The morning call., 1894-03-25
THE NEW CHINESE TREATY.

a discussion of the provisions of the
new Chinese treaty may properly be pre-
ceded by the inquiry il any new treaty is
needed. If it should appear that a new
treaty is needed. we may then inquire if
the proposed treaty is just to the United
States.
THE CALL ventures the assertion that
no new treaty is needed. We are doing
fairly we'll under the old treaty and the
laws made in amendment of il. 1t is true
that the right Of Chinese to come and go
provided for in the treaty has been
abridged by law, but the necessity for
such abr dgment was created by the per-
sistent abuse of it on the part OF Chinese.
While it may be held that the Chinese
Government is not responsible for the
abuse of treaty privileges by its subjects,
the fact that such abuses are certain re-
suit of a treaty with the Government
should be considered when new treaties
are proposed. Washington correspond
ence presents both sides of the treaty
proposition with an evident leaning to the
Chinese view of the question. The United
States is represented as the natural ally
of China. Neither the English, French
nor Russians can command the confidence
VA OhFhOSN obdSOoIbOh AOA bbC lNdoOn tAdI
these great European powers keep their
gunbOats handy. This feature of their
diplomacy China does not like. There
fore China is disposed to cultivate closer
commercial relations with the United
States than with European powers.
TO the United States the Industrial view
OF the Chinese question is dominant. AS
nation we are not greatly interested in
extending our civilization over the Chinese
empire. We do not want to force our
products upon the Chinese people. We
will buy of them and sell to them as our
interests may suggest. But we do not pro-
pose to establish an equality in respect to
immigration between the two countries.
for the reason that there would be no
equality of conditions attending equality
of law. We have now in the United States
something more than 100, 600 Chinese sbOr-
ers doing the work that natives of the
soil would gladly DC. In China there are
practically no American laborers and but
few Americans of any kind. The condi-
tions existing in that densely populated
country are not favorable to immigration.
There is one point Of view from which a
change in our laws more favoIa able to the
admission Of Chinese is alarming. The
American Govern ment is now in the hands
of free-traders. The tariff bill now pend
ing is but step in that direction. Free
raw material will be followed few years
later with free finished goods. Already
there is bill Oh its way through Congress
giving the European shipbuilders free
entry into our market. With the products
OF labor free ii will be urged that our on ly
show is to admit labor free. In this way
wages may be forced down to the point at
which we can compete with European ma
tions. China is the cheapest labor market
in the world. A feet of OCEAN steamers
would practically bridge the Pacific. Chi
nese would be brought over by the tens of
thousands, and their labor would make
employers rich. But how would it be with
that much larger class of Americans
whose labor is their only capital? Messrs.
Cleveland and Gresham will not take the
trouble to answer this question, and the
power that is behind them gives little
thought to the welfare of the common
people,