BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1901-12-02
Sentiment As To Chinese.
Exclusion Not So Generally
Favored Now.
Conditions Which Have Brought
About a Change Of View Even
on the Pacific Coast.

Washington, November 27.-The labor
champions aoho are urging the prompt re
enactment of the Chinese Exclusion Law at |
the neHt session of Congress are swaking |
to ths fact that there Is very strong op. |
position to our anti-Chinese policy of the
last twenty years scheb will have to be |
reckoned with before a continuing act Gan
he passed. How formidable this will prove
to be drawn, no one can now tell, but the
elements composing it are someaohat diff.
ferent from those aohich have appeared in
any former contest. At one time the lines
we've drawn longitudiualy through the
country like the course Of the Mississippi
RIVER, the people on the eastern side being
either opposed to exclusion or ind ferent,
and those on the wastern side strongly
favoring it. Now, however, all observers
agree as to the surprising growth Of pro-
Chinese sentiment en- the Pacific Coast,
which used to be an unqualified anti-Ohi.
nese stronghold. The larger body of tie
Iaboring class in that region are still in.
s'stent upon exclusion; some of the more
intelligent workingmen there, on the
other hand, have come to reason
that the fields of Chinese and white
labor respectively are pretty well
separated, and that the importation
of more Chinese would mean rather an
increase Of competition within shat race
than between Chinese and whites. Employ.
ers in the great fruit valleys of Oregon and
California employ Chinese labor almost to
the exclusion of white labor, not merely
because it is cheaper, but because q ma.
ljority of white laborers object to the work
OF the fruit fields on its own account too
much to do it at any wages. Since the
4 original Exclusion Law was passed and the
colicy sChich it reflected became firmly
ssddled on the Government, the Pacific
Coast has undergone remarkable develop.
mant on agricul u-al and Horticultural
lines This has opened the way for the en-
pleyment of great deal more labor than
can be got of any color or of any price.
The number Of individual owners of farms
and fruit ranches has increased, and en-
pleyers as class cut much more impor-
tsnt figure in local business and politics
than they did twenty, or even ten years
ago. Hence members of Congress from the
coast, although still faithful to the mar.
rover Caucasian ideals Of the old times, are
not quite so over-zealous az then.
If the business interests Of the West
coast, including not only employers of labor,
but the commercial element, make their
strength fully felt here next scintar, it is
possible thet they may be able to effect .
compromise with the labor agitators on a
very reasonable basis. the line suggested
for this is trial period, during which the
Exclusion Law could be allowed to lapse.
The present law expires in May. That does
not allow great deal of time for the CON-
sideration of the Legislation proposed for the
Philippine Islands, the iateroceanic canal,
the reduction Of the surplus, and other oh.
jects Of pressing importance, if any consider. /
able fight is to he made on the anti. Chinese
question so it is probable that the oppo-
nents of exclusion will propose to the other
side that nothing be done in the long ses-
sion, with the understanding that the Chi
uese question shall be the first one to which |
Congress addresses itself on recouvening in
December, and that it shali then be consid- |
cred till disposed OF. That scould allow !
some seven or eight months within which l
the Uhinese could come freely TO the coun-
try. As it would b. tully advertised that /
their right to c,me might be ,ncs more
abridged at the end Of tue period, there
would probably be as large al influx then
as possible. Ifit be true, as stated BY the
Chinese Minister and others, that the num-
Der OF Chinese who could and would come
here Is not large enough to affect our labor
market 70 any extent, we should get the
proof Of it during the months the bars were
down. That there Is no danger Of an over
Hood Of such immigration within