The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1902-01-25
TALKED ON VITAL QUESTIONS
SENATE COMMITTEE LISTENED.
Both sides of the Question VIII he
Hepresented-DostOn Orator Was
I'm Favor of the Proctor Bill
Thinks Chinese VIII he Unfairly
Dealt with.

Washington, Jan. 23.-The senate COM
mittee On immigration gave hearing TO
representatives Of various interests on tho
question Of Chinese immigration. Among
those present were; ID. ). TOmpkins Of
the industrial commissions Silas b. Webb,
president Of the China q Japan Trading
company, New York; Hon. Charles S.
Hamlin, Boston chamber of commerce;
Samuel Gompers, president of the Ameri-
fan Federation Of Labor; 5. {. Meade, as
sistant secretary Of the Merchants asso-
citation, New York; Hon. john ". Foster;
Iheophilus Parsons Of the Arkwright club,
Boston; John Foord Of the Asiatic associA-
tion: II. X. Fuller, representing the rail-
road employees Of the United States, and a
number Of representatives Of southern in
dustIies.
Mr. Gompers, the first speaker, outlined
the efiorts which the Federation of Labor
had made in connection with the Pacific
coast delegation in congress to perfect a
bill which would secure a continuance Of
Chinese exclusion, and this had been nc
eomplished in what is known as the
Mitchell bill.
sir. Foord spoke in opposition to the
bill and presented statistics Of trade be-
tween China and the United States. He
urged a Postponement of any action by
congress looking 10 Chinese exclusion I'm
I'll the expiration Of the present treaty, in
1904. "ne are all interested in being on
good terms with China" be said, -and
should treat hsr with some degree of con-
sidea dCn and some decent regard for in
terndtional facts
He said that the Chinese student, Chi
nese Traveller and Chinese merchant have
been unfairly dealt with. He said that the
hope Of imbibing American ideas lay in
the Chinese students, and the Law is hurt
iuI particularly to this class Of students
OF Chinese extraction
Mir. Hsmlin presented resolutions of the
Boston chamber OF commerce advocating
the Proctor bill continuing in force the
present Chinese law ON the expiration of
The existing treaty with China in 1904,
ami urged that no bill be adopted incon-
sls,ent WITH that treaty, because, he said,
that treaty involves the honor and faith
% the United States government"
The ways and means committee resumed
its hearings on Cuban reciprocity, with
special reference TO the proposed reduction
on Cuban tobacco. The tobacco interests
T Of the United States were largely repre-
sented.
/ John r Young, president Of the Ma
lenal Leaf Tobacco association, made an
Z earnest 1r3aa a.rsiuSr amy snhs...o rnr,nas
sIOns to Cuba. he said there was great
sentiment in favor OF granting relief to
Cuba, but he commended that we should
be as just TO the people Of our own coun-
Try as to the people Of foreign countries.
lae purpose OF the movement for reci-
procIly, lie said, was 10 have the whole
expense OF Cubas relief fall On two indus
tries-iobaccO and sugar. There was a
tobacco acreage in Ohio Of 5000 acres,
Wisconsin $1,000, Pennsylvania 1900,
New York 72,oOO, Connecticut IL 600, and
several thousand acres in other states
would be seriously crippled.
As 10 cigars, Mr.. Dung declared that
the proposed concessions would wipe out
the American made 10 cent cigars, ami
etNAlC All NAtAd l4te entire American mar
ket Tor all goods above cents. Repre-
sentative richardson Of Tennessee asked If
the price Of cigars would be reduced to the
cigar smoker. Mir. Young said the price
would be reduced, but he did not believe
the consumer would ask this reduction at
the expense OF the American industry.
j. Merihem Of New York. head Of a
cigar concern employing 600 people pre-
s,nted the serious effect Of concessions on
the American cigar interests.
The senate passed a number of private
pension bills and bills granting permission
to construct bridges, and at . clock Sen.
ator Lodge took the floor to speak on the
Philippine tariff bill. He said the United
States nights in the Philippines were set.
tied. There was also, he said, doub;
whether the tariff adopted for the islands
themselves would stand without further &C
tion OF congress. There Vas, however, un
der the supreme court decisions no doubt
.; the right OF congress to act.