The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-11-19
hE-ENAcT THE eEARY LAW.

= ROM EVERY SECTION of the United States
the press and the people are raising their voices
against the opening of our ports to unrestricted
Immigration of Chinese Congress will not be allowed
te daily with the question 1t Is limited that President
Roosevelt fayors an extension OF the Geary act, and
he may recommend It In his message. Whether he
does or not the lawmakers of the nation must look into
the subject as soon after they assemble as possible
This is matter III which delay VIII be permitted
The interests involved are too great. POstpOnenent
until near the close of the session may defeat for
the measure Tt is simple proposition that should
require little debate.
Shall American labor be forced to compete with
yellow coolies? Shall the wage standard of the United
States be degraded to the level of the Orient! These
are questions which no congressman or senator should
have any difficulty in answering IN the negative.
They are questions that affect directly and indirectly,
thousands upon thousands of American homes. Trans
Doraon companies, rail and water backed by the coal
barons of the east who in the Chinese the solution
of their labor problem, backed by great employers of
labor who hope for larger figures the credit side OF
their ledgers viii urge inaction-
They viii plead for delay. for discussion, for any
thing that viii aid in preventing the extension Of the
law now In force and which expires by limitation next
May In this they viii probably be aided by few
misguided philanthropists who would open doors
the ofscOurngs of the earth in the hope of better
ing their condition The fight of Labor therefore, Is by
no means won. Work must be done, pressure brought
to bear each individual member of congress, pledges
of speedy action secured
One of the prominent converts to the Chinese i'm
migration idea, if report speaks truly Is Lyman j.
Gage secretary Of the treasury 1t is rumored that IN
his annual report Mr. Gage viii recommend that
action looking the extension of the Geary law be
taken If this Is true, 1t viii make the fight of the
l@Goring masses that much harder. The conversion
of Mr. Gage said have been brought about through
the commercial argument.
lie has been told by the agents of the steamship
companies and others that unrestricted Chinese immi
grafton viii greatly increase our trade with China
Into his has been dDned the great advantages to
be acquired by American merchants through this trade
The possibilities of great Oriental market have been
spread before him, ana he has, according rumor
lost sight of the vaster interests here at home.
But the people who are arguing that Chinese i'm
migration viii bring about greater volume of trade
with the Ceestials who stay at home either wfuy
deceving their listeners they nexcusably ignor
ant. The exclusion of the Chinese has had no bad eff
feet trade with them On the contrary ever since
the first exclusion act passed IN 1882 that trade
has increased In 1880 the total exports and imports
aggregated S279994S2. In 1882 they were S3 313
and in 1900, SIS 100000
Whatever bad things may be said of him. the Chi
nese IS keen at bargaining He is going to buy his
goods wherever he can buy them most cheaply he is
going to sell his products in the market where they
bring the highest price No matter what conditions
prevail otherwise, this Is the rule under which the Chi
nese will work, and the statement is bo ne out by the
statistical showing presented above.
To cap it all, and this is in August 1901, Consul
oelCIdl NOounoW says: Inc United states IS second
only to Great Britain IN goods sold to the Chinese The
United States buys more goods from China than does
any other nations and her total trade with China ex-
ports and imports equals that of Great Britain nean-
ing the United Kingdom and Is far ahead of any other
country The statement by Mr. Goodnow IS the latest
word on the subject, and should be taken rs con-
elusive
This is all aside from the sentimental feature of the
subject It IS all aside from the ruin that would come
to american labor through the unfair and unequal com
petition Of Chinese workmen IN every class of skilled
and unskled labor The Herald fails to see how any
congressman or senator, having the interests of the
whole country at heart can fail to record his vote in
the affirmative on the proposition extend the Geary
act.