features of the Geary act for the
exclusion of Chinese laborers. 30 far as
they relate to those now in the country,
are likely TO be misunderstood. The
purpose of the law ia not to send out of
the country the Cinnamon who are now
here, but to so identify them that when
they leave no others can take their
tain those who may be struggled into
the country after the date of the going
into effect of the Geary law. That pro-
vision of the Law Is for the Identification
of the Cinnamon who have O right to re-
main here after its passage. In effect
it is no more arrogant a demand than
the passport which visitors from the
United States must take To Europe to
escape arrest in times of excitement.
As to deportation, the Geary law con-
tains no novel feature, since our immi-
grafton and anti-cOntract laws nave en-
bodied the theory of the right
to send people ont of the country.
During the past year quite a large num-
Der of men have been sent back to Eu-
rope because they came here under con-
tract. The present immigration laws
provide for the sending back of PAU
pers, criminals, idiots, and even for the
sending back of persons who become
paupers within a year after their ar
rival. The majority of the Supreme
Court has declared that Congress has a
right to enact laws to deport any class
of aliens whose character and customs
are held to be Objectionable. That
opinion will commend itself to most
thinking men.
The Geary act is a piece of hasty leg
islation. The first act prohibiting Chi
nese immigration was limited to a term
of years, which expired in May, 1892.
The Republican Senate passed early
in the session of the last Congress a
well-considered measure and sent
it to the Democratic House. where.
after action was delayed for a long
time. the Geary bill, prepared by the
Democratic member of the House
from California. whose name it bears,
Whb HdooCus 4uOIo was GO thLnC "
spare, as some sort of legislation was
necessary to follow the expiring act,
and the Senate passed the Geary bill,
which the House had passed with q few
notifications. and which became a law
by the approval of President Harrison.
Ii the Cinnamon in this country now
comply with the requirements of the
Geary law no one of them need leave.
IL the Chinese government adopts a
strictly responsive policy no American
in China need leave that country.
There are many reasons why Chinese
immigration, if immigration it can be
called. is Objectionable. The Chinese
laborer comes here a contract laborer
under the control of the Six Companies.
The Chinaman does not come here to
become a citizen, but to scrape together
a little money and go back. The China
men do not come here in families, SO
that the Chinese laborer, with his Gus
tom of cheap living. can drive white or
coiored labor out of the field by accept
ing wages insufficient for the support of
the latter with families. The China
men in this country acknowledge the
jurisdiction of the Emperor of China and
ignore tho laws of the States in which
they live. They would have complied
with the requirements of tho Geary act
had not their rulers, the Six Companies,
advised them to- ignore them. The few
who reach Eastern cities are peaceable
and Industrious, but in San Francisco
the Cinnamon are SO turbulent that the
Chinese consul recently issued q rrocla-
nation to them stating that in their
quarrels they were not violating the
laws of the United States. but of China,
and as the representative of that gov
eminent he would arrest and send them
back to be punished Where Cinnamon
congreRate in large numbers, their vices
are of the most degrading character and
demoralizing in their effect upon the
young who fall within their influence.
Open Il ports to them and they would
come by tens of thousands.