The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-28
Mr.. WU'S CAPITOL VISITS
The Chinese Minister'S Reply to
Criticism of His Course.
Explains His Interest in Liquidation
Affecting the Enforcement of the
Exclusion Act - Annoyed ut the
Manner i'm Which Some of His
Countrymen Have Heen Dcported.

| preparations recently, and Saturday to call
! upon Senator Allison, Chairman of that
committee, both calls having been made
on account of Mr.. Wu's interest represent
ing the Celestial Empire, in bill before
the Senate to make an appropriation of
sl5o.oC0 to more strictly enforce the ex.
clusion act against Chinese contract labor
ers and to place under Commissioner Cen
erai Powderly. OF the immigration Bureau,
the duty of enforcing the act where here
tofore this matter has come under o. L.
Spaulding, Assistant Secretary of the
Treasury.
At the time Mr.. WI called upon the
Senate Subcommittee he asked, at the
committee room door, to see one OF the
Senators. and was ushered into the COM
mittee room, much to the surprise of the
members present. The visit Of the Giplo-
mat was an innovation. but his suavity
was irresistible, and his enquiries and
suggestion were listened to. Mr.. Wu's
| constituents in San Francisco object to
| the vigor with which the Commissioner
! OF immigration enforces the alien labor
| law. They object to Mr.. Powderly's lack
Of tact, to his apparent earnestness in OK
! GLIDING aliens according to the letter Of
the law. They say that he is great labor
! union man. and, consequently, opposed to
! any Chinese whatever coming into the
country. They preferred that the duty Of
| enforcing the Chinese exclusion act, which
, pertains particularly to them, should re-
main in the hands OF the Assistant Secre-
tary Of the Treasury.
When the bill which had been passed by
! the House was reported to the eSnate it
was a noticeable fact that the part that
the Chinese Minister objected to had been
eliminated to the extent that Commits
| sioner Powderly's administration should
be under the supervision of the Secretary
Of the Treasury, the latter to prescribe
| the rules and regulations for the enforce
ment Of the exclusion act.
In Fridays debate on the bill Senator
Lodge offered an amendment to the
amendment providing that these rules and
regulations should be made by the Com
missioner General Of Immigration. Wheth-
er this attracted Mr. Wu's attention or
not, he went to the Senate and was in
consultation with Senator Allison upon an
day for some little time. He said yester-
day that he saw Senator Allison upon an
entirely different matter.
Mr.. WI Surprised.
Mr.. WI is very much surprised that his
visit to the Capitol upon these two occa-
sions is treated as an innovation and been
the subject of comment. He said yester-
day:
May a diplomat not go to the CAP .tcl?
Yes?
May he not go to the Capitol for
stroll? Yes?
III he goes to the Capitol and sees
Senator is he a lobbyist"
With the most convincing laugh the
dirIp mt 40 ms
necessarily"
This is a free country, is it not?'
The minister smiled as If to say that is
understood everywhere.
This matter has been exaggerated.
wish to comply with the customs. Is 1t
an innovation to go to the Capitol? May
diplomat not go and listen to the
speeches? Yes? Well, it is all as you
take 1t. s<lt
You see man walking on the street.
Do you say that man is ON his way to
commit burglary? Or is It likely that
he is on his evenings walk to visit
friend?"
What object did you have in visiting
the Capitol il not for the purpose named?"
was asked.
Il went for information. Is that such
a strange thing that man should go to
the Capitol for information?
i
Francisco asking me about bill OF which
/ had heard nothing. If had gone to the
State Department perhaps l wou d have
been delayed in finding just what wan ed.
Time and information were important to
my case. / had heard nothing of any bill
which it had appeared to be my duty to
look into. The call was sudden, and l was
prompt"
Ibid you get the information you
sought?' was asked.
''Oh, yes" was the reply, but l did rot
argue. / did not complain
do you oppose as strict enfo.ceme Mt
of the Exclusion act as can be administered
under the terms of the treaty" was asked.
Not by any means, for that is tie tre1ty,
and is law until courts declare against
it or it is repealed"
DO your people object to the matter
being placed in Commissioner Powd erly's
hands 2"
Personally / can see no reason why 1t
should not be. He has charge of excluding
other alien laborers, ard IL seems natural
thing to place this matter in his charge.
But the bureau of which he is the head
is under a man who is very close to the
labor unions. / have been very much an
noyed by the way some Of our people, who
have the right to come here under the
treaty, have been deported. The treaty
travellers, and merchants. Rich men.
bankers, doctors, and Others have been
turned back repeatedly wnen seeking to
come here from my country, because OF
the slightest Irregularities in their pass
ports. / protested to the State Dcpilt-
meat two years ago about this. Ninety
nine per cent of the American people be-
leve that the Exclusion act refers to
laborers only. My people claim that there
iS faiV nff irwin ha
of the treaty and that there is an unfair
way. Perhaps they fear that under the
Bureau of immigration enough care wou d |
not be eXerted to be consiierate Ct
Chinese gentlemen entitled to enter this
country"
do you mean to say that you object to |
the strict enforcement of the Exclusive !
act, according to the letter OF the law" |
was asked again.
IF it is enforced as the treaty intended
there can be no objection made" was the |
reply.
VIII you continue to 80 TO the Capt. |
tol?"
Mr.. WI raised his hands as Frenchman |
raises his shoulders and replied:
Il suppose not If my visits attract so |
much attention. II dressed as an Amer |
lean. perhaps l could go with the crowd. |
AS 1t Is when my robes are seen perhaps |
they will say: He is here to influence |
the statesmen in the interest OF the East |
Perhaps l had better not. Perhaps | will |
not go to the Capitol again. But why give |
It this importance? l assure you the |
Importance OF my visits have been exag- /
Grated.
May not pay Senator social call
now at his home or at the Senate2"
Mr.. WI is an interviewer. He leads the |
conversation by his questions. He is a
lawyer, protege OF Lii Hung Chang and