The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-09-04
STOPPED A LO0PH0LE.
Chinese Going Abroad Must Return
to Port OF Departure as Ne
uufred by Regulations.

Special Dispatch 20 the Post-lntelltgencer.
PORT TOWNSEND, Sept. 3.-When Col
F. u. Hsustis assumed office rs collector OF
customs for the Puget sound district last
Wednesday. one of his flrst Official acts
was TO reject seven Chinese iaborers who
applied for readmlssion to the United
States. The ground for their rejection was
that they had departed from other ports
when leaving this country.
This decision is In the nature OF a new
ruling on the part of the collector, and Will
make radical change in the matter OF
admitting Chinese iaborers. This was the
custom till June g 1896, when a Chinese.
who had departed from the port OF Port
land. returned here and claimed that he
had lost his certificate as result Of the
steamship Strathnevis, accident in mid
ocean. Collector Saunders stated the facts
to the department. and was advised that
he could admit the Chinese regardless OF
his port of departure. when fully satisfied
that he was entitled to come in.
This seemed contrary TO the law, which
declares that Chinese laborer must be
re-entered at the port from which he de-
parted but the Chinese were not slow to
take advantage of the departments ruling
in this one case, the result being that when
the steamer from Vancouver. B. c., TO
Portland. was taken off the route all Chi
nese destined for the Portland district were
brought here for examination. Collector
Saunders used every precaution. invoking
the assistance of Chinese inspectors at
Portland and other ports In looking into
the reliability of the proofs offered by the
Chinese applicants but in spite of this. II
is almost certain that many have succeed
ed In getting through here who could not
have made as good showing at the port
from which they departed
Collector Heustis has notified all concern
GA ElN L.. l..
structions to the contrary. he Will refuse
10 admit any Chinese iaborers here unless
they departed from this port This ruling
Is already calling forth protests from in
terested Chinese sources, but the collectors
position Is perfectly sound as Il follows
the strict wording OF treasury depart
ment circular Of December Is. 1894, backed
also by an official ruling from Attorney
General Harmon. This circular gives a
copy of the certificate required to be IS
sued for departing Chinese laborers, and
further declares:
This certified description shall be care
fully preserved by the collector at the
port OF exit as means OF Identification
or the Chinese person therein mentioned
and who. in order TO avail himself of the
privilege conferred by said article of
the treaty, must return via the port Of
aeparture"
Since the time of the Strathnevis case.
mentioned above. the treasury DEPART
ment seems to have simply avoided en-
forcing the last clause of the paragraph
quoted, for Collector Saunders has fol-
lowed the example set by the examina-
ton and adm ission of the man taken from
the Strathnevis in scores OF cases and
his action has not been disapproved by
the department IT is this fact probably
that has already called forth protests
from several attorneys for Chinese firms,
but Collector Heustis viii ignore all these
protests. and VIII follow the example he
set by the rejection OF the seven Chinese
laborers on Wednesday. all OF whom had
departed from the port Of Portland of
course there is now nothing to prevent
them from asking for admission at Port
land.
Another clause OF the treasury depart
ment circular above referred to declares:
THE policy OF the government being
! against the admission OF Chinese labor
ers. treaty provisions making exceptions
should not be extended by construction
10 cases not falling within the plain
scope Of the language used"
The treaty referred TO was signed
March L. 1891. and was officially pro-
mulgated December s, 1884.