The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-08-24
CHINESE TO BEKEPT OUT
General Otis Has Applied Exolu-
sion Laws to Philippines.
FILIPINOs OPPOSED TO CHINESE.
Former Consul Williams Believes
Their Exclusion From the Islands
Would Materially Aid in Bringing
the War to a Close.

roTIueT SOnSul NllllamS beIteveS
Their Exclusion From the Islands
Would Materially Aid In Bringing
the War to Close.
Washington, Aug. 24.-The state de-
partment has been informed through
diplomatic channel that General Otis
has applied the Chinese exclusion laws
to the Philippines. The information
was surprise to the authorities here,
both state and military, as the matter
has been under consideration for some
time, and it was not known that Cen
eral Otis had put the exclusion laws
into effect.
The first intimation in that direction
came in dispatch received few days
ago from the Chinese consul at Manila,
telling the Chinese legation here that
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 most solicitOus since American
military control was established in the
Philippines that the United States ex-
clusion laws should not be extended
over the islands, The state department
knew nothing of such an extension,
and the war department was equally
without information as to General Otis
course in this particular.
Accordingly the Chinese officials
were advised that any action taken by
10 in l,i, a
laws to the Philippines was rot the re-
suit of instructions sent from here, but
was doubtless due to an exercise of his
authority as governor general of the
Philippines. What further step the Chi
nese authorities will take has not been
determined. as Minister WI Ting Fang
is out of the city. There is little doubt,
however, that he will seek to have
General Otis order held in allegiance
until the authorities here pass upon
the general question which has been
under consideration between the two
governments.
In this connection the state depart
ment has received an important letter
from Mr.. Williams, our former consul
at Manila who still remains there in
confidential capacity. He says the ma
tive Filipinos are strongly opposed to
Chinese labor and in his opinion the
exclusion of the Chinese from the
island would materially aid in bring
ing the war to close. He places the
Chinese population at $1,000, which is
considerably more than other estimates
from official sources.
The Chinese government has shown
more anxiety as to the course of this
government towards the Chinese in the
Philippines than towards those in Cuba
or other parts Of the world. mainly be-
cause the Philippines are so near China
and large numbers of Chinese are al
ready established there. They carry on
the bulk of the retail trade. having an
extensive quarter in Manila and send
out travelling statesmen, carrying packs,
to the remote interior of the islands.
Some of the official reports, including
those of Admiral Dewey, have paid a
tribute to the work performed by the
Chinese, and Naval Constructor Hob
son has recently reported to the navy
department 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
government toward the islands. The
only action taken here as to the Chi
nese exclusion laws has been in ruling
that they were not part of the i'm
migration laws and did not apply to
Cuba and Porto Rico.