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 Col u nm bian and
ensic Set-tO-The Latter Win.
The Chinese must not goi

Inc CnlneSe must not goi
The question of whether they should or
should not do so was decided here last even
ing. 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
versfties, and despite the very inclement
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. j. Carbon and p. H. O Donnel 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
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.
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
power which the government had to pro-
hibit 1t IL it 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
We must II we would preserve our institu-
tions, keep them free from contamina ting
Influences. 1t Is only the lower class of the
Chinese people who immigrate to this coun-
try and these people do not assimilate and
become part of our people. but simply come
to secure fortune and then return to their
own land. He said that good immigrants
were always welcome but when those came
whose presence inmical to our own
welfare, they should be, by law, excluded.
On the Other Side.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Taylor's arsu-'
ment, the presiding officer introduced Mr..
John j. Dolan, president Of the Debating
Society Of the Georgetown University Law
School Mr.. Dolan, in most effective
speech. proceeded 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 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 workingnen, and that II would
be soon enough, when better times returned,
to talk of increasing our already large army
Of workingmen.
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
lions and inspire our own countrymen with
noble and patriotic sentiments. He held
that the Monaghan was the object of sense
less prejudice. and 1t was this feeling that
animated those who opposed his peaceful
en- joyment 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
c. Molby, who has but recently recovered
from a serious illness.
He spoke at some length upon the organi-
zation known 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. H. O'Donnell
on the negative Mr. ODonnell 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 Mr.. J. j. Dolan in a bright ten
troversion of the arguments of The affirma-
tive.
Mr.. Bernard H. Taylor closed the affirma-
tive side in a 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 announcement in re-