The evening times., 1899-12-05
CHINESE EXCLUSION.
Authority Asked to Limit the Ger
ti6cateH of Admission.

Authority Asked to Limit the Ger
tiAcates of Admission.
| The total number Of Chinese persons of
the so-called exempt classes admitted to
the United States during the fiscal year
| was 1926. and the number applying for
and refused admission was $50 Under the
| provisions OF Article III of the treaty with
China, promulgated on December s, 1894,
l,0l2 Chinese persons have been permit
| ted the privilege OF transit through the
United States under bonds, the penal sum
OF which has been increased from 5000 TO
$500 in each case. Chinese in transit usu-
ally proceed to Mexico, and many of them
| have attempted thence to re-enter the
United States. The arrest of 131 Chinese
persons on the Mexican frontier for depor-
tation indicates that proper efforts have
been made to prevent such irregularities
The total number Of Chinese arrested for
deportation in the fiscal year was 566
During the same period 1872 Chinese were
deported by legal process. at a total cost of
Sl9, ,i5i.41, an average cost of $10l, 80 per
capita, which included transportation 10 a
Chinese port. The number OF returning
registered Chinese laborers admitted dur
ing the last fiscal year was 1873, and the
number of that class who left this coun-
try during the same period with the inten-
tlOu Oi returning was siJv4.s ..-..----
Admission on Certificates.
In June, 1898, it was found that large
numbers of Chinese persons were seeking
admission on certificates issued by the Gov
ernment of China, describing them as
traders, statesmen, clerks, buyers. book
keepers, accountants, managers. storekeep-
ers, apprentices, etc, as of the so-called
exempt classes designated in Article III of
the treaty with China. The subject having
been referred to the Attorney General, that
officer on July 10. 1898. rendered an opin-
ion to the effect that the privilege of ad-
mission must be confined to the classes
specifically named in the treaty and that
the true theory is not that all Chinese per-
sons may enter this country who are net
forbidden, but that only those are en-
titled to enter who are expressly allowed"
A thorough investigation OF the opera
tions of the Characterization Jaws made
during the year 1898 resulted in the dis
covery that its provisions had not been
thoroughly enforced in several sections
OF the country, and that at one port at
least Chinese had been unIawfully ah-
mitted through the collusion OF officers of
the department. These officers were
promptly dismissed from service, and the
evidence secured resulted in the criminal
indictment of three of them. Ii is eX-
pected that these persons will shortly be
tried. and every effort is being made to
punish them.
Rulings of the Department..
The rulings of the department and the
investigation referred to have resulted in
Chinese persons admitted to this country
as of the exempt class other than return
ing laborers. 5.273 having been SO admit
ted during the fiscal year ended June 80.
1898. and only 1925 in the last fiscal year.
as stated above. Since the dismissal of the
officers referred to. the admission of Chi
nese were being introduced into the terri
tory Of Hawaii under contract to work on
the sugar plantations, and under the be-
lief that such importations would intro
duce embarrassing complications In consid-
ering the right of residents of the said ter
ritory to enter at our ports, bills were pre-
pared and offered simultaneously in both
Houses of Congress extending the provi-
sions Of our immigration laws and regula-
tions to Hawaii but they failed to pass,
and the subject is again urged for the
speedy action of Congress.
By order Of the Secretary of War. and
upon the recommendation OF the Treasury
Department, the laws and regulations gov
erning immigration to the United States |
were extended to the Islands of Cuba, Por-
to Rico, and the Philippines, and their en-
forcement by the military governors there
Of will, it is believed, greatly relieve the |
embarrassment which would otherwise |
arise in this connection from the |
requirement of new territory beyond our |
coasts.
II similar privileges are hereafter grant |
ed by Congress, 1t is recommended that in |
each case the Secretary of the Treasury |
be authorized to fix and limit the number |
of Chinese SO to be admitted, and to make
regulations providing for their ultimate
1t is also recommended that authority
be granted for the taking of bonds from
masters of vessels who bring Chinese per-
sons in their crews to this country to pre-
vent the landing of such persons. The
employment of so-called Chinese watch
men to accomplish this result involved an
expense of $14.05S.50 during the last fiscal
year, which expense should hereafter be
,bviated.
In my opinion, the enforcement of the
Chinese exclusion laws should be commit