Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1902-01-24
They Have Begun Their Work.

The cunning yellow man OF the
orient and his goldbug coadjutor in
this country. have begun their threat
ened work of attempting to stiile and
overcome the prevailing sentiment Of
the masses for renewal OF the exclu-
sion act by alleging that the Chinese
government is about TO adopt retalia-
toty measures, by exclusion Of Amer
lean commerce, if the contemplated
legislation is persisted in and recog-
nized by Congress.
\ Washington special of the Nth
inst. states that the Chinese Minister
has filed vigorous protest with the
Senate Committee on Foreign Rela-
tions, and has called the attention of
the committee to alleged violation OF
treaty pledges made by this govern
ment. and conveys threat, by impli-
cation, that when the time comes for
negotiating new treaties the policy of
exclusion OF merchants, tradesmen
and laborers from this country may
possibly be bar to consideration OF
concessions made to" the most favored
nations"
WI states his case with the cunning
art of the Confucian race and the Dip
lomatic sagacity OF close student of
American politics.
He calls attention TO the PROPOSE
ton that his people feel the exception
that is made against them very deeply;
that they are now making a mighty
effort to secure what they regard
as a fair and impartial hearing be-
lore Congress; that if it is unsuc.
cessful they will very naturally feel
like excluding American merchants
from business in China, and to pro-
hibit i'll that country American enter
prises which have hitherto found there
such rich field for operation. He
likewise intimates that China would
have the sympathy of countries which
are rivals for her trade, and that
they will be greatly benefited by ex.
clusion of American commerce.
These premises would make a splen.
did groundwork for weighty argu-
ment were they absolutely true. But
a twenty years existence of exclusion
has not brought about such results
and tradition teaches that there is no
better way of judging of the future
than by the past. Even were the dire
results sure to follow, may they not
be far less evil than opening our
mighty resources to development by q
people who outnumber us seven to
one, and whose nerves are Injured to
toll by centuries of activity and tenn.
pered by experience through genera
lions of most exacting economy?
The people of the Pacific coast are
prepared to answer the question, but
sentimental philanthropists in the
Eastern and Middle States are unable
to grasp the magnitude Of the disas-
trous results that will follow unre-
stricted immigration of the persistent
and tireless little machines of bone
and sinew that will speedily absorb
the labor in all manufactures, in the
East as we'll as the West, on the At
lantic seaboard as they have done
industries on the Pacific coast, and
learn when it is too late that the
warning note should have been headed
at this time.
The effort that has now begun in
in Congress to influence legislation,
like the fights made in courts by this
persistent people to defeat the objects
of law, is directed by American brains,
and influenced by the wealth of the Six
Companies. 1t is directed, therefore,
by all the subtitle art OF our skilled
lobbyists, adopts in sophistry and re-.
sourceful in the means for promoting
legislation.
It will only be through the most
earnest and determined effort of the
people that they may secure a re-en-
actment of the exclusion law. The
tone and temper of press comment
indicates that well-planned campaign
Tor impressing Eastern people with
the belief that our foreign trade will
suffer greatly from Chinese retaliation.
is we'll in progress, requiring tho best
endeavors to checkmate it, of all who
know from experience what the Asiatic
plague means.