Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-16
ON EXCLUSION TODAY
Final Debate is Fraught with Series of
Heated Expressions,
SHARP FIGHT WILL BE MADE TO LAST
Senator Turner Accuses Republicans
of Dragging Politics in Contest
-spooner stOutIy Resents
the Assertion.

WASHINGTON, April I5.-The debate on
the Chinese exclusion bill was practically
concluded today and voting on the bill and
amendments will begin at 1 o'clock tomor-
row. By general consent a vote was taken
today on two important amendments, Of
fered by MIR. Fairbanks of Indiana, striking
out the definition as to Chinese students
and teachers and they were agreed to with
out division. These changes were made
with a view to reconciling some Of the
opposition to the measure, which has been
directed against the rigid restrictions on
students and teachers, and the necessary
noonveniences this would impose on the
educated Chinese classes coming to this
country,
The debate was participated in by Sena-
tors Heitfeld Of Idaho, Penrose Of Penn
~sylvania and Turner Of Washington, in
favor Of the bill, and Senator Pritchard of
North Carolina and Spooner of Wisconsin
in opposition.
Politics Creep In.
Mr.. Turner made the assertion that poll
tics had crept into the discussion and that
most Of the members of the majority were
opposed to the bill. This brought out a
sharp rejoinder from Mr.. Spooner, who
maintained that politics had not figured in
the discussion, and that the oppo~ttion
to the present bill was due entirely its
conflict with the treaty and not because
of any opposition to Chinese exclusion,
which was an established doctrine of the
government.
Mr.. Hansbrough, from the committee on
public lands, today reported the house
bill legalizing the manual Of surveying in
structions Of the general land office and
the bill was passed.
The senate then resumed consideration
of the Chinese exclusion bill.
There was a mass Of kilograms from the
cities of the Pacific coast, urging the
passage of the Plat substitute re-enact-
ing the Geary law. Many of the dispatches
expressed the opinion that the Geary law
had been amply sufficient for'the protection
of American interests and that the pend
ing bill is too severe.
Not the Voice of People.
Mr.. Perkins Of California submitted a
large number Of dispatches supporting the
bill. One of the kilograms was from the
mayor and Board Of Supervisors. or legis-
lative body of San Francisco, declaring that
the opposition of the Chamber of Com
merce did not represent the opposition of
III peOpl6 u III EdtluC COdobf WIN dbhCu
the passage of the senatecbin.
Mr.. Penrose spoke in support of the bill.
He maintained that our commercial ex-
be retarded by the exclusion of a nom
assimilative people like the Chinese. Our
commerce had steadily increased during the
period of exclusion, and in 1897, when the
regulations were most rigid. 1t was double
the amount of-the period preceding excl1-
sion,
Mr.. Turner of Washington, answering the
contention of Mr.. Foraker, declared there
was nothing in the bill inconsistent with
our treaty. The bill had no politics in it
when it came from the committee, Mr..
Turner said. 1t was a measure for the
protection OF the people of our land.
Says Corporations oppose II.
From the time it was reported. however.
had been crystallizing on the re-
publican side of the chamber until the
measure hardly had a friend on that side
save among the members of the committee.
Politics had crept in. the senator declared.
in spite of the effort to keep it out. The
powerful corporations had been heard from:
the business interests had been heard
from. The great -ranscontinenta railroads
IL IL bNCalhSAAP NOAhBnhAtS "NA6 OpDOpSu
to exclusion, and. in his judgment, their
opposition had taken the form Of the pro-
posed substitute for the extension Of the
present law.
Mr.. Spooner Of Wisconsin expressed dis
satisfs ction with the pending bill and with
the substitute.
He was astonished to hear from the Wash
ington senator (Mr. Turner an imputation
OF unworthy motives Oh the part OF the
senators on the republican side. Mr.. Tur-
ner disclaimed any attempt to impute un-
worthy motives to senators.
Blame on Turner.
Not a breath of party division occurred on
this measure, said Mr.. Spooner, until the
senator from Washington had interiected 1t
into the discussion, evidently with the be-
lief that when he left the republican party
all its virtue departed with him. The re-
publican party needed 40 defense. said Mr..
Spooner, on the charge that it opposed ef-
fective Chinese exclusion. Strike from the
statute books what the party had enacted
for the protection Of the American wage
Garner and but little would remain.
The senator declared that the time would
never come when our poole would admit
the Chinese, no matter what steamship COM
pany or what railroad company desired it.
The exclusion of the Chinese was a definite
and established policy, and he and his as
s~eciates on the republican side OF the cham
Der did not yield to the senator from Wash
ington in the determination to keen the
Chinese from our shores.
But Mr.. spooner said he believed in
keeping treaty obligations. and either there
should be exclusion consistent with ouI
treaty obligations, or else. IL necessity re-
CURED, there should be an abrogation Of
that treaty.