The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-12-01
FIGHT
MADE AGAINST
CHIEF DUNN
Scheme of COOIie Inn
porterS Fooled.

On the 2lst instant The Call published
the opinion of the Secretary OF the Treas
ury and OF the immigration department
TO the effect that II would be 10 the best
interest OF the service If the Chinese Bu-
reau and the whole matter of the admis-
sion OF Chinese immigrants TO this coun-
try under the provisions of the exclusion
act were transferred TO the immigration
department. The reason given by the Of
ficials forfhis opinion was that the pres
ent management OF the Chinese Bureau
being upon the shoulders Of the Collector
OF the Port imposes an onerous and I'M
necessary burden upon him and is a him
drance and a detriment 10 the work OF
the customs department at this port par
ticularly. Under the former administra-
ton OF the bureau the head of that de-
partment was a customs inspector pro-
NOTED by the Collector TO that responsible
position and often as the result of a po-
litical pull rather than OF fitness or
merit The chief was responsible To the
Collector, his political creator, and wS>a
often simply puppet in the hands of the
Collector or the influential friends of that
official
BY reason of this inject n of politics
ana local influences into the government
OF the bureau great abuses Crept in and
many scandals were the outcome. Coun-
terfeit certificates Of registry and admis-
sion were peddled about and sold to Chi
nese slave importers and copies of the
transcript of testimony taken by the bu-
reau were sold by bureau employees to
these same slave importers.
Concerning all these delinquencies and
scandals the Treasury Department was
kept informed by the reports OF criminal
trials in the Federal courts and by the
publications in The Call. After many con-
situations with special agents and i'm
migration commissioners the Secretary of
the Treasury made radical change in
the personnel of the Chinese Bureau. He
dispensed with the services of a deputy
collector ana placed at the head of the
bureau in this city J. r. Dunn, a gentle
man of unblemished reputation and ster-
ling integnIv. But owing TO the terms
OF the exclusion act the Collector of the
Port alone had the right TO admit Chinese
immigrants or to deny them a landing
and the appointment of Mr.. Dunn, while
II had the effect of putting the bureau
upon a systematic basis for the work en-
trusted 10 II, still left upon the shoulders
OF the Collector the burden of personal
investigation and supervision in all the
cases.
Chief Dunn Immediately became I'M
popular among the Chinese brokers and
their allies, the lawyers, engaged in the
business of landing coolies, and a deter
mined effort was made TO restore the old
condition of thing. on the part of the
companies and persons most Interested I'm
the Chinese immigration business The
fact that the reorganization of the bureau
had not ughtened the work of the Col
lector was made the most of. Special
Treasury Agent Smith prepared a report
some weeks ago to the Secretary of the
Treasury, in which he set forth the con-
dition of affairs in the bureau, and also
the suggestion made 10 him that Chief
Dunn be assigned to some sphere of use
fulness in the East and that his place be
taken by a deputy Collector at this port
an additional deputyship TO be created for
that purpose.
Special Agent Smith laid the proposition
before the Secretary and when asked for
his private opinion gave il as adverse TO
the proposition. for the reasons which had
prompted the change from the old to the
present system. The Secretary. who held
a similar opinion. at once shelved the adj
ditional deputy proposition and resolved
to advocate such a change of the exclu-
sion act as should place the whole matter
of Chinese immigration in the hands OF
the immigration Commissioners at the
various ports of entry
Hart II. North. United States Immigra-
ton Commissioner at this port. said in an
interview yesterday that he did not desire
TO have the management of the Chinese