Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-15
CHINESE REGISTRATION
Treasury Department Informed of Frauds
Under the Geary Law.

The Treasury Department Is informed
that frauds have been perpetrated In the
registration Of Chinese laborers under the
Geaty exclusion law, and is now exerting
it's power to determine their manner and
extent. The total registration Of Chinese
laborers Is 105.312, number really equal to
the total Chinese population in the United
States, according to the last census. That
enumeration includes diplomats. consular
officers. merchants and others not amenable
to the law, which applies solely to laborers
or persons engaged in menial occupation.
There are two explanations of the heavy
registration. Many Chinese laborers must
have been smuggled into the United States.
in spite of the steps taken for their exclu-
sion, since the last census was taken. or
many of those here must have registered
early and often in the interest of others not
enutfed to that privilege.
Registered Early and Often.
believed to have been the one most gen.
orally adopted by the heather Chinee'
for the circumvention of the law. 1t is as
serted that smugglers of Chinese are SELL
ing fraudulent registration certificates to
Chinese laborers In Canada and Havana,
SO as to enable them to enter the United
States In safety. 1t is also alleged that
sent to China to secure the free entrance
Of Cinnamon who have never even been In
this country.
Registered I'm Different Places.
The frauds were perpetrated chiefly, how
ever. by Chinese who registered in differ
ent places from two TO a dozen times.
These had the assistance. SO it is said, of
professional witnesses, who swore to their
residence in this country for over two years
prior to the passage of the law. 1t is also
known that the Chinese. under the alleged
leadership of the Chinese Six Companies of
San Francisco, have been registering faith
fully in all the large cities. Duplicate
registration is possible, with the connivance
of paid witnesses. because of the admitted
difficulty of distinguishing Cinnamon.
1t is said that hundreds of the duplica te
registration certificates, secured all over
the country, are now in the hands of SNUG
glers of Chinese and the charge is made
that they being sent to Canada, Ha-
vana and other places where Chinese are
awaiting chance to enter this country;
Chinese change their names at will. and
the same photograph will easily answer
for a dozen or more.
Validity of the Law Questioned.
There is also a very serious question re-
garding the validity of the oath used in
these registrations. In the Geary law the
whole question of making the rules for its
enforcement is left to the Secretary of the
Treasury. The rules were regularly promul-
gated by Secretary Carlisle, but they in
cluded no authorization for the admins
tration of the prescribed oath by the col
lector of internal revenue or his deputies.
These officers are empowered to administer
oaths in internal revenue cases only, and
are expressly forbidden to administer an
oath on outside matter. AS the Geary
exclusion law is matter not connected
with the collection of internal revenue, the
validity OF the registration oaths admins
tered by the collectors and their deputies
has been called in question. In case this
contention is sustained by the courts the
work of registration will have to be done
all over again.