Sunday Washington globe., 1902-02-16
Written for The SUNDAY GLOBE.


cerning the Chinese exclusion law, par
ticularly concerning the proposed legisla-
tion relating to Chinese matter.
1t is only lately that our people, ,-gener-
ally, have begun to show an interest in our
treatmo mt OF the Chinese in our midst. Few
Representatives in Congress, except those
directly concerned, appear TO realize the re.
| suits which have flowed from the enacting
Of the Geary law, and the amendments
thereto Surely ii they did 50 realize the
situation they would not be in favor Of
having new acts of Congress, stringent in
their nature, passed which every Chinaman
Of intelligence, both at home and abroad,
would regard as hostile 10 the Chimes
In 1894 the present treaty with China was
completed, our own people ting the lead
and guiding the work. The Chinese ad-
ministration was very reluctant 10 assent to
IT, and only did so with the understanding
that il should apply to certain laborers, viz
those who were ordinarily called coolies,
that is, those who were brought TO this
country by moneyed men and worked in
gangs.
On examination we see that the original
Act of Congress for exclusion and every sub
sequent amendment go far beyond the in
tent Of the treaty as it was understood, and
betray a marked hostility against the Chi
nese people. For example the use of the
words labor" and ''laborers" which were
made to embrace every possible person
under such heading; the conhning of
the merchant class by extraordinary limita-
tions to a few; the putting upon laborers
who remain in the country and upon all
who have gone back and wished 20 return
conditions that in their nature are next to
impossible, and again. the peculiar hard
ships aimed at the merchants requiring
them to prove that they have engaged IN
no manual labor whatever, except what
their business absolutely required; and f.
nallY the distinctions put in the way to
hinder the uniting of severed families on
our shores, for official records do show how
the sons of merchants are seized, held cap
tive for a season and deported to China
All these things plainly indicate singular
hostile spirit on the part of those who made
a draft of the original act and the amend
ments thereto Que would say that there
was an attempt at a show Of fairnesss in
order to deceive the friends Of justice, but
in reality the procurement Of law which
in its execution must drive not simply
! lahorers, but all people born in China. from
our shores.
The writer is unwilling to denounce an
Act of Congress. It is the law and must be
executed but when law proves injurious,
not only to the people against whom it is
conceived, but also to every valid interest
Of the country, the execution Of that law
| will be its speedy condemnation. This Act
touching the Chinese is unlike any other on
the statute book. 1t is special legislation.
1t clearly discriminates against a class of
IL o.rk "a,
or overrides the testimony of the Chinese
demanding the testimony of other men
whenever the Chinese need evidence in
their behalf; it causes imprisonment for no
| olfense whatever, insisting upon seizing
/ and holding industrious workers simply on
suspicion, and more wonderful still, il de-
mands that they shall prove themselves in
nocent Of a suspected offeuse-an offense
created by the law itself; It detains them in
! prison for months, or demands a bail that
the suspected can seldom furnish. There
is a singular cowardice in these exactions, be-
cause no citizens of the United States would
attempt to secure hostile law aimed against
Russia or Austria, or France or England
Such legislation, followed by rigid execu-
tion, would be promptly resented by any
other foreign nation. We know by ex-
i perience what retaliatory proceedings arise,
as a rule, against any act or regulation of
\ our country which discrimnates in trade
I in excise OF in commerce generally
/ special act shutting out the people Of one
nation and not the people of another is
hardly conceivable except as against the
| Chinese.
1t seems plain to a man of ordinary judg-
ment that our laws touching all other ma
tons, to be effective and to secure reci-
procity and friendship, must be uniform In
their character and application. Hundreds
Of years ago Spain, by law and by the brutal
execution of such law, drove out the Jews
from her borders To-day there is no iitera-
ture. historic or legal, on the globe which
does not condemn the cruelty of the meas
ure and the brutality Of its execution
Shall we then, now that our eyes are open,
| continue proceedings which are indeed
worse toward people thoroughly innocent
of any offense, political or otherwise, except
that they have done their work with
assiduity, with ability and with diligence
wherever they have been employed and
| trusted. We all remember the cruel cru
SADIE against the Chinese who we're quietly
working as laundrymen, as servants and
/ wOrkmen in various employments, and also
| the dreadful murders which we're perpe-
trated by so called citizens Of our country
at Rock Springs, Wyoming against them.
| The hostility at the time was very remark
able, and believe our people generally had
no sympathy with the criminals, who them.
selves were foreigners Of another type.
Surely, we remember also how hard Il was
for the United States as a nation to close
out these incidents. Indeed Il Is no relief
for MS 20 punish innocent people. that Is.
the victims Of cruelty, by hostile action on
the part Of the United States
There is undoubtedly a fear on the part
OF labor leaders that there will be very soon
an over production, aud that we have now
more men than we can employ on living
wages aud further, that the incoming of
foreigners from all quarters will soon re-
duce the wages Of our working men. This
fear Is so strong that many Of our statesmen
are considering the subject Of changing oar