Evening star., 1902-01-21
THE EXCLUSION OF CHINESE
HEARING BEFORE SENATE COMMIT
TEE ON IMMIGRATION.
Various Interests Heard Upon the
Matter-Respect for Existing
Treaty Urged.

The Senate committee on immigration
gave a hearing today to representatives of
various interests upon the question of Chi
nese Immigration. Among those present
were D. s. Tompkins of the industrial
commission, ;ilas B. Webb, president of
the China and Japan Trading Company.
New York; Charles S. Hamlin, Boston
chamber of commerce; Samuel Gompers,
Mr.. John W. Foster, ex-Secretary of State;
S. c. Mead. assistant secretary Merchants
Association. New York; Theophilus Par
sons of the Arkwright Club Boston; Edw.
J. Livernash. San Francisco; John Foord
of the Asiatic Associations; H. r. Fuller,
representing the railroad employees Of the
United States, and a number of represent
tatives of southern industries.
Mr.. GomperS, the first speaker, outlined
the efforts which the Federation Of Labor
had made in connection with the Pacific
coast delegation in Congress to perfect a
bill which would secure a continuance OF
Chinese exclusion, and this has been ac-
complShed in what is known as the
Mitchell bill.
Mr.. Foord spoke in opposition to the bills
and presented statistics of trade between
China and the United States. He urged a
postponement of any action by Congress
looking to Chinese exclusion until the ex-
piration Of the present treaty in 1904
I'VE are all interested in being on good
terms with China he said, "and should
treat her with some degree of considera-
ton and some decent regard for interna-
tional facts He said that the Chinese
student, Chinese traveller and Chinese mer-
chant have been unfairly dealt with.
Upon being questioned he admitted that
there is a division Of sentiment among the
delegation represented by him, some Of
them being perfectly satisfied with the law
as it now stands, while others are dissatis-
fed with the Interpretation of the law. He
said that the hope of disseminating Ameri-
can ideas lay in the Chinese student and
the law Is hurtful particularly to this class
Of Chinese.
Respect for the Treaty.
Mr.. Hamlin presented resolutions of the
Boston chamber of commerce advocating
the Proctor bill, continuing in force the
present Chinese exclusion law until the ex-
piration of the existing treaty with China
in 1904 and urged that no bill be adopted
inconsistent with that treaty. because, he
said, that treaty involves the honor and
faith Of the United States government
Speaking for the Pacific Mail Steamship
Company, Maxwell Evarts declared that
the Mitchell bill would put tax on Amer
lean commerce that no subsidy bill could
replace. 1t would prohibit the employment
of Chinese seamen aboard American ships,
and this would result in an enormous diff
ference in the matter of wages. He said
that our commissioners to negotiate a new
Chinese treaty in two years should not be
hampered and embarrassed by the passage
of any new law.
A number of other gentlemen made brief
remarks for and against the proposed meas
ures. At the conclusion of the hearing Mr..
Penrose, the chairman of the committee,
announced that the whole subject would be
gone into very carefully by. the committee.
Ex-Secretary Foster will be heard next
Thursday by the committee the inter-
national phases of the proposed Chinese
exclusion.