Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-08-06
CHINESE BUNKO BILL
so CALLED "ExCLUSlON" ACT DE-
cEPTivE AND INEFFICIENT.

The United States congress has
bill enacting into law what purports
to be a measure for the exclusion of
Chinese laborers from the mainland Of
the United States and its possessions.
In point of fact the entire measure is
as defective, deceptive and inefficient
to accomplish the desired purpose as
such piece of patchwork of which
the present law is composed well can
be-
Realizing that the exclusion law of
the past ten years, just terminated and
which is now superseded by the law
Just enacted, was spread over Il series
of acts, treaty stipulatlons, court de-
csons and treasury regulations which
required vast research in order to as
certain the exact status of any tangi
BILE features, the American Federation
of Labor representatives, together with
the representatives of the California
Chinese exclusion convention, drafted
bill which was a codification of all
these various laws, treaties, decisions
and treasury regulations Into COM
prehensive measure so that If 1t had
been enacted 1t would have presented
to the government officials as well as
any student or ordinary citizen of this
or any other country a comprehensive
law that any one might run and read,
but the wise solons of our congress
decreed otherwise, and, whether out
of pure antagoniSm or Grass ignorance,
they have imposed upon the country
law which, unless remedied soon by
further legislation rectifying the
wrong and the shortcomings or by the
voluntary acquIescence of China as
well as other foreign countries or the
Interpretation and administration Of
Its provisions by the judicial and adj
ministratlve officers of the country,
will open the mainland of the United
States to the dangers of an overwhelm-
ing horde of Chinese coolies.
Under the old law Chinese or per-
sons of Chinese descent were excluded
from the United States no matter from
whence they came. Under the law just
passed they can be excluded only when
such exclusion shall be consistent
with treaty obligations"
In no way does the law designate
that the exclusion shall be consistent
with treaty obligations with China,
and hence, while the provision Is made
that they shall be excluded If they
come from China to the United States
or from China to the Philippine Is
| lands, there Is no provision of law
against Chinese going to Hongkong,
which is under British government, or
from China to Mexico and coming
from either of these places into the
United States.
In view of the treaties between the
United States and the governments of
Great Britain and Mexico providing
for free and unlimited coming and go
ing of their citizens and subjects to
and from the United States and with
the well known desire on the part of
| Chinese laborers to come to our coun-
try and compete with American work.
men, and this desire fostered and en-
couraged by the shipping and trans
portation companies as well as the
purpose of the Chinese Six Companies
and large number of American en-
ployers who constantly harp upon the
idea of introducing into the United
States horde of cheap laborers, 1t Is
not difficult to understand the danger
which threatens and confronts the
workers of our country.
Then, again, there is a direct invita-
tion to China to give notice six months
before Dec. Z, 1904, that the treaty be-
tween it and the government of the
United States shall terminate on the
date named, and inasmuch as the pres
ent law pretends to exclude Chinese
only when it shall be consistent with
treaty obligations" and upon termina-
tlon of the treaty there will be neither
statute law nor treaty provision which
In any way will deny Chinese coolies
and laborers coming direct from China
into the m;slnand of the United States.
1t is admitted by all that the treaty
of 1868 granting free and unrestricted
immigration of Chinese, whether la
borers or others, into the United States
was not abrogated but simply suspend
ed by subsequent treaty stipulations
ana tlat II Will come INTO 1ull force
and effect upon the termination of the
present treaty unless another specific
ally providing otherwise shall be nego-
tiated and ratified in the meantime.
Scarcely was the ink dry enacting
the present law when 1t was inciden-
tally attacked in the interest of the Chi
nese. A Chinaman sought admission
into the United States, claiming allie
glance to Mexico, and offered to place
bond for his return. Our government
officials evaded rendering decision
upon the Chinaman's right to enter the
United States from Mexico by declar-
ing that he had no right to come in un.
der bond. Thus the main question is
undecided, but that it soon will have
to be decided no one seriously dis
putes.
Taking the entire law as 1t now
stands, 1t presents one of the most
conspicuous pieces of bungling or vi
ciouS legislation or both, ever enacted