The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1893-05-05
ARGUING WITH CHINA.

This is the last day allowed 1or Lne
Chinese to register under the provisions
of the Geary act Not one out of ten OF
them have complied with the law, and |
the next steps on the part of the govern
ment will be watched with interest.
The Geary act was passed in the Fifty |
second congress, and was framed to reg
ulate or stop the immigration of Chinese.
The first step made in course for re-
striction of immigration and exclusion
was the so-called Angel treaty of
Nov. 18th, 1880. In this treaty it is
agreed that the government of the United
States may regulate, limit or suspend
f'the coming or residence of Chinese
laborers,' but 'may not absolutely pro-
hibit it," and that ''the limitation or
suspension shall be reas enable" Up
to this time our relations with China
had been the most agreeable OF any
other nation. England and France, be-
ing treated indifferently by China in
their efforts for trade, had invaded their
ports by powder and ball, and compelled
their attention of not their respect.
This invasion was known as the "opium"
war. These warlike nations in the early
part of the present century had intro
duced and supplied opium to Chinese,
just as tobacco was introduced into Eng
land from savage America. They did an
exceedingly profitable trade, but as the
energies of the Chinese were being
sapped by the deleterious drug, COM
missioner-( (Lin) was sent by the emperor
to Canton to stop the traffic. He de-
manded that all opium in the hands of
foreign merchants should be delivered
to him, and more than &c, 900 chests were
delivered into his hands. The entire
quantity was destroyed. An American
merchant who witnessed the destruction
was <sstonished ''that while Christian
governments were growing and farming
this deleterious drug, this pagan mon
arch should nobly disdain to enrich his
treasury with sale which could not fall
short of $40, ,OOO, ,00O." This was the be-
ginning of hostilities against the Chinese
and in short time trade was resumed
and opium smuggling went on as before.
The policy of the United States, how
ever, has been one of peace, and it is a
notable fact that the only two foreigners
who have ever received posthumous
honors at the hands of the Chinese en-
peror have been Americans-Frederick
Ward and Anson Burlingame. The lat
ter became minister at Peking in 1868
and was later employed by the Chinese
government as their representative to
all foreign powers with which they had
treaty relations. Mr.. Burlingame had
encouraged the immigration of Chinese
in 1866 by saying that million Chinese
would find employment on the Pacific
coast. At this time they were welcomed
by California, which rendered possible
the development of their vast resources,
and up to even 1881 the cry was still for
more, as the farmers were unable to find
enough laborers to carry on their work.
In 1882 the first act was passed re-
stricting their immigration, providing
the suspension of their coming for ten
years. 1t also provided for the issue oi
certificates to Chinese residents in this
country who desired to go home and
return. They were issued, accepted in
good faith by the Chinese, and when
they returned with their certificate il
cisco. The United States had violated
their treaty obligations formulated
many years previously, which related
that "China should be accorded privi
leges granted the most favored nation
Then came the Scott act of 1888, which
was a more open repudiation of the
treaty, and since then the Geary act o
the Fifty-second congress. Itremains tc
be seen whether it will command re
spect at the hands of the highest judi
cial tribunal of the United Stat es, anc
if so in an international court. 1t fTo llC
seem that if international treaties me II
anything, our course cannot be upheld
and it is evident that China is resi- IN!
upon this assumption, since the Chin
of the United States have been ordered
to pay no attention to the demand tc
register The Chinese are skilled di
plomats, and they are so egotistical al
to believe that no nation is their equal
They have a right to be proud, since
they can boast of civilization thous
ands of years old, while our enlighten-
ment dates from very recent period
Five hundred years ago Europe was
still in such chaotic state that we have
but little record of any man or achieve.
ment from that time to the beginning o.
the Christian era. The Chinese are
unfathomable. With 'tsmile that il
childlike and bland.'' there is no telling
what notions are fitting through theil
steeple-chase of thought. They have an
entirely different process of reasoning