Arizona republican., 1895-05-03
TROUBLESOME CHINESE.
A Source of Great Annoy ance to
 the Government Officials.
Smuggling Operations of the Sly Ceies- tials in the Rio Grande Country Effects of the Exclusion
 Law.

ships upon the almond-eyed residents of the United States as it did along the RIO Grande in Texas. In the revenue dis trict of the Rio GranGe there were, pre- vious to last June, about one thousand Chinamen. Fl Pasa, the main port or entry from Mexico, claimed seven hun dred and fifty of these, and San An tonic, an inland city, one hundred and ten. The rest are scattered about, three or four in each little town ln the district. It was found by the revenue officers that not over four hundred of these were entitled to remain in the United States, and the other six hun dred were deported, either to China or to Mexico, if they came to this country from that republic, says Harper's Weekly. Fl Paso was allotted ten thousand three hundred and thirty-eight inhabl- tants by the census of 1890, and the business interests of the city are nearly entirely dependent upon the transfer of goods from or into Mexican territory. Two wagon bridges and one railroad bridge connect American with Mexican soil and at times the Rio Grande is so low that it can be crossed almost dry-shod. Railroads reach to the north, east, west and south, affording quick and easy transit in any direction, so that it is an ideal smuggling point. Notwithstand- ing the sleepless vigilance of the rev. enue officers, the smuggling trade as sumes formidable proportions, and it is largely due to this fact that the Chi nese element forms so large a propor- tion of the population.
 The Chinaman is an expert smuggler, and devotes his energies to transferring opium, tobacco, silks, Mexican em- broidery and drawn-work, on all of which articles there is a heavy tariff, from Mexican to United States soil without paying duty thereon. The most profitable article for smuggling has been in the past the Chinaman him. self, and it was to prevent the whole sale importation of this class of goods that congress made the Chinese exclu- sion law even more severe than it was under the act of 1882. In 1886 congress passed law prohibiting the coming of l Chinese laborers into the United States for period of ten years, and provided a penalty for bringing them in. In this act provision was made for cer- | tifcates of identification for those al ready here, which entitled them to 1 come and go. This act was easily evaded at Fl Paso, and doubtless else where, for John would show up one day in queue, long shirt and wooden shoes and receive his certificate as "Hong," and the next day the same mild-looking oriental would put in an appearance dressed "allee samee Mel ican man" and receive his certificate as Hing" One of these certificates was naturally for sale, and the price they brought ran at times as high as two hundred dollars.
 Across the river from Fl Paso is the Mexican city of Fl Juarez. There are many Chinamen there as well, who ac1 as confederates of their countrymer across the river. Chief among them i; Doe" Sing, who is rated commercially | Doe" is king among them, and witt fertile and cunning brain he has engi neered many a scheme whereby th' revenues were none the richer or whereby the population of th' United States was increased by on Mongolian not really entitled to tn protection of the stars and stripes Wong Ming is his chief lieutenant, ant is a resident of Fl Paso, where he rank high as business man. Wong Minl has lived in the United States abou
 seventeen years, and is one Of the fey
 Chinamen who have families to shar
 the freedom of this country with them
 and he lives retired and domestic life
 These two Chinamen are the author , ties in the Rio Grande country anon their own people, and everything tha
 comes up for settlement among then
 selves or in the relations of the Chimes
 to the Americans is referred to them. I In October, 1888, an act of congres Il went into effect abolishing the certif
 cate of Identification. This cut off
 great source of revenue, and the in
 portation of Chinamen became simply
 question of out-and-out smuggling. I
 1892 the exclusion law was extended
 1902. This new law also provided tha
 to remain in the United States Chin;
 man must obtain a certificate showin that he was here in 1882. On thes
 certificates are photographs of the
 holders, and the certificates cannot
 obtained without the testimony of
 reputable white man to the effect ths
 the statements made by the Chinama
 are correct.
 In the registration there was gres
 trouble at first in getting the picture
 taken according to law, the regulation
 as to size and costume being very stric