The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-08-29
THE POLICY OF EXCLUSION.


Quite a number q articles are appear
ing in The East. questioning ;he aiy!s-
ability Of renewing the present Chinese
exclusion act: the point being made that
the United States is now endeavoring
to push its trade with China and ,ha,
to DO anything which nigh; tend TO
arouse any sentiment sgainsi The United
States in China, such as 4 passage of
an exclusion act, might have az adverse
influence on trade. Presiden; David
Starr jordan, Of Leland Stanford uni
versity is one Of those who have taken
this view Of the subjc,
All Of this proceeds on thetheory that
the Chinese government and people are
deeply aroused over the exclusion mat
ter; that the Chinese governmen: is
anxious to have our ports open 70 lis
people, ana that the Chimes them
selves are clamoring 10 come into the
country. As a matter OF fact there IS
no evidence that :he Chinese govern
ment has any particular desire 10 have
its people emigrats 20 this or any other
country. That government. on the con-
trary. apparently prefers to keep rs
people a, home. and as free As possible
from any contact With Western ciyll-
cation.
Moreover, the class Of Chinese wh2
are excluded from this country by The
terms o. he present law are merely
coolies, the lowest class Of labJr: those
who. al home. from their abjsct ,ov-
erty. are not purchasers Of s).elgn pro-
ducts. sun further. the coolies who
have heretofore come INTO the United
States are almost entirely from one
single province, Of which Canton IS the
capital; and from the northern prov!n-
ces, wi,h which cur trade Is the larg-
es:, there has never bee1 any arprz-
claole amount Of emigration to the
United States.
Il our trade relations with the Chi
nese are to depend solely upon the treat /
men; which the United States govern
ment accords 10 the Chimes government:
and people, surely the Chinese a, the /
present time owe Us a deb, o. grati,uIs /
far sufficient TO outweigh any sense Of /
resentment at our refusal 20 p=rmi. our /
Pacific coast to b. made the dumping
ground for the degraIe coolies Of one
Chinese province, II there ls such A T.
thing as national government in China. 7
which will influence trade transact.7n .
that sentiment should ind exhibition .
in vivid gratitude for the services which .
this country has rendered in presery-
ing the empire from dismsmbermen:,
and in tightening the burdens which
China has been compelled to assume
in settlement for the outrages in North
ern China. If there is an adverse SEN
tment to be aroused, which will re-
fec, upon future trade with the out
side world, the bloody and brutal out
RACES committed by the troops Of some
Of our commercial rivals upon the un-
resisting on-combatants in Northern
China ought to stir it far more than
the refusal Of this country to allow
Chinese Of the lowest class to become
dcmiciled here
But It is very much to be doubted
whether there is any such thing as a
true public sentiment in China Much
more Is # to be doubted whether the
commercial classes with whom We have
trade relations, viii allow any such SEN
timent, If Il actually does exist, 10 iaJer-
fere with profitable trade Our trade
with China will be expanded If at all, .
by improving the transportation facil-
tiles, by catering to the Chinese market
and studying its demands and necessi-
ties, and by selling goods on better
terms than our European rivals; not by
making legislative concessions designed
to encourage better sentimental rela-
tons.
The question Of Chinese exclusion
should be considered solely on It's own
merits That question IS simply wheth-
er the interests of the United States are
by policy which excludes
from our shores representative labor,