The herald., 1894-03-24
A STORM OF PROTESTS.
Criticism of Gresham's New
Chinese Treaty.
The Pacific Coast Congressman
Condemn 1t.
Some Of Them Are Emphatic i'll
Their DenunciatiOn.
AdministratIon Orioles Manifest Surprise
at the Opposition Developed.
Chinese Registration Pro-
crossing SatisfAc Actorily.
B the Associated Prssz

B the Associated Press
WASHINGTON, March 23.-Some sur
prise is manifested in administration
circles at the opposition that has al
ready developed to the new Chinese
treaty. "The new treaty." said one OF
those that spoke for the state depart.
ment, lis the outcome of months of pa
tient work and skillful negotiation, and
it was hoped the state department. had
succeeded at last in settling in man
ner entirely satisfactory, the question OF
regulating Chinese immigration. For
nearly ten years tbis subject has been
source of trouble and the public has
surely appreciated the danger to which
the country has been exposed Of total
severance of friendly relations with
China, with the probable loss of our
valuable commercial relations with that
country. The correspondence which has
passed during that time between the
state department and the diplomatic
representative OF the Chinese govern
ment, however, make this very clear,
some severe language in charging
our government with deliberate viola
ton of treaties. So, in negotiating the
treaty now before the senate. before
ratification, the administration felt it
had achieved some very desirable re-
suits, for not only had it set at rest the
morally sound complaint of China, but
had at the came time preserved in the
form OF sacred treaty obligations all OF
the restrictive features OF the existing
Chinese restriction laws, that in the
opinion OF the department were worthy
| of perpetuation. This result was se-
cured with the entire approval OF the
Chinese government. There was rea-
sonable certainty, also, that the treaty
would meet the approval OF the senate
unless there had been great change in
public opinion within the past few
years. for il was framed on tho Lines aI
the treaty negotiated by Secretary Bay
ard in 1857, which has received the un-
/ qualified sanction OF the senate.
l 1t IS felt that some of the criticisms
which have haen nasaed upon the new
! treaty are unreasonable, or else have
been made under amisconception of the
exact scope Of the instrUmeut. ssuuh;
for instance, iH said to be the statement
that the treaty opens the way to fraud,
in that it will permit Chinese who leave
the United States, with the expressed
determination to return, to cell their
papers to other Chinese, and thus keep
up stream of immigration. AS mat
ter of fact the treaty enforces the closest
inspection at immigration ports, and
the officers may frame their regulations
regarding the identity of Chinese re-
turning to America with such complete
ness as to make it absolutely impossible
for any substitution to take place, and
! thus insure the country against further
immigration OF Chinese.
AS to the objection that has been made
to the treaty provision allowing the Chi
nese government to place similar re-
Htriction, etc, upon the immigration of
| American laborers into China, it ia
urged by the friends OF the treaty that
no great hardship will be worked, for
in the first place, it ia doubtful weather
the Chinese government will ever ex-
ercise the power it reserves in this par
ticulsr, and in the second place there
are probably not more than two score
American laborers in all China at this
time who would be affected, even should
the section be made operative.
The Pacific coast delegation in con-
gress are eagerly discussing its terms, OF
|
the report published in the Associated
Press dispatches. Representative Geary
OF California, the author of the Geary
act said he expected to read the treaty
carefully during the day. Until then
he would give no opinion on it's effect
on the Geary law and it's general effect
in admitting Chinese.
The other Democratic congressman
from California were not averse to ex-
pressing their views. The Republicans
were very emphatic in condemning the
treaty.
Representative Bowers of California
said: "This treaty is part of the gem
eral sympathy OF the administration
! with the Chinese The theory of the
Geary law was sharply restrictive and
the theory OF this treaty is to nullify the
restrictions"
Repre- sentative Hilborn, who was
United States district attorney during
the first prosecution of Chinese under
the original exclusion law, said OF the
new treaty: THE reported features of
the new treaty providing that American
lsborers in China shall register ia mean
ingless, as we have not more than 80
American laborers in that country II
there was to be any reciprocity, it
should have been in protecting Ameri-
cans in China. Our people, missionaries
and others, take their lives in their
hands when they go 20 miles into the
interior OF China. That country will
never grant US the protection she asks
for her people in this country. The
proposed treaty will be great shock to
the Pacific states"
Representative Mcguire (Dem.) OF
California said: "In go far as the treaty
in any way changes the present pro-
visions 70. Chinese exclusion, which
represent the result OF 12 years expert
ence, am opposed to it. l think the
treaty should unqualiiedly recognize
and uphold all present laws ON the sub
ject OF Chinese immigration. | can see
no objection to having China establish
and maintain registration laws applying
to our eitiSens in China, nor to these