The Opelousas courier., 1893-05-20
The Geary Act Constitutional
n. 0. Times-Democrat, May Is.

The Geary act of May 5, 1892, was
yesterday affirmed by the United
States Supreme Court to be in every re-
'pect constitutional, and 100, 900 or i5O-
OUO Chinese laborers now in this couu-
try will either have to register at once
and, backed by Caucasian voucher, OBJ,
taln a certificate of residence, or suffer
deportation to their own country
The decision 10 substance says that
The legislative branch of the govern
nent of the United Statet has trans
cended noue of its powers in determin
ing the conditions under which thest
aliens should be permitted to remain il
his country that, on the other lsnd.
The power of the United States to re-
stlict or prohibit the immigration OF
my aliens into the conntry or to re-
qaire such aliens already 10 the country
10 remove tbeTetrom ~aa a Well-set-
| lied principel Of international law, and
was confirmed by az nnbroken line OF
decisions in the United States Supreme
Court.
The decision sets the matRr finally
1t rest; and it will now remain with
! the Celestlals here to possess themsel-
yes Of properly attested certificates ot
residence or suffer expulsion. Which
Of the two alternatives they will accept.
! IS not yet known; but it is probable
that, if individual Chiuamen be left to
I themselves, they will choose the alter
| native OF obeying the law and continu
ing their residence here. For this il
IN easy country for them to make &
living or even fortune in. compared
With their owu land and the Geaiy re-
Quilements of registering, and applying
for aecrtifcate Of residence, are not on
erous requirements ln any way, Wheth-
or in point Of trouble or expense.
But whether the Chinese government
\ will allow its subjects to remain here it
different question. The government
| mas already made it understood thai
they regard the anti Chinese Legislation
Of the past several years as persecution,
pure and simple, and plain violation
| ,f treaty. For they have treaty with
| the United States in which this coun
cry has pledged itself to extend tt
Cinnamon residing here the SAINT
| rights, privileges aud immunities &C
corded the subjects of the most favored
nation. And they conteud that, wheth,
81 the Geary act be constitutional OF
not, that is to say, whether the Unlted
States Congress has the right under~tht
United States Constitution to pass sucl
an act OR not, that will have nothing t.
| 10 with this country's violation of ltt
| plighted faith to China to treat Celes'
,ials as we'll as people of other national
itiss residing in the United States.
| 1t is not improbable, therefore, that
.s an immediate sequel to yesterday
lecision, the government of the Flow
ary Kingdom may issue strict orders tt
Ill Celestials residing here to refuse to
comply with the law. And in thai
event, of course, there is nothing fo'
This government to do but to arrest anC
deport them. Then at ooce will th.
| Chinese government commence reprl'
sails. There are several thousands o
Americans engaged, some in business
others in missionary and school work
IN China; and there is hardly a doub
out that, in the event of our wholesale
expulsion of Celestials residing here
which by the way we should have t.
10 at our own expense-every Unitet
States citizen residing in the Celestla
Empire will be quietly but peremptori
" told to vacate.
| We shall have to wait, however
probably for week or two to see wha
| the upshot Of yesterdays decision vii
be.