Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-08

| in it's present form. The signers of the
| telegram declared that the exclusion of
| legitimate Chinese merchants. according to
| the provisions of the measure, would be
an act of gross Injustice.
Mr.. Simon's Position.
| Rising to question of personal privilege
| Mr. Simon (Oreg) explained that had he
| been present when the vote on the ship
| subsidy bill was taken he would have voted
against the measure. He had telegraphed
his views to Senators Hanna and Hans
brough
Mr.. Hansbrough stated that an effort was
made to pair Mr.. Simon in accordance with
his wish. but it had been found impossible
to arrange the pair.
This statement. Mr. Simon said, was per-
fectly satisfactory to him.
A bill appropriating 100000 for a public
building at Biloxi Miss, was passed.
Regulating Conduct of Senator's
Mr.. Hoar then called up his resolution
providing that rule XIX be amended by in
serting at the beginning of clause two
thereof the following: No senator in de-
bate shall directly or indirectly by any
form of words impute to another senator
or to other senators, any conduct or motive
unworthy or unbecoming a SENATOR no SEN
ator in debate shall refer extensively to any
state of the Union
Without debate the resolution was
adopted.
Mr.. Cullom on the Chinese Bill.
Consideration of the Chinese exclusion
bill then was resumed. Mr.. Cullom On.),
chairman of the committee on foreign rela-
tons. addressing the Senate in opposition
to the pending bill.
Mr.. Culom reviewed the treaties and leg
islation on the subject of Chinese exclu-
sion, commencing with the treaty of 1874.
which was the first treaty between the
United States and China. He reviewed the
bill and showed that in many instances it
was in violation of the spirit and letter
of our treaties. Continuing, he said:
Personally, 1 am in favor of the abso-
lutte exclusion of Chinese laborers, in the
ordinary meaning of that word and the
proper enforcement of present laws;
and 1t seems to me that those laws are
amply sufficient. L do not think it would be
wise for us to pass the bill under con-
sideration because l consider many pro-
visions of that bill to be violations of our
treaty relations with China. 1 admit, of
course, that We have the right, under the
Constitution, to pass laws contravenng
treaties and that those laws may super
Sede or abrogate an existing treaty-but
such d course should be taken only in the
most exceptional cases; and there is moth
ing in the present situation that makes it
either eXpedient necessary to pass a
law in disregard of our treaty with China.
Chinese Trade Worthy of Thought.
THE question involved in our disposition
of this bill is a very serious one. 1t is easy
to adopt extreme views and favor extreme
measures in dealing with China. but our
great nation can afford to deal with the
weak and strong alike and do nothing in
either case that is not upon a high plane
of honor and dignity.
Our trade with China is worthy of con-
sideration in dealing with this subject.
[ nder present conditions it is sure to
come to the United States as the sun
shines upon If We do not close the doors
ourselves The Hawaiian territory over
one thousand miles out from California
shores in the direction of Japan and China
in the Pacific ocean, is in the fullest sense
a part of the United States. The great
archipelago-the Philippine Islands-over
which the sovereignty of the United States
is proclaimed, is still beyond and compar
atively new to China. So We have opened
the way by establishing outposts upon
the sea to make it easy for the United
States to control the commerce of that
country.
Should Respect Treaties.
My belief is we ought not to pass any
laws in disregard of the spirit or letter of
our treaties; that We can continue the
present laws until the treaty of 1894 shall
expire, if notice shall be given that this
government does not desire it to be con-
tinued another ten years, and in the mean
time a new treaty can be agreed to which
will abrogate any possible treaty stipula-
lions against the absolute exclusion of Chi
nese laborers. and which will permit us to
enact such legislation as we may deem
necessary for the protection of our country
from the influx of these Chinese laborers
into the United States If China should de-
cline to enter into new treaty of this
character we might then be justified in go
ing ahead and passing any law on the SUBJ
)ect OF chinese immigration choose
Mr.. Cullom's Desire.
In answer to an inquiry of Mr. Patterson
Col) Mr.. Cullom said he wanted the bill
so framed that the plain intent Of the law
should be followed. He wanted the law to
be so understood as to enable an honest
student and honest teacher to enter the
United States without being branded as a
criminal liable to jail sentence or to de-
portation- That was the meaning of the
treaty with China and that ought to be the
meaning of the law.
Mr.. Foraker inquired whether any harm
had come to this country from the coming
of educated Chinese.
Mr.. Patterson explained that there had
been no effort on the part of the committee
to exclude, by this bill, any bona fide mem
Der of the excepted classes.
The present bill was justified. he said by
the badness OF the frauds that had been
perpetrated
In conclusion Mr.. Cullom maintained that
the pending bill was distinctly in violation
OF our treaty obligations with China, and
he felt that so great nation as the United
States could not afford to violate its SOL
emn obligations. He maintained that the
treaty now in force clearly prohibited the
coming 10 this country Of Chinese laborers
and even if no law should be enacted by
Congress the treaty would prevent the adj
mission to this country of undesirable Chi
ueSe.
MI. Patterson's Contention.
Mr. Patterson maint aimed that affirma-
tive legislation should be on the statute
books to exclude Chinese-that dependence
should not be placed entirely upon the ex
listing treaty. Until the enactment of
affirmative exclusion legislation such as
was this BILL he believed that the admission
of Chinese from Hawaii and the Philippines
could not be refused.
A Memorial From Hawaii.
Senator Patterson of Colorado today pre-
scented In the Senate a memorial signed by
over 800 American citizens residing in Ha-