The morning call., 1893-09-12

bility aud yet subjects them TO imprison-
menJ and deportation if they fail TO CON-
ply with the regulations.
This shows how little the Geary act is
understood. For registration in the first
instance the testimony of white witness
is not required. For the purpose
OF showing that a Chinese laborer
who had not complied with the
law during the year in which he was
allowed to register and failed 20 do
SO by reason of some excusable neglect,
the testimony of white witnesses Is not
required. The only thing which testimony
of a white witness is required to prove
under the act is in case a Chinese lab0rer
has permitted a year to expire and it
is shown to the court that there
has been excusable neglect He is
then required to prove in addition by one
white witness that he was here a year be-
fore then. That Is, at the time when the
Geary law was passed, if that require
ment had not been placed in the bill,
or at least requirement that
that proof should be made by
witness other than a Chinese witness,
the provision would have so resulted that
if an excuse could have been made for
non-registration all Cinnamon who had
come unlawfully into the country might
have secured certificates, because Chinese
testimony in that respect could not be at
all relied upon.
Then it is said that this requirement of
registration made of them alone, in contra
distinction to all other foreigners in the
country, is a violation of the treaty?
ic not A
negotiated by which the United States
may suspend the coming of Chinese labor
ers, and that involves necessarily the right
to do all that is necessary to distinguish
those who are legally in this country from
those who attempt to come illegally. If
registration is reasonable provision for
that purpose. to enable the Government to
distinguish those legally here from those
who come in illegally, then it is within the
treaty and not in violation of the treaty.
II call attention to this petition while
presen ing it. 1t has been handed to ME
for that purpose, for the purpose of show
ing that these criticisms are largely ig-
norantly made; that the people who make
them do not understand the provisions of
the law.
II understand a bill has been introduced
in Congress which is an administration
measure. so the papers report, do mot
speak from any definite information nv
self, extending the time a year to Chi
nese laborers to register. If China
has requested such an extension of
time, if China OF any other power on the
part OF the Chinese has given any assur-
ance that they viii register, if
there is any evidence that the Six
Companies will permit the Chinese
laborers to register, then such PROPOSE
ton is worthy of the consideration
of Congress. But if China has not re-
Quested an extension of time, if the Gov
eminent has no assurance that if an extern
sion is given the Chinese Six Companies
will allow the Chinese laborers to register,
then the bill is not worthy of the considera-
ton of the Government. There should
certainly be no repeal or modfi-
cation simply because certain aliens re-
fuse to comply with it. and under the cir
Gums tances the favorable consideration of
such a measure by Congress would hahn
consistent with the dignity of the Govern
ment. Ii would seem to me that if further
time is 10 be granted, and that if the
Chinese in this country who have not
complied with the Geary law are not to be
deported now after the law has been de-
fed by the Chinese Six Companies, re-
quest 10 that effect should come from the
Chinese Government, and our Govern
ment should have some assurance that il
will be complied with if further time is
granted for registering"