The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-24
THE PHILIPPINE chinese
A Communication Relative to Their
Status Sent to the Senate.
Secretary Hny Transmits Notes From
Minister WI Ting-fnn.: Giving the
why the Exclusion Laws should
Not He Applied in the Islands.

Not He Applied in the Islands.
| The President yesterday transmitted to
| the Senate communications from Secretary
| Hay relative to the status OF Chinese III
! the Philippine Islands, including notes
! from the Chinese Minister setting forth
reasons why In the opinion of his Govern
ment the Chinese exclusion laws should
| not be applied in the Philippines. In the
| first of these notes. dated February j. 1883,
shortly before the ratification of the Paris
| Treaty. Minister WI enquiries what policy
| the American Government intended to
adopt toward Chinese immigration to the
| islands, and reminds Secretary Hay that
/ for centuries very intimate and important
relations have existed between China and
| the Philippines owing to their contiguity
| and favorable trade ard industrial condi-
| tions. The Chinese population resident In
the islands he declared to be very large
| engaged in every walk of life and had in
| termarried with the Philippine races. Free
| immigration and unrestricted commerce
| had existed in the past. and Minister WI
| asked on behalf of his Government that
| nothing be done to disturb those relations
| or abridge the rights and privileges so long
! enjoyed in the islands by the Chinese.
September IL last Minister WI, after
| receiving notice from the State Department
that Chinese exclusion laws had been prac-
| tically enforced by the military order of
| General Otis for year before that date.
| presented to Secretary Hay and through
| him to the President and Congress the
| mcst earnest and solemn protest of the
| Imperial Chinese Government against the
existence and enforcement of the order as
contrary to international law and comfy
in violation Of the spirit of existing trea-
| ties and in utter disregard to the friendly
relations which should exist between the
| two Governments"
He based his protest on the grounds
| first, that the order was not warranted
| as military measure. the Chinese in the
islands not being inimical to their cccu-
patton by the United States; second that
it was contrary to the announced policy
| Of the President to leave the status of the
islands unchanged until Congress should
determine their relations to the United
States, and third, that it would work
great injustice to the numerous Chinese
residents in the islands and disturb the
States and China. He points out that the
labor question which influenced the adop-
ton of the exclusion laws in the United
States did not apply in the Philippines.
He renews his protest of November Is,
and adds to "those very serious COM
plants new one of an enlarged and ag-
gravated character" which was that under
the orders of General Otis the restriction
laws were also being applied against mer-
chants and others of the exempt class.
This, he alleged, w5.S in direct violation
OF treaty stipulations md unwarranted by
any law Of the United States. He re-
quested instructions be sent General Otis
removing the embargo against merchants
and others exempted, even though the
prohibition regarding laborerS were al
lowed to stand temporarily. These in
structions were issued soon after the pro-
test was received at the War Department
Minister WI, on the 7th OF the present
month. renewed his efforts to have the
| restrictions as to laborers removed, and
In a note TO Secretary Hay says: Or.
Il have the honor to bring up again by
special instructions from my Government
the subject of extending the Chinese ex
clusion of the United States to the Philip
pine Islands for the consideration of your
Government. Minister Conger has un-
doubteiIy informed the Department by
this time that the Tsung-li- Yamen, in a
note addressed to him, expresses the deep
anxiety of the Chinese Government as to
the steps to be taken By the United States
in this direction, with the request that
the same be communicated to the United
|; | States Government. reply having been
received from the Minister conveying the
Information that the Congress of the
United States has not yet taken any legis-
lative action in the matter. and suggest
!, ing that the views and wishes of the
Chinese Government be laid before the
. Congress OF the United States, the Tsungli-
Yamen has accordingly given me instruc-
tions to this effect.
. LAS the views OF my Government and
the statutes Of the immigration question
affecting the Chinese as applied to the
| Philippines have been fully set forth in
my correspondence with your DEPARTING Mt
on the subject. l Will not here repeat
them. but content myself with simply re-
, ferring to them for your further consid-
Grafton. 1t is the earnest wish and hope
| of my Government that this question be
, DEALT with by the Government CT the
United States in a just. fair. and liberal
, ytrit, having in view the continuance and
: enlargement of the existing friendly reIa-
tions between the two countries. The i'm
, perial Government feels that the reasons
for the adoption of exclusion policy BIZ
the United States respecting Chinese la
borers do not hold good in the Philippin S,
but tnat on the contrary, even from the
testimony Of many American and Euro
, pean travellers and observers. the presence
/ of Chinese is Indispensable to the proper
development of those islands.
Il feel confident that IL Congress be nut
in possession of all the information posi-
, BILE on the subject. so as to enable it to
, consider the question in all its bearings.
it will. in its unerring wisdom enact such
, measures. when the proper time comes,
as will be satisfactory to all concerned.
With this object in view beg to REQUEST
that you will kindly transmit to the Con-
gress copies of my notes to the Depart
/ ment on this subject
THE TENNIS TOURNEY.