The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-06
SENATOR FArRB.NKs's SPEECH.
strong Argument Against the Admis-
sion of Chinese Laborers.

sion of Chinese Iaborers.
Following is the text Of the speech deliv-
cred BY Senator Fairbanks on the Chinese
exclusion biz.
Mr.. President. the pending measure is
% prohibit the coming OF Chinese laborers
under its jurisdiction. The prohibition, how
ever. does not apply 10 the return 10 the
United States of any registered Chinese IA
b0rer who has "a lawful VIE chl0 or pa
rent therein. OF property Of the value Of
$1,000, or debts OF a like amount due him
therein and pending settlement The Dill
does not prohibit the admission OF Chinese
officials. teachers. students. merchants ana
travellers for curiosity or pleasure
1T cannot be doubted that we have an
absolute right 20 enact such laws as viii
safeguard our citizenship against contami-
mating Influences from any quarter OF the
globe. More than this, the duty 10 preserve
the purity OF the currents which vitality ar
feet the standard OF our cltzenshlp IS pam
and Imperative. our national policy has al
WAYS been a broad and generous one we
have been hospitable 20 all OF those born
beneath alien skies who desire 20 come and
make their homes with Us, and fOr many
years We imposed upon those seeking ad-
mission no conditions or restrictions what
sOcver. Millions from ABROAD nave Deeh
added 20 our citizenship and have partci-
pated I'm the development and upbu1ldlng or
Our Nation. In comparatively recent years
Congress has deemed II "A wise policy 10
discriminate and 10 exclude from ali quar-
tiers those vicious, immoral and undeslr-
able elements which would not add TO the
Well-beiag Of our society. The restricted
classes have been few. indeed. We have de-
MED admission 10 idiots, insane persons,
paupers. or persons liable TO become a pub
ic charge, persons with a loathsome or
dangerous contagious disease. persons who
have been convicted Of a felony or other
Infamous crime or involving
moral turDitude, poly anlsts, assisted I'M
migrants. contract and Chinese laborers.
There were no restrictive laws prior 10 1919,
except those which prohibited coolie trade
- nna w~Ho gives earfnTG fnnTRnr 10 the
question will insist that our present lmmi-
grafton laws are unduly restrictive. The
exclusion Of the elements indicated wouId
seem 10 be dictated only Dy q Wholesome
regard for our own welfare. During the
last decade the total immigration 10 the
United States was 3.6l5,163. During the year
1901. 4s7.9IS were added 10 our population
from abroad. or enough to found a city
nearly two and a half times larger than the
city Of Indianapolis Enough are annually
coming To our shores TO make a city larger
than the city Of Cincinnati. and nearly as
large as the combined cities Of San Fran
cisco, Portland and Seattle.
RATE OF IMMIGRATION.
AT the rate Of our immigration for last
year there will be added to our population
in six years enough TO found a State as
large and populous as the State of Indiana
This immigration does not include any APP
probable number Of Chinese, and the query
naturally arises: What would be the total
ANNUAL llliAllbl dAlblA VIII Ah ANoAAANNAhN -
safeguarding the Pacific coast against the
admission OF Chinese? For the most part
the immigrants who have come 10 us have
been Intelligent, Well-dispOsed people, de-
sirOus OF building homes among us, and OF
uniting their fortunes with ours in the full
est degree. They come mainly of their owl
Nottion- No others are desirable
For some years il has been the policy OF
the government TO exclude Chinese labor
ers from admission This policy has founc
utes OF the United States. Our treaty rela'
tons with the Chinese empire cover a perioC
OF less than sixty years. The hrSt treats
treaty OF 1858. Later came the treaty Of
ISIS. known as the Buringame treaty. by
which was recognized the mutual right OF
citizens and subjects or the two powers tC
migrate from one country to the other fol
the purposes Of curiosity, trade or perma'
nent residence. IT was agreed that each
government should by law make IL a pena
onense for any one 10 take the subjects oil
citizens OF either into the country OF tn,
other without their free and voluntary
president Hayes. on March /, 1879, i'm
message to the Congress-, called attention
1othe desirability of some modification o
= The Burlingame treaty. The lapse OF ter
years, said he, since the negotiation OF TIT
Burlingame treaty has exhibited to the no
tice of the Chinese government as well al
20 our own people. the working of this eX
pertinent of immigration in great number
of Chinese labOrers TO this country, anC
their maintenance here of all the traits o
race. religion. manner and customs. habi
tatiOns, mode Of life. segregation here. an'
the keeping up OF the ties OF their Origina
home which stamp them as strangers an'
SoJOurnefS, and not as incorporated ele
ments of our national life and growth. Thi
experience may naturally suggest the re
consideration OF the subject as dealt witt
by the Burlingame treaty. and mag proper
y become the occasion OF more direct aE'
circumspect recognition in renewed negO
tiations of the difficulties surrounding thi
pont1cal and social problem. II may well b
that to the apprehension OF the Chimes
government. no less than our own, the sim
pie provisions OF the Burlingame treat.
may need To be replaced by more careful
methods. securing the Chinese and our
selves against a larger and more rapid in