The Washington times., 1902-01-22
NO DRASTICL LAW
AGAINST CHINESE.
Re-enactment Of the Oedry Act Fa-
vored by Jpeakers Befc-e the
Committee on Immigration.

A hearing was given yesterday by Sem
ator Penrose. chairman. and the Senate
Committee on immigration. to those in
terested in the proposed extension of the
Geary act excluding Chinese.
The meeting was well attended and a
number Of gentlemen aired their views.
Among those who addressed the commit
tee were Ellison Smyth, representative
of the Southern cotton manufacturers;
Charles S. Hanlin. chairman Of the Cham
ber of Commerce. of Boston; Silas D.
Webb, of the China and Japan Trading
Company, of New York; Clarence Cary, of
the American China Development Com
pany; John Foord. secretary Of. the Ash
attic Association; S. c. Smead assistant
secretary Merchants Association, of New
tion of Labor; Edward Livernash. of San
Francisco. and H. L. Fuller. appearing
for the railway employees.
Drastic Legislation Opposed.
The weight of the adduced argument
WAS against any drastic legislation ex-
The bills introduced by Senator Mitchell
of Oregon and Representative Kahn of
California were the subject of the hear
ing. which had been arranged principally
for those opposed to the enactment OF
any law which would indicate bad faith
on the part of the United States. The
Mitchell bill appears to be regarded as
drastic Legislation by many business men.
and the arguments yesterday were in ad-
vocacy of the Te-enactment of the pres
ent Geary law until the expiration Of the
treaty in 1904, when the entire subject Of
exclusion and commercial treaty can be
taken w.
Keen Interest of Committee.
There was a large representation of the
committee present. and the questions of
Chairman Penrose and Senators Lodge.
Fairbanks. Clay. Dillingham;, and Nc
Laurin indicated the keen interest they
felt in the matter.
Senator Lodge. on behalf of Theodore
Carson, of the Arkwright Club. of Boston,
asked for the extension of the present law
instead of the enactment of more drastic
legislation.
Mr.. S, C. Meak. assistant secretary OF
the Merchants Association of New York.
presented the resolutions adopted by that
body in favor OF extending the present
law, and making it contemporaneous with
the present treaty. The two subjects, it
was contended in the memorial, should be
considered at the same time.
Views of Labor Leaders.
There were several gentlemen repre-
senting labor organizations present who
listed that the opposition to the
ha ta1
and that they he given an opportunity to
reply. They declared that the measure
embodied their ideas, and was the product
of their efforts. Among these representa-
tives of labor We're H. K. Fuller, the leg
islative agent of railroad labor organiza-
tions in Washington Samuel Gompers.
president of the American Federation OF
Labor, and Edward ]. Livernash, of San
Francisco. who framed the Mitchell and
Kahn bills.
Hearing Tomorrow.
Arrangements were made to give these
people a hearing tomorrow, when they
Will endeavor to answer the arguments
made yesterday by business men and
manufacturers.
Hon. John W. Foster will be heard at
the same time on the subject of Ameri-
can obligations under the treaty With
China, and other phases or international
law involved in the present question.
Mr. John Foord, Secretary of the Ameri-
| can Asiatic Association gave a statement
| of the growth of the cotton goods trade
| in China and demonstrated the vital in
terest of cotton men of the South and of
| New England in the maintenance of
| cordial relations between the Chinese
Empire and the United States. He stated
| that the interests he represented de-
sired the passage of the Proctor bill,
| which simply provides for the extension
| of the present law until the expiration OF
| the treaty with China.
Any legislation making more rigid reg
| ulations regarding Chinese immigration
might cause that Government to retaliate
| in a manner seriously affecting American
industries seeking foothold in the Flow
cry Kingdom.