The San Francisco call., 1898-01-18
CHINESE IMMIGRATION.

V until recently held the post of Chinese inspector at the port of New York, con- tributes to the North American Review article which in a striking and impressive directs attention serious defects in the ad minstration of this important part of protective legislation.
 It will be remembered that not long ago Mr. Scharf resigned his office the express ground that owing to judicial technicalities and official corruption it impossible to enforce the laws. At the time of the resignation he made statement of facts to justify his action. This statement published in The Call and commented on at the time The article in the Re view eaborates the original argument and gives stat scs which demonstrate the truth of his charges and show that administered at present Chinese clusion laws but sources of fraud and corruption
 According to Mr. Scharf, the number of Chinese in the country is not known is it possible learn how many in each year. The reports are this subject for the Chinese avoid the census taker when possible and deceive him when they cannot evade him. In proof of this statement 1t is noted that the of 1890 gave 2o35 the Der of Chinese in the State of New York. When the registration under the Geary act completed, how ever, it found that 1000 had registered in New York City alone. The number of Chinese in the whole country, according to the census of 1890, Io7475 but Mr. Scharf estimates the correct number to be not less than 100000.
 Chinese immigration continues along the whole length of the northern and southern borders of the country and along the Gulf coast It is particularly large in the State of Vermont The Custom-house records of that State show that between June 1885 and February g. 1897, 2o47 Chinese came into the country legally. How many were smuggled in is not known.
 Much of this continuous stream of Chinese immi- ;e .I. of c;o1e charged with the duty of preventing it. That, how ever is the worst feature of the situation The greater evil IS the attitude of the toward the law Mir Scharf cites many authorities on this point The United States Attorney for Vermont said that in his district hearings in a certain sense far cical." Leigh Chalmers examiner in the Attorney Generals office, said in official report nine out of ten of these do not to the dignity of farce" The United States Attorney at Buffalo in report to the Attorney General stated that he had attended certain Chinese examinations and that "it was absolutely useless under the present condition of affairs to attend any further examinations it waste of time and money"
 The causes assigned for the inability of the law officers enforce the law are: The loose interpreta ton of the law by sympathetic United States Com mssioners the radical diversity of opinion by Judges of the Federal courts, the crafty practices and fraudu lent devices of the Chinese, the ready aid of we'll paid allies along the border line perured witnesses and oath breaking and brbe taking officials"
 In the face of such obstacles it seems impossible to enforce the exclusion ac but the necessity of en- orcement is imperative and the seeming impossibility must give way before it. Mir. Scharfs article will help the by arousng public sentiment Tn the East to something like the earnestness of the West on the issue The willy Chinese may be hard to stop but resolute people can do it.