The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-08-24
CHINESE ARE EXCLUDED.
General Otis Has Applied the fxcluulon
Law In the Philippines.
AUTHORITIES SURPRISED AT WASHINGTON
~..,,,ru known Regarding 1t Until
the Chinese Government Hnd
Registered n Kick.

washington, August 2S,-The state de-
nartment has been informed through
din,omatic channel that General Otis has
applled the Chinese exclusion laws to the
Philippines. The information was sur
prise to the authorities here, both state
and military as the matter has been unusr
consideration for some time and 1t was not
r,own that General Otis had put the exs
cluson laws into force.
The first intimation in that direction
came In dispatch few days ago from
the Chinese consul at Manila telling the
Chinese legation here the the exclusion
laws against Chinese had been applied TO
the Philippines. The dispatch was brought
to the attention of the state department
and inquiry made as to how the action was
brought about as the Chinese government
has been solicitous since American Hiii-
tary control was established in the Philip
mines that United States exclusion laws
should not be extended over the islands.
The state department knew nothing OF
such an extension and made inquiry at the
war department The military authorities.
however. were equally without intorma-
ton as to General Otis course in tsS
particular.
Accordingly the Chinese officials were
advised that any action taken by Generai
Otis in applying the exclusion laws 10
the Philippines was not the result OF IN
structons sent from here, but was doubt
less due to an exercise of his authority
as governor general of the Philippines.
What further steps the Chinese authorities
will take has not been determined, as
Minister WI Ting Fang is out of the city
for few days. There is little doubt, how
ever. that he will seek to have General
Otis order held in allegiance until the au-
thorities here pass on the general ques-
tion which has been under consideration
In this connection the state department
has received an important letter from Mr..
Williams, former consul at Manila, who
still remains there In a confidential Ca
pacity. He says the native Fllipinos are
strongly opposed to Chinese labor and i'll
his opinion the exclusion of the Chinese
from the islands would materially aid in
bringing the war to a close.
He places the Chinese population at
$1,000 which is considerably more than
other estimates from official sources. The
letter is dated July &c and brings the
situation UP to recent date. II has been
turned over to the war department to be
used in the general consideration of the
exclusion question.
The Chinese government has shown more
anxiety as to the course of the govern
ment toward the Chinese in the Philippines
than in Cuba or in other parts of the
world mainly because the Philippines are
near China and the large n-mbers of
Chinese are already established there.
They carry on the bulk of the retail trade.
have an extensive quarter in Manila and
send out travelling statesmen, carrying
packs, to the remote interior OF the is
lands.
Some of the official reports including
those of Admiral Dewey have paid a
tribute to the work performed by the
Chinese. and Naval Constructor Hobson
has recently reported to the navy depaTc-
ment on the value of Chinese labor 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 gov
eminent toward the islands.
The only action taken here as to the
Chinese exclusion laws has been in ruling
that they were not part of the tmmigra-
tion laws and did not apply to Cuba and
Porto Rico.