Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-09-21
CHINA KICKS HARD
VIGOROUS PROTEST AGAINST
OTIS EXCLUSION ORDER.
SUBMITTED TO PRESIDENT
Protest of Such a Character as to Give
Subject International Aspect Con-
siderably Beyond Purely Military
Questions Inyolved-Order Hard on
CelestialS.

Washington, Sept. 19.-The imperial
Chinese government, through its min
lister here, WI Ting Fan, has lodged
with the state department protest
against the military order Of General
Otis excluding the Chinese from the
Philippines Neither the state depart
ment nor the Chinese legation would
give any information concerning the
protest, but from entirely reliable
quarters it is learned that it insists
that General Otis action is contrary
to international law, in violation of eX-
listing treaties and in complete disre-
gard of the friendly relations which
have been so long maintained between
the two countries. The Chinese minis
ter called at the state department last
Friday and it is believed submitted the
protest in person at that time. The
matter was promptly brought to the
attention of the president, as the pro-
test was of such character as to give
the subject an international aspect con-
siderably beyond the purely military
luG0IlOlA III GU IL ID Sei1u IAiet
among the specific points of the protest
submitted by the Chinese government
is one to the effect that such an order
is a departure from the announced
purpose of the president of the United
States to maintain the present status
of affairs in the Philippines
until congress had determ-
ined permanent conditions. The
military phase of the question has been
referred 20 Secretary Root.
Gen. Otis order was issued some
time ago without direction from Wash
ington-apparently as a military ne
cessity, although the Chinese protest
there is no such military necessity,
but on the contrary that the Chinese
have rendered valuable aid and mill
tary assistance Gen. Otis order was
signed by himself as military governor
Of the Philippines, and by Brigadier
General Charles A Whitaker as col
lector of customs, having supervision
of Chinese affairs 1t says: The laws
of the United States which prohibit
the entrance of Chinese will be en-
forced here" The decree then excerpts
such Chinese as have previously lived
in the Philippines and who hold GER
tificates showing that to be fact. 1t
also excerpts Chinese officials, travellers,
ETC., excepted in the treaty between the
United States and China. Provision is
made for registering the Chinese in the
Philippines and their deportation to
China in case of failure to register.
The Chinese government regards the
outcome of this protest with much ap-
prehension. 1t is pointed out that the
Chinese have been long established in
the Philippines and that a considerable
branch of the industry of the islands
is conducted by them and that this
complete termination of a long estab-
lished communication between China
and the Philippines Injuries the people
both personally and materially. The
protest is said to be couched in the
most dignified and courteous terms,
but to be so pointed that no doubt is
left as to the deep umbrage the Chinese
government feels over this order OF
Otis