Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-25
THE CHINESE MAY STAY.
This Important Decision Reached in q
Debate Last Night
Representatives of the COlumb ian and
Georgetown Universities i'm a For
ensic Set-tO-The Latter Win.
The Chinese must not goi

The Chinese must not go!
The question of whether they should or
should not do so was decided here last even
lns' where so momentous a national ques-
ton should be decided, and, notwithstand-
ing the fact that the question had perplexed
and troubled the minds of the greatest
statesmen Of this country for many years
with the matter still unsettled. six young
men, representing, respectively, the law
schools of the Columbian and Georgetown
Universities. took but little more than sixty
minutes last evening to finally decide that
Chinese immigration should not be pro.
hibited
The occasion was the first of the Sc.
ries Of debates between the debating So
cieties of the law schools of the two uni
Verslties and despite the very Indictment
weather the lecture hall of Columbian Uni
versity was well filed.
The debaters were Messrs. Bernard H
Taylor, Albert v. Taylor and Edgar C.
Molby of Columbian and Messrs. John ].
Dolan. P. ]. Carbon and P. H. ODonneu Of
Georgetown.
Mr.. Thos. Gresham, president Of the de.
batting society Of Columbian University law
school, presided. and the judges of the de-
bate were Mr.. Justice Shepard of the Dis
trict Court of Appeals, Mr.. VIM. Lochren
commissioner Of pensions and Prof. Walter
r Rogers. The subject for debate was,
Resolved, That Chinese Immigration
Should Be Prohibited" and the affirmative
had been assigned to the Columbian de-
baters. while the negative was upheld by
those from Georgetown.
The presiding officer, Mr.. Gresham, opened
the exercises of the evening by briefly well
coming the audience on behalf of the two
societies. He referred to the presence Of SO
many of the fair sex with the remark that
they would furnish inspiration to those who
were to contend for the mastery in the de-
bate which was to follow.
D.. He then introduced Mr.. Bernard H. Tay-
lor of Columbian, the first speaker on the
affirmative. Mr.. Taylor divided the subject
OF immigration into two parts, namely, the
hibit 1t II 1t desired, and the power Of the
government to apply this prohibitory pow
er to the Chinese in particular. He quoted
from decision Of the Supreme Court to
sustain this position, and then proceeded to
show why this prohibitory power should be
exercised in the case of the Chinese. He
said that one of the prime laws Of nature
was self-preservation. and contended that
lions. keep them free from communicating
influences. 1t is only the lower class of the
Chinese people who immigrate to this coun-
try and these people do not assimiiate and
become part of our people, but simply come
to secure a fortune and then return to their
own land. He said that good immigrants
were always welcome but when those came
whose presence was inimical to our own
welfare, they should be. by law. excluded.
On the Other Side.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Taylor's argu-
ment, the presiding officer introduced Mr..
John ]. Dolan. president Of the Debating
Society Of the Georgetown University Law
School. Mr. Dolan. in a most effective
speech, preceded to combat the PROPOSE
ton on the ground that it was an unjust
discrimination. The Chinese were a quiet,
peaceful. Industrious and honest peo-
pie. and he saw no reason why they
should be singled out as the object
of prejudice to such a marked degree as to
attempt their absolute exclusion from our
midst No anarchists or cranks were to be
found among their number. and he thought
that the ends Of justice demanded that no
discrimination should be made to the detri-
ment of such a people.
Mr.. Albert V. Taylor. the second speaker
on the affirmative, called attention to the
fact that the habits of the Chinese were
such that they could work for less than the
American and the natural consequence was
that the latter was thrown out of employ
ment whenever the two came into open
competition. He further argued that the
present condition Of Industrial depression
called for limitations on the increase of the
number of workingmen, and that 1t would
be soon enough when better times returned.
to talk of increasing our already large army
Of workingmen.
Mr.. P. J. Carbon next spoke on the Mega
tive. He reviewed the history of the great
nations Of the world, and showed that their
prosperity was coextensive with the justice
which characterized their national acts
Justice and benevolence alone could pre-
serve peace and harmony with other ma
tons and inspire our own countrymen with
noble and patriotic sentiments. He held
that the Mongolian was the object of sense
less prejudice, and 1t was this feeling that
animated those who opposed his peaceful
enjoyment of the advantages of our land.
License" he concluded, Ito no men, but
liberty, unlimited liberty, to all men,"
Mr.. Carbon was followed by Mr. Edgar
G. Molby, who has but recently recovered
from a serious illness.
He spoke at some length upon the organi-
cation known as the Six Companies, and
showed the iniquity of these societies,
which virtually control all the Cinnamon
in the land and openly defy law and order
He was followed by Mr.. p. II. O'Donnell
on the negative. Mr. ODonnen held that
any people had a right to migrate to the
land of another nation If necessity de-
manded it. and he thought that instead of
endeavoring to keep the Chinese in the
state of degradation which had been pic
tured our nation should endeavor to lift
them up.
The negative of the argument was then
closed by MIR. j. j. Dolan in bright ten
minute speech, in which he spoke IN con-
troversion of the arguments of The ;irfirma-
tive.
Mr.. Bernard H. Taylor closed the affirma-
tive side in similar speech and the debate
was over.
At the conclusion of the debate the judges
retired to consult before rendering their
decision.
While they were in consultation the pre-
siding officer took advantage of the op-
portunity to make an announcement in re-
gard to the second of the series of 6eha fas