The morning call., 1893-07-31
Nothing Known About
the Alleged " Flaw
THE GEARY ACT DISCUSSED.
There Is Only Slight Possibility of
Reconsideration of the Consti-
tutionaIity Of the Geary Act.
Special to The MORNING CALL

WASHINGTON, July 30.-lnQuiry at the
Department of Justice Of the United States
Supreme Court Offices and the Chinese
Embassy elected no information concern
ing the report that the Chinese would
again attempt to bring the Geary law be-
fore the Supreme Court, in hope that the
former decision affirming the constitution
atty of the act would be reversed. When
questioned to-day the Chinese diplomats
seemed to be densely ign GRANT Of any such
intention on the part Of their countrymeD.
The officers Of the Department of Justice
and Supreme Court like wise diSavowed all
knowledge Of the matter.
Representative Geary said he had heard
nothing whatever of any such intention
on the part OF the Chinese or their attor-
neys. while it may not be even surmised
what "faw" they have discovered in the
Supreme Courts opinion. According TO
the report 1T is believed they may hope to
reverse tie former decision because the
personnel OF the Supreme Court will have
been somewhat changed by next October.
when it meets again.
There were five Justices that affirmed
the coD.tltutioDality of the Geary act.
while three dissented. Justice Harlan
was at the time in Europe. He will be
here at the October session, and it is said
that he would probably decide against the
Geary act, though no one pretends to speak
adyisedly on this point. Ii he should agree
with Chief Justices Fuller, Field and
Brewer and the successor of the late
Justice Blatchford should also adopt their
views of the laws notwithstanding,
the former decision Of the court might
perhaps be reversed, if any iTregularity
could be found in the opinion already
given which would again bring the case
before the court. 1t was limited by some
gentlemen, with whom The CALL CORES
pendent talked to day, that President
Cleveland might, in selecting successor
to Justice Blanchford, take pains to ap-
point some one who would view Geary's
act as unconstitutional. Though Mr..
Cleveland has done some very arbitrary
and astonishing things in Administering
his Office. it seems hard to believe that he
would attempt anything like this. Still,
when it is remembered that it was through
his influence with Chief Justice Fuller
that the Supreme Court was called in spe-
cial session to hear the Chinese test cases,
Chinese. il would hardly be surprising to
Californinns il he were to stoop to do a
thing even as IN becoming as this.
When The CALL correspondent called at
the Chinese Legation to-day his Excellency
was not to be seen. It appears that lie has
established a quarantine against press men.
The white servant who answered the door
volunteered the interesting information
that bis Exeellency had grown very pru-
dent and would not be interviewed for
publication, because some Of his former
utterances had di.pleased his Emperor,
In addition to this 1t is said in diplomatic
circles that the Chinese Government was
very greatly displeased on account Of the
Minister'S alleged completely in the great
Chinese concessions" scheme. in which
Count Mitkiewiche and the late Colonel
Elliott F. Shepherd were concerned. Mr..
Tsin has not only been recalled. but. as
suggested by a member Of the diplomatic
corps. his Excellency will be playing in
Great luck if his head is not cut off.