New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-06-30
CHINESE PETITION READY.
PLEA FOR THE ABROGATON OF THE
GEARY LAW ABOUT TO BE
CIRCULATED

The fight of the Chinese of the United States
against the extension of the Geary Exclusion act
after its expiration next May took definite form
yesterday when a carefully prepared petition,
addressed to the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives. was put before the Chinese OF this
city for signature. This petitioner ones sim
liar to twill be circulated in every city in the
United States which has a Chinese population.
After the Cinnamon have signed the paper it
will be translated into English, and effort
will be made to secure the signatures of citizens
of the United States.
The petition has been under preparation for
several weeks. as has been told in The Tribune.
Prominent Chinese officials in the United States
have had unofficial hand in it, Chow Tszchi,
the Consul General of China at this port is
particularly interested 1t circulated
among the Chinese of this city in yesterdays
issue of The Chinese Weekly Herald" The
petition in its present form is subject TO amend
ment and change. The Chinese are asked to
send in suggestions and to report any new ar
guments in favor of Chinese immigration which
may occur TO them.
Chinatown is thoroughly pleased with the idea
of petitioning Congress. The Cinnamon of this
city have wanted TO do something of the kind
for long time. Top Sing Hong, the association
of Chinese merchants. which has quarters at
No. 16 hottest. is backing the petition.
The streets of Chinatown will be crowded to-
day, for Chinese are coming from every direc-
tion TO talk the movement over. An effort will
be made TO secure the names of all visitors. 1t
is said that nine-tenths of the Cinnamon in the
country wiz sign the petition before the time to
send it 10 washington.
The Tribune yesterday secured the following
translation of the petition it now stands:
We. the undersigned. Chinese residents OF the
United States petitioners TO your honorable
whereas The Geary Exclusion act win shortly
expire it must be patent to your wisdom ana sense
of justice that attempt 10 renew the same
would be an anomaly in this twentleLh century rs
We suggest to your honorable body that your
great martyred President struck a final blow
against racial prejudice when, with stroke OF his
pen, he emancipated the slaves Of this country so
leading to the amendment of the constitution that
liberty and equality could no longer he declared
We assert that the Chinese Exclusion act Is in
direct opposition to the principles OF your con
you should discriminate against the citizens of
country the most populous the globe and with
frieGdly but Commercial relations
which shall bind the two nations closer and closer
We yield to none in appreciation of American
iighfernent that we appeal when we ask you. rep
resentatives Of the American people TO abolish an
arbitrary and unjust statute. which is an insult to
China and a stigma the fair fame of the United
States.
The parrot cry that immigration cheapens labor
has been used periodically against the Irish the
Italians the HungarianS and every other race that
has sought the hospitality of this country but We
would call attention the fact that the Chinese.
alone Of these entirely self-supporttng. Nor
can we remember of instance of single Chi
being a burden on the country of his adop-
ton You must remember also. that through your
exclusion laws only the lower classes venture to
encounter the perils and troubles of running the
blockade. and that you succeed IN excluding only
the commercial and literary element through
whose good offices more permanent results would
be achieved in ncouraging trade and fostering
good relations than can be accomplished by the
and armies and all the torceful tactics or the
European powers
II has been urged against that tran
sients and as such undesirable residents This
inasmuch as b. deprivng of all rights of
0uiring property citizenship you yourselves
force upon US the alternatives YOU condemn. Give
portion of the rights so freely accorded to
the other alien races you welcome to your shores
and results will disprove the calumnies TO
which we have been subjected.
commerce is king" All the nations of Christen-
dom are so desirous Of securing treaty ports in
China in order that they may share the benefits
of her trade that they ready at any moment
other rather than lose their fair unfair equiva-
lent Is papable to the meanest under
ing the confidence and respect OF four hundred
millions of people through fair and upright dealing
must eventually be the friend of China? Com
merce cannot exist without credit, and what trust
or credit can there be where brute force Wanton
insult are the acknowledged factors the
side and obstinacy and revenge the other? Your
moral and commercial codes alike demand the
abolition of the Exclusion act We petition against
It. not as a favor but a right and feel =
sured that in a full and free debate alien dem
your judgment by appeals to
racial prejudice as TO render You unmndful of the
precepts and principles inherited from your pa
triotic forefathers. and which in direct op-
injustice. We leave our cause in your hands.