The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1893-05-20
A DILEMMA.

The decision of the supreme court
has forever settled the constitutionality
of the Geary law, and there can be no
further question regarding the power
of congress to restrict immigration of
any class of foreigners. 1t may not
be international courtesy for the high
est legislature of the United States
to discriminate against the subjects of
country with which there exists the
most amicable relations; but such law
could be enforced under the provisions
of our constitution, although it is the
basis upon which rests the broadest
freedom ever enjoyed by any people
The ethical side Of the subject does
not enter into the discussion; but SIM
ply the power of the legislative body
to pass and enforce such measure.
Under our system of government,
the president IS the chief executive of
acts of congress and other laws,
and the real mischief has resulted in
the operation of the Geary law from
Mr.. Cleveland suspending its en-
forcement until after this decision. If
the Chinese residents had not been
advised through the Six Companies
and the minister at Washington City
not to register, nearly all of them
would have complied with the pro-
visions, and it is reasonable to suppose
that this advice was Influenced by the
president of the United States. They
have had ample time, and there have
been opportunities presented for them
to have furnished legal evidence of
their prior residence in the country.
The object of the law was not to de-
port to China actual residents in this
country, but simply to ascertain what
Cinnamon were entitled to remain and |
to exclude others from coming. This
would simply have rendered effective
the exclusion of Chinese, so earnestly |
desired by oil classes of our citizens.
As it is, by the arbitrary action of a
Democratic president, there are more
than a hundred thousand Cinnamon
Illegally in the United States, and
these the law demands shall be sent
home. Congress never apprehended
such result following the passage of
the act, and made meagre appropria
tion of $4,000 fer its enforcement.
This would not deport hardly one
tenth of those who have refused to
register, and President Cleveland Is
placed in the dilemma of not being
able to enforce law of the land be-
cause of the lack of funds. lie must
either call an extra session of congress,
or permit the law to remain inopera-
tive.
In this connection the telegram of
Gov. Pennoyer to Secretary Gresham
and his remarks in an interview with
him at the same time, and published
In the associated press dispatches, be-
come very pertinent. To use the blunt
words of our executive, if the presi-
dent had "attended to his business"
Chinese residents would have nearly
all registered, and the Geary law
would simply have carried out the in
tent of congress and saved the coun-
try from any further invasion of these !
Chinese coolies, without placing any
hardships upon those who had the
right to remain. Sending a commits
sioner to the Sandwich Islands, who
hauled down the American flag floating
over Honolulu, and the suspension of 8
an act of congress, do not augur sue :
cess or popularity of the administra- 4
lion of national affairs by Grover q
cleveland with patriotic American 8
people.