The times., 1899-12-30
cross Violations of the Exclusion
Act Alleged.

Act Alleged.
Treasury Department officials are greatly
exercised over the manner in which they
have recently been outwitted in their
efforts to enforce the Chinese exclusion
/ act
The Joint resolution Of Congress of
March l. 1899, provides that these laws
shall not prevent the admission of such
mechanics, artisans, agents, or other en-
ployes" as any foreign exhibitor, rep
resentative. or citizen of a foreign nation,
or the holder, who is a citizen of for
eign nation. Of any concession or privi
lege from the Philadelphia Exposition AS
sociation" may deem necessary for the
purpose OF such concession.
As a result of this resolution the eXposi-
tion authorities supported a Chinaman,
Yon Phou Lee in this request for the ad
mission of $50 Chinese.
After careful consideration it was found
that under the provisions of the joint reso-
lutlon referred to, the department had no
| authority to fix and limit the number of
/ Chinese persons to be admitted, for the
purpose in question, nor to make regula-
|
for their subsequent deportation The ap-
plication of the cOncessi0naire was, there
fore. reluctantly granted although expert
ence had shown that the number
greatly in excess OF the requirements OF
an exhibit such as was contemplated. and
the collector of customs at San Francisco
/ was instructed TO admit 450 Chinese for
/ the purpose Of such concession, though
/ bonds were not required for their return
] tn baf II ne he mo
/ il was required that photograph and ac-
curate description OF each should be FUR
nished TO the collector. Subsequently PSI
Chinese persons were admitted under this
authority and arrived at the exposition, but
/ the collector OF customs at Philadelphia
reported later that up 10 November
ali but 70 had left the city, though the
/ exposition was to continue until December
,. ThereuDon the collector at San Fran
/ cisco was directed to admit no more Chi
nese under the provisions of the resolution.
I ". s. Chance, the Supervising Special
Agent OF the Treasury Department, openly
states his belief that the holder of the
/ Chinese concession sold the privilege OF
admission to this country for large sums
! Of money. and that this was one Of the
many schemes resoTted to for the purpose
( # evading the exclusion act.
| Three OF the Chinese admitted for the
/ Philadelphia Exposition while en- route
/ from the exposition to the West, were re-
Gently arrested at Buffalo for deportation
and were discharged by the United States
/ Commissioner there being no law or reg
ulation prohibiting them from travelling
1 wherever they so desired In the United
States. A few months ago g number OF
/ Chinese admitted under similar circum-
stances for the Omaha Exhibition, when
/ arrested in deportation proceedings were
promptly discharged by the United States
( Court.
An investigation by Treasury Depart
ment agents, has revealed the fact that al
Boston. New York, Chicago. aud elsewhere
fictitious Chinese mercantile establish
ments have been formed for the sole pur-
/ pose of securing the admission OF Chinese
/ to this country on the ground that they
are merchants and members Of these con
/ Germs. Many OF the companies carry lit
/ tie or no stock, but the list of their part
/ ners" sometimes contains as many as fifty
names When these have secured admis-
sion the list is promptly changed, and the
! names Of new partners" are substituted
| In his report 10 the department the su-
| pervising special agent urges that the
granting Of special privileges for the ad-
mission OF Chinese is unnecessary that
! they are not asked for in good faith and
| that they are invariably abused He sug-
gests that if Congress should deem it ad-
visable, in the light Of past experience
| to grant similar privileges hereafter the
| number to be admitted should be properly
limited. and that provision should be made
by the taking OF sufficient bonds to enforce
| their deportation, and the department
| should be clothed with authority to make
and enforce the necessary regulations
| Members of Congress who have taken
| especial interest in this subject are said
| TO believe that the Bureau of Immigration
| should have direct charge OF the enforce
ment of the Chinese exclusion act and
it IS reported that a bill will soon be in
troduced In Congress which will provide
for this change, and for other suitable leg
| islation for the enforcement of the laws
relative to the admission OF Chinese