The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1902-01-25
TALKED On VITAL QUESTIONS
SENATE COMMITTEE LISTENED.
both sides Of the Question VIII He
Represented-BOstO Orator Was
In Favor of the Proctor Bill
Thinks Chinese viii he Unfairly
Dealt With.


Washington, Jan. 23.-The senate com.
mittee on immigration gave hearing to
representatives of various interests on the
question Of Chinese immigration. Among
those present were: ID. s. Tompkins Of
the industrial commission; Silas B. Webb,
president of the China 4 Japan Trading
company, New York; Hon. Charles 8.
Hamlin, Boston chamber Of commerce;
Samuel Gompers, president Of the Ameri-
can Federation Of Labor; s. c. Meade, as
sistant secretary of the Merchants asso-
citation, New York; Hon. John w. Foster;
Theophilus Parsons Of the Arkwright club,
Boston; John Foord Of the Asiatic associa.
ton; H. r. Fuller, representing the rail.
road employees of the United States, and a
number of representatives of southern in
dustries.
MIR. 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
bill which would secure q continuance of
Chinese exclusion, and this had been ac-
complished in what is known as the
Mitchell bill.
Mr.. Foord spoke in opposition to the
bill and presented statistics Of trade be-
tween China and the United States. He
urged postponement Of any action by
congress looking to Chinese exclusion un-
til the expiration Of the present treaty, in
1904. "Me are all interested in being ON
good terms with China he said, "and
should treat her with. some degree Of con-
sidemtion and some decent regard for in
ternational facts" s..
He said that the Chinese student, Chi
nese traveller and Chinese merchant have
been unfairly dealt with He said that the
hope of imbibing American ideas lay in
the Chinese students, and the law is hurt
full particularly to this class Of students
Of Chinese extraction.
MIR. Hamlin presented resolutions Of the
Boston chamber Of commerce advocating
the Proctor bill continuing in force the
present Chinese law on the expiration Of
the existing treaty with China in 1904,
and urged that no bill be adopted incon-
sistent with that treaty, because, he said,
that treaty involves the honor and faith
OF the United States government"
The ways and means committee resumed
its hearings on Cuban reciprocity, with
special reference to the proposed reduction
OH Cuban tobacco. The tobacco interests
of the United States were largely repre-
sented.
John r. Young, president Of the Ma
tional Leaf Tobacco association, made an
earnest plea against any tobacco conces-
sions to Cuba. He said there was great
sentiment in favor of granting relief to
Cuba, but he contended that we should
be as just to the people of our own coun-
try as to the people Of foreign countries.
The purpose of the movement for reci-
procity, he said, was to have the whole
expense of Cuba's relief fall on two indus
tries-tobacco and sugar. There was a
tobacco acreage in Ohio of $4,000 acres,
Wisconsin 25,OOO, Pennsylvania 1900,
New York $4,000, Connecticut ii 900, and
several thousand acres in other states
would be seriously crippled.
As to cigars, Mr.. Young declared that
the proposed concessions would "wipe out
the American made 10 cent cigars, and
secure for Cuba the entire American mar
ket for all goods above cents. Repre-.
| sentative Richardson Of Tennessee asked il
the price of cigars would be reduced to the
cigar smoker. Mr.. Young said the price
would be reduced, but he did not believe
the consumer would ask this reduction at
the expense Of the American industry.
| j. Wertheim of New York, head Of q
cigar concern employing 6OOO people, pre-
sented the serious effect of concessions on
the American cigar interests.
| The senate passed number Of private
pension bills and bills granting permission
to construct bridges, and at o'clock Sen.
ator Lodge took the floor to speak on the
Philippine tariff bill. He said the United
States rights in the Philippines were set
tied. There was also, he said, doubt
whether the tariff adopted for the islands
themselves would stand without further ac-
tion OF congress- There was, however, un-
der the supreme court decisions no doubt
OF the right of congress to act.
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