The record-union., 1899-08-24
Gen. Otis, 1t Is Said, Has Put II
Into Force in Philippines,
Though Without Direction From 0fflcla
Departments at Washington.
What Step the Chinese Govern
ment Will Take in the Matter
Has Not Been Made Known
the Minister Not at Present Be-
ing at Washington.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 23.-The State
Department has been informed through
a diplomatic channel that General otis
has applied the Chinese exclusion law
TO the Philippines. The information was
a surprise to the authorities here, both
State and military as the matter has
5een under consideration for some time,
and it was not known thar General
Otis had put the exclusion law into
force
The first intimation in that direction
came in a dispatch received few
days ago from the Chinese Consul at
Manila, telling the Chinese Legation
here that the exclusion law against
the Chinese. had been applied to the
Philippines. The dispatch was brought
to the attention of the State Depart
ment, and inquiry made as to how the
action was brought about, as the
Chinese Government has been solic-
itous since American control has been
established in the Philippines that the
United States exclusion law should not
be extended over those islands
The State Department knows moth
ing of such an extension, and made in
quiries of the War Department. The
military authorities, however, were
equally without information rs to Cen
eral Otis course in this particular.
Accordingly, the Chinese officials We're
advised that any action taken by Gen
eral Otis in applying the exclusion law
to the Philippines was not the result of
instructions sent from here, but was
doubtless due to the exercise oe his
authority as Governor General of the
Philippines.
What further step the Chinese au-
thorities will take has not been deter
mined, as Minister WI Ting Fang is
out of the city for few days There
is little doubt, however, that ne Will
seek to have General Otis order held
in abeyance 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 imporant letter
from Mr. Williams, our former Consul
at Manila, who still remains there in
confidential capacity. He says the na-
tive Filipinos are strongly opposed to
Chinese labor, and in his opinion The
exclusion of the Chinese from the ISL
ands would materially aid in bringing
the war to a close.
The Chinese Government has shown
more anxiety as to the course of this
Government toward the Chinese in the
Philippines than toward those in Cuba
or other parts of the world, mainly be-
cause the Philippines are so near
China and large numbers of Chinese
are already established there. They
carry on the bulk of the retail trade,
have an extensive quarter in Manila,
and send out travelling statesmen carry
ing 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 per-
formed by the Chinese. and Naval Con-
structor Hobson has recently reported
to the Navy Department on the value
of Chinese labor in naval and CONNER
cial pursuits in the far East.
The only action here as to the
Chinese exclusion law has been in the
ruling that they are not part of the
immigration law, and did not apply to
CIlba and Porto Rico