Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-19
THE CHINESE TREATY
Senator White Explains Why He is in
Favor of It
1t Recognizes the Validity Of the
Geary and McCreary Acts, Which
IL u Substantial Gain.

Comment has been caused by the an
nouncement that Senator White of Cali
fornia favors the new Chinese treaty. The
Senator has now given for the first time
the reasons for his support.
The treaty recognizes" he said, "the
validity of the Geary and McCreary acts,
and explicitly declares that the Chinese
government will not object to their en-
forcement This is a substantial gain be-
cause the Supreme Court sustained the
validity Of the Geary Law by a mere ma
jority and one of the justices whose votes
determined the case has died. so that all
recognize the uncertainty of a second pre-
sentation to that tribunal.
''The provision whereby the United States
agrees to furnish annually to China the
names of our citizens, including mission
aries. who reside there, is in effect a guar
antee by the Chinese empire that the par
ties will not be disturbed; missionaries
need have no solicitude hereafter. While
the Chinese government Is not friendly to
American residents the effect is to make II
liable pecuniarily and otherwise for injuries
to our people there. The Chinese do not
enjoy paying damages"
Privileges to Chinese Laborers.
AS to the criticism against the privilege
to Chinese laborers having a wife, child or
parent In the United States or property
or debts to the amount named in the treaty
Of returning he said:
''The provision only applies to laborers
who are registered. II we agree, as in the
Geary and McCreary acts, that they may
remain permanently IL they register 1 see
no objection to their temporary absence.
/ admit that a Chinaman will swear to
anything, but in this case his veracity is
passed upon by an American official. He
must deposit with the collector of customs
a full description of his family or prop
erty and the return certificate must be pre-
sented to the official who issued 1t. The
Chinaman who presents the certificate must
accord with whatever personal descrip-
ton IL bears. If the laborer who obtains a
certificate succeeds in substituting another
person this means that instead of All Sin
we are compelled to endure Wong Chow.
an immaterial difference. individuals pro-
Tossing to be interested have announced
that the proposed treaty will open the door
to a Chinese invasion, but no laborer can
enter without a return certificate, and II
We admit that there may be substitution
(Which 1 do not concede) the number of
laborers cannot be increased because one
certificate represents one man.
Same Provisions in Treaty OF 1SSS.
'"The treaty ratified by Congress In 1888
contained substantially the same provisions
for the return Of Chinese laborerS. except
that the present compact is more favorable
to the United States in requiring the party
that returns to be a registered laborer. Con-
gress passed the Morrow act April 13. 1883.
on the theory that the treaty would be rati-
fed by China. The right to return was
explicitly recognized by Congress in that
act, and the legislation was at that time
considered by anti-Chinese advocates as
progressive. The present treaty Is drawn
upon the lines of the Morrow bill, and as
soon as II becomes evident that the Chinese
government intends to ratify 1t, a bill can
be passed providing for the enforcement of
treaty provisions and containing proper
and stringent regulations and penalties.
The Morrow bill contained provision for
photographs. which is now supplied by the
Geary and McCreary laws.
''The Chinese government declined to
agree to the treaty of 1888 upon the ground
that the certificate issued to a departing
Chinese laborer should be granted by a
Chinese consul. Mr.. Cleveland said in his
message to Congress dated October 1, 1SSS.
approving the Scott exclusion act, that the
obvious and necessary effect of this conten-
ton would be practically to place the exc
cution of the treaty beyond the control of
the United States. / might add that, as
far as the President Is concerned no execu-
tive has used more forcible express
sions In opposition to Chinese immigra ton
than did Mr.. Cleveland in the message to
which / have alluded. The democratic
party in Congress has always led .he op-
position to Chinese immigrat ton, and has
furnished the majority Of the votes neces-
sary to enact anti-Chinese laws"