Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-02-16
KAHN WORKING
AGAINST CHINESE

Washington, Feb. 6.-At today's
hearing on the Kahn bill before the
House Committee on Foreign Rela.
tons, Representative Kahn spoke for
over an hour, going quite freely into
several features of the proposed legis.
lation and enlightening the committee
on Chinese exclusion in general. Close
attention was paid to his remarks.
James d. Phelan OF the California
commission also spoke, commencing
the bill.
Representative Kahn spoke first on
the traits OF Chinese character, show.
ing by historical instances how that
people, from the Emperor down, are
experts in duplicity and cunning. The
necessity Of carefully worded and com.
prehensive laws was rendered greater
than would be the case in dealing with
any other people. He then took the
existing treaty and showed that by its
own terms II is to be made operative
by laws that are now, or may be here.
after enacted. While the Chinese claim
that hardships are imposed by the ex.
clusion laws, little is said by the pro.
Chinese OF the strong provisions of the
treaty whereby the United States Gov.
eminent is required to furnish the Chi.
nese Government annually complete
list of all Americans in China, with
names, residences, occupations, etc.
even including missionaries. No such
espionage is placed upon Chinese in
this country.
Representative Kahn also referred
to the act anneXing Hawaii and to the
act establishing the Territory of Ha.
wall. in both of which were provisions
excluding the Chinese from the main.
land OF the United States. He pointed
out that there are only $4,000 Chinese
in Hawaii while there are $4,000 In
the Philippines. If Congress thought
II wise to exclude the small number in
Hawaii. 1t certainly should exclude the
vastly larger number in the Philip,
pines from entering this country.
At this point Representative VIII.
liam Alden Smith asked Kahn If he
wanted the Philippine provision in the
bill Just as 1t stood, to which Kahn re.
piled that he did: that he insisted up
on II as being vital in exclusion. Go.
ing further Kahn proved by docu-
mentary evidence that the so-called
Chinese merchant class is the one that
imports women for immoral purposes
and that laborers do not indulge IN
this traffic. He opposed any letting
down of the bars to merchants on this
account.
Kahn showed that our Consuls in.
variably report the cunning of Chinese
in initiating American goods, and that
as fast as they become acquainted
with Western methods they arc aDle
to compete in skilled labor and manu-
factnre certain articles to the exclu'
sion OF American goods. He cited the
cases where bogus condensed milk
was sold In China under well.known
American brand. Reference was also
made by the father of the exclusion
bill to the criminal record Of thu Chi
nese in the United States and the ne
cessity Of preventing the inilpS OF
such undesirable immigrants. RE also
spoke of the need of the codihcation Of
the existing laws, which is accomplish
ed by his bill, and of the necessity Of
extending protection to American
workingmen from the hordes of Chi
nese that are now waiting for the ex
clusion law to expire to enter this
country.
Referring to a statement by Min
lister WI that labor agitators were be
hind the Chinese exclusion move
ment," former Mayor Phelan detailed
the overwhelming sentiment on the
Pacific Coast in favor OF exclusion, NJ
shown by referendum votes, a unhn
imous press, unanimous delegation IL
Congress and a unanimous exclusion
convention. On the other side, hC
said. were the Pacific Mail Steamship
Company the Canadian railways, tho
Chinese diplomatic Representatives
several retained attorneys and return
ed missionaries, who urged no pablo
reason for the admission of Chinese
and who had finally agreed to the re
newal of the Geary law for two years
when, it is said, the treaty of 1894 will
expire.
In conclusion he said: "The attor
neys for the Chinese advocate the re,
enactment of the Geary law for two
years because, in case of decision
from the Supreme Court favorable to
them, the law will be valueless for the
purpose for which It was designed by
Congress, namely, the exclusion Of
the hinese coolie laborers. We are
dealing with people who are trained Il