Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-08

in charge of Miss Wheeler, superintendent
of the Presbyterian Home for Chinese
Women. Since then there have been at
least two suspicious cases reported by the
newSpa perS.
There are several missions and homes
maintained by the different churches for
the benefit of such women and children,
who are brought from China for Improper
purposes. / called upon Miss Lake of the
Methodist Deaconess' Home and Miss
Wheeler of the Presbyterian Home, to in
quire into the truth of a sensational story
I had heard in China concerning the re-
fusal of the officials to allow the admission
Of a babe born of a Chinese woman on
board a Pacific Mail steamer coming over
because it had certificate. I was as
sured by a lady missionary in China that
this infant was taken from its mother by
the customs inspectors and sent to the
Methodist Deaconess' Home until 1t could
be deported to China. 1t is horrible story
and has been repeated for months through
out China as an Illustration of the barbar-
ism of our officials. But Miss Lake, Miss
Wheeler and other ladies from the Dea-
coness' Home, who meet every steamer for
the purpose of aiding helpless Chinese wom-
en- and children, told me that they had
never heard of such an occurrence and
could not understand how such story
could have been started. The nearest APP
proach to it was the detention of a child
two years old a few years ago whose
mother had died upon the voyage
The Reason for Complaints.
The missionary women speak well of Mr..
North and his inspectors, and declare that
they are both humane and honest; but they
do not have so much faith in the Chinese
Interpreters and agents of the immigration
bureau upon whom the inspectors must de-
pend for information. The only criticism
they had to make of Mr.. North was that he
was not as strict as he ought to be, and
that he does not send back to China as
many impostors as he should. They ex-
planned that the complaints of students and
others of the higher class of travellers are
due to defective certificates and to decep-
ton. great many tricks are attempted
and a great many subterfuges are used to
evade the law when Chinese travellers might
escape all trouble and detention by having
answering truthfully all the questions asked
them by the inspectors.
One of the missionaries said that the gov
eminent ought to issue a circular for the
information and guidance of all Chinese
students and travellers intending to visit the
United States. The circular should be very
short and to the point. 1t is only necessary
to say: "See that your certificate Is made
out exactly as required by the law, and tell
the exact truth to every official who asks
you a question" IT that rule was observed,
she said, there would be very little trouble
with students, tourists and others of the
higher classes. n
Commissioned North said practically the
same thing He, talked very frankly, but
declined to discuss the policy OF his prede-
cessor or events that occurred before he
took charge Of the Office. He admitted.
however, that there had been considerable
change in the method OF doing business.
and that the restrictions affecting the priv
ileged classes who come in under section
of the exclusion law had been considerably
modified. He furnished me copies Of the
decisions of Secretary Cortelyou bearing
upon the admission of students, and said:
How Trouble Could Be Avoided.
"a good many bogus students apply for
admission, butts every genuine student will
be promptly admitted upon the presentation
Of the proper certificate. Occasionally we
are compelled to question applicants very
closely and / have no doubt they consider
our inquiries unnecessary and impairment,
but we have our duty to perform and 1t is
lust as unpleasant for US as 1t is for them
If all applicants would be perfectly frank
and truthful, if they would not attempt to
great deal easier for everybody And some
times we cannot pass the applicants as
rapidly as we would like, because our force
is small and so much is required of us. The
employees of this office are required to work
seven days in the week. and when a steam
err comes In with long passenger list their
hours of duty are not limited. They dis
pose of their work as rapidly as possible. 1t
is to their interest to do so and If Chinese
passengers are detained 1t is always because
there is something irregular, which must be
investigated or referred to Washington.
These delays are always regretted, but we
For example. not long ago was compelled