The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1902-03-14
TWO IMPORTANT BILLS.

wednesday was an important day
Win senate committees of the United
states They bad before them ana
passei favorably upon two " the most
important bllis now before the senate.
they are especially important 10 this
section or the country.
The Chimes exclusion bill a. intro
duced BY Senator Mitchell. from this
state, was agreed upon by the com
mittee and the Nicaragua route was
chosen for the is1hmian canal. The
Pacific Coast country ia NOT only al
tracing the attention Of the world.
but ii l. at last getting the legisia-
sion that 1t has fought for all Of these
years BY persistent efforts The east
mas been convinced Of the importance
Of dealing seriously with the Chinese
question. and Senator Morgan. the vet
eran worker for the Nicaragua canal
project Is about at last to realize his
most sanguine wishes. For nearly a
half of a century he has been adyo-
eating the isthnian canal and now 1t
would seem that every obstacle has
been practically removed and this
great public enterprise win BE- carried
out.
The importance OF the two bills to
this coast has also been popular
theme Of discussion for many years.
Chinese immigration has always been
considered menace to the welfare OF
this country by large majority Of
the citizenship, and the Pacific coast
states have been regarded as the chief
immediate sufferers from this immigra-
tion. Cheap labor has ben regarded
+
Is the bane or all countries and Chi
neses immigration has been regarded
as the principal source from which 1t
vas TO come TO this section.
The prospects now are that the
present exclusion bill will pass the
United States congress and become
Law, and that the years Of study Of the
problem has enabled the trainers Of
the bill to prepare it 20 that II will
prove effective; that after its passage
the admission Of Chinese laborers to
this country win Immediately become a
thing Of the past. In its far-reaching
nature every avenue for the admission
Of Chinese into this country has been
cut on. The Law aplies TO the Philip
pines as well as to the United States
Il also cuts them off from being en-
ployed as sailors on American vessels,
except under extraordinary clrcum-
stances. While the purpose Of cutting
them on from the Philippines is al
legged to be under duty Of this coun-
try to preserve the Philippine islands
for the >Filipinos. yet the real purpose
Is doubtless TO prevent them from
this country through that
channel II they were permitted to i'm
migrate TO the Philippines and become
citizens Of that country, when that
country became a part Of this, which |
must eventually be the case, it would
Jpen the food gates for the Chinese
INTO this country. But the bin pro-
yides against this possibility. If the
is right in the theory that |
Chinese immigration Is greatly detri- !
mental to the welfare of this country /
and the majority is generally right.
there should be great rejoicing over
the passage Of this bill The compile /
ton Of the Nicaragua canal will un- I
ioubtedly make a wonderful change
N the commerce of the Pacific Coast
BY bringing US nearer the markets of
he East. J!
With our advantage in resources, in
Vulnerable in variety and inexhausti-
,le in quantity, and unequaled in quail
ty, we are almost beyond competi-
ion. In any line Of natural resources
fe can throw down the gauntlet to
he world without fear of having It
AIKEN up. All of these must be de-
eloped and in their development we
III prosper The building of the Mic
ragua canal win become one Of the
reatest factors in their development.
......-.ss.sss-@
Women are not half SO crazy after ,