New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-04-16
CHINESE EXCLUSION DEBATE
SENATE BILL MADE LESS DRASTIC
NOTABLE SPEECHES By MESohs
HEITFELD AND PENROSE.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE-I

Washington April 15-Debate on the Ohinese
Exclusion bill. which has been running IN 'ie sen ,
ate two weeks was practically ciosed to"oS, anu
voting the bill and amendments VIII oeeih "
1 O'Clock tomorrow. BY general consent d 'o.o
taken to-day two important ameiluiiie
offered by Mr.. Fairbanks, of Indiana strlhlis oul
the definition to Chinese students ana teaCne'S'
and they agreed to without division. iheSe
changes made with view to recoicllihs
of the opposition to the measure winch has
been directed against the rigid restrictions on
students and teachers. and the unnecessary lncoh-
venience this would impose on the educated Ch1hese
classes coming to this country. IL IS eeheraiiS
believed that the bill amended to-day Will pass
and that in this shape the measure Will De accept
able to the House The effect Of the amendments
thus far made will be make the present law less
drastic, and permit freer access TO the Ohi'eu
States to Chinese of the better class particularly
merchants teachers, students. etc 49,.
To-day's debate was notable for the reason 'n nn
posite parties made the most pretentious speeches
since their advent to the Ghamper on 1d tnb and
Mr. Penrose. Of Pennsylvania Nj Heitfeld opened
the the HsGes rS Seaf he Of
Pacific Coast section, which views the CnIness
e6sTacter as and Surprised everybody with
fuency of his diction and the logic OF ms ,bs b
also a revelation of readiness and nimpleness IS
the Whole Subject. historically and ndustrially.
which his speech displayed
Mr.. Hefed maintained that the friends Of ex-
clusion wanted a measure that would actually ex-
clude. The severity of the bill the only argu-
ment used against 1t, but experience had SHOWN
stringent restriction was essential II there
to be any effective exclusion. Mr.. He1t1eio
said the hearings had disclosed that those
opposing the pending bill aimed not only against
this particular measure. but sought to break down
the policy of exclusion.
Mr. Penrose declared that the only means OF Sc
curing effective exclusion through the Senate
bill that passed by the House and he character
lied the other measures Subterfuges emanatlns
from those opposed to exclusion. The principle OF
exclusion had become national necessity. he sale,
for the protection of the American home ana
family and for the preservation of American civil
zation He maintained that commercial expansion
in the Pacific would in way be retarded by the
exclusion of a -assnilative people like the
Chinese. Our commerce had steadily increased In
the period of exclusion, and in 1897 when the regu-
lations most rigid, 1t was double the amount
of the period preceding exclusion Senators would
deceive themselves, he said If they believed a
simple extension of the present exclusion law
would the necessities of the situation II
effective exclusion not provided now demand
would only from the Pacific Coast. but
also the entire country, which would over
whelm the opposition to exclusion, and would re-
suit in n drastic law than the one now pro-
posed.
Mr. Turner OF Washington, spoke in favor OF the
bill and Messrs. Pritchard of North Carolina, ana
Spooner. Of Wisconsin. in opposition. Mt turner
asserted politics had crep into the discussion
and that most of the members of the majority
opposed to the bill. This brought out sharp
rejoinder from Mr. Spooner. who maintained tnat
politics had not figured In the discussion ana that
the opposition the present bill was due entirety
it's conflict with the treaty, and not because or
any opposition to Chinese exclusion. which was an
established doctrine of the government.