The Topeka state journal., 1899-10-19
CHINESE CRITICISM.
Of the Policy of Exclusion by the
Minister to this Country.

philadelphia. Oct 1s-In his address
before the International Commercial
congress, the Chinese minister, WI
Ting Fang, said:
Persons are generally d1sEked on ac-
count Of their Incidence, immortality
and other bad qualities, but believe
this is the first instance in the his
tory OF the world that a people are
considered as undesirable and excluded
from a country because of their indus
try, perseverance, honesty and other
good qualities China does not make
such 1uyIdlOuS distinctions what IS
open to one nation is open to all others.
All are equally welcome So far from
taking any retaliatOry measure, she is
still holding the most friendly and cor
dial relations with the United States
and I hope and trust these relations
will long continue IN view of the Ger
tain increase of this vast trade and
commerce between China and the IN
tied States and in view of the unri-
vailed opportunities offered to American
capital and enterprise the question
naturally arises whether it is worth
while to keen on your statute book a
discriminating law against a people
with whom it is to your interest to keep
and maintain relations OF the most
friendly nature This IS question for
the merchants manufacturers, capital
lists and laborers of this country TO de-
eide and I am sure they will decide it
rightly and fairly when the facts are
laid before them"
An important statement made by the
minister in his address, which met with
unstinted applause, was in reference to
China's position toward the open door
policy Of Great Britain and the Tn
tied States. to which policy frequent
reference had been made by other
speakers. The minister said:
Il will take this opportunity to say,
by way of a general answer to the
preceding speakers, who have referred
to the open door in my country, that
China always faVOrS the open door.
China opens her doors to the people
and the trade Of every country, with
out distinction as to race or color"
When Minister WI Ting Fang con-
cluded his address, the delegates ap-
plauded him for several minutes.
At the conclusion of Minister WI
Ting Fang's address, John Foord of
Asiatic association, presented a FesO-
luton reciIfng that the exports of
American manufactures to China are
growing in value and in volume with
a rapidfty unexampled in any other
market; that no other market in the
world offers such vast and varied op-
portunities for the further increase of
American exports; that these OppOr-
tunities are absolutely dependent on
the maintenance of equality of COM
merciaI privilege, which treaties made
with the United States secure through
out the whole of the Chinese Empire,
that certain foreign powers seem to
show a disposition TO restrict that mar
ket to the advantage of their own citi-
ZenS ana the EXCLUSIONS OI OLnGTS Dy
the creation of spheres of influence and
that it Is resolved as the judgment of
the representatives of American indus
try and commerce engaged in the China
trade, here assembled as delegates to
the International Commercial congress,
that an emphatic declaration should be
made by the government OF the United
States of its intention to protect to its
fullest extent the rights which its citi-
zens enjoy under existing treaties to
pursue their trade in the Chinese EN-
pire-
The resolution was unanimously
The Chinese minister. rising to a
point of privilege, spoke as follows:
4 wish to answer one of the speak
ers here who made the remark It
is all very fine to say that it is not just
to exclude the Chinese from America,
but China has 400. 000. 600 inhabitants.
and if the exclusion law is repealed will
not these come to American
I am very glad the question was
asked so as to give me the opportunity
of answering. The Chinese that come
here come only from two provinces in
Canton You never see a northern
Chinaman here; no men from Shang-
hal, for instance, except in the diplO-
matte corps
These TWO provinces have a popula-
ton of only about 100000 so that even
should all come which is manifestly
absurd. it would not be very serious.
The total number or Cinnamon now in
America is about 100,000 Why did the
/ people Gomez Thirty years ago when
you were constructing your western
railroads, you sent agents to China and
! begged the labOrers to come here. OF
( course others followed their example
later. But had you not done this, I do
not believe there would have been any
/ Chinese 1aborerS here.
These men do not rob you They
I work day and night and make faithful
/ servants. I admit that they want to
/ make a few dollars and go home but
Z is thar inst what America n
( who come to China want2 I believe
/ that to get the trade of China it is
/ worth while to repeal this Objectionable
! statute"