The Anaconda standard., 1899-08-24
EXCLUSION LAW APPLIED
Otis Has Stopped the Admis-
sion of the Chinese.
ON HIS OWN INITIATIVE
The Administration in the Dark as to
His Motive - China Is Alarmed at
the Move and Will Lodge
Protest.

Washington. Aug. 23.--The state de-
diplomatic channel that General Otis
has applied the Chinese exclusion laws
to the Philippines. The information is
surprise to the authorities here, both
state and military, as the matter has
been under consideration for some
time and it was not known that General
Otis had put exclusion laws into force
The dispatch was brought to the atten-
tion of the state department and in
Quiry was made as to how the action
was brought about, as the Chinese gov
ernment has been solicitous since
American military control was estab-
lished in the Philippines that the United
States exclusion laws should not he ex-
tended over these islands. The state
department knew nothing of such an
extension and made inquiry Of the war
department The military authorities
We're equally without information as to
General Otis course in this particular.
Accordingly the Chinese officials were
advised that any action taken by Gen
eral Otis in applying the exclusion laws
to the Philippines was not the result of
instructions sent from here, but was
doubtless due to the exercise of his au
thorty as governor general of the Phil
ippines. What further step the Chinese
authorities will take has not been de-
termined, as the Chinese minister is cut
of the city for a few days.
In this connection the state depart
ment has received an important letter
from Mr.. Williams, our former consul
at Manila who still remains there in a
confidential capacity. He says the ma
tive Filipinos are strongly opposed to
Chinese labor and. in his opinion, the
exclusion of the Chinese from the ISL
ands would materially aid in bringing
the war to a close. He places the Chi
nese population at 81, 900, which is con-
siderable more than other estimates
from official sources. The latter is dated
July 26 and brings the situation up to
recent date. 1t has been turned over to
the war department, to be used in the
general consideration of the exclusion
question.
The Chinese have shown more anxiety
as to the course of this government to-
ward the Chinese in the Philippines
than toward those in Cuba or other
parts of the world, mainly because the
Philippines are so near Chinese terri
tory and large number of Chinese are
already established there. They carry
on the bulk of the retail trade, have an
extensive quarter in Manila and seEd
out travelling statesmen carrying packs
to the remote interior of the islands.
Some of the official reports, including
those of Admiral Dewey, have paid a
tribute to the work performed by the
Chinese, and Naval Constructor Hob
son has recently reported to the navy
department on the value of Chinese la
Dor in naval and commercial pursuits
in the far East
This has led the Chinese officials here
to believe that the exclusion laws would
not be applied to the Philippines. and
they are still hopeful that General
Otis action will be a temporary move
incident to military occupation and not
part of the permanent policy of this
government toward the islands.
The only action taken here as to the
Chinese exclusion laws has been in rul-
ing that they were not a part of the
immigration laws and did not apply to
Cuba and Porto Rico.