The Washington times., 1904-03-02
RIGOROUS RULES
HINDER CHINESE
Difficulty Of Participating
in Worlds Fair.
MERCHANTS ARE INDIGNANT
Sir LANG Cheng Fails in His Efforts
to Have the Regulations
Modified.
MERCHANTS ARE INDIGNANT

boycott OF the St Louis Exposition
by the Chinese is threatened. This is
due 20 the strictness of special exclu-
sion laws. the contents OF which have
just become known in China. and which
the merchants there who had intended
to make an exhibit and to visit the fair
resent as an insult
Through the Chinese minister in Wash
ington vigorous protests against the
rules have been lodged with the State
Department. The minister, however. has
been informed that It is impossible to
change the rules. and he has officially
notified his government of that fact.
In the meantime. he still continues to
receive letters from Chinese merchants
who have just heard OF the regulations
and who ask whether something can't
be done, as they do not care to exhibit
or to visit the fair under the conditions
imposed upon them restricting their
movements. 1t was at the instance Of
the innumerable letters of protest he
received thai the minister undertook TO
look into the matter officially.
Disseminating Rules.
Not receiving encouragement that
more liberal ruling would be made, the
effort is now being made to disseminate
in order to give merchants a fair warn
ing of what they may expect when they
arrive here. thus preventing any I'M
pleasant INCIDENTS for Chinese of promi-
hence. What the Chinese people resent
is the fact that they were not made
aware Of the full contents of these rules
before they we're invited TO join in ex-
hibiting at the exposition. They evil
IDENTIFY anticipated that in view Of the
fact that tbs Flowery Kingdom was to
participate n the celebration visiting
Cinnamon would be given some latitude
with regard 10 the exclusion laws. With
this in view the government appropri-
ated half million dollars for building
a pavilion and for taking care of the
exhibits. IT was anticipated that an
immense collection Of Chinese curios
would be placed on display There will
still be a considerable exhibition, as the
Chinese builEng is now about completed
and much space was reserved long ago.
Outside of fhis. however, the exposition
will excite little interest in China.
What Rules Are.
The rules which are causing so much
trouble with the Chinese merchants are
those requiring not only that the visit
ors must shog their photographs on
landing. but that they must have
through ticket with no stop-over privi-
loges in crossing the country. and, fur
thermOre, th% upon once entering the
grounds of ne exposition, the China
man is not allowed 10 leave them with
out going Trough much red tape, his
leave lastinf for only forty-eight hours.
In the ever of oversta wing this period
he would MT be allowed TO return to the
grounds frfeiting his goods and his
bond of $50. which, by another rule he
IS REQUIRES to give. II is realized even
by persor5 in this country, that the
rules are very strict and there is con-
siderable surprise that greater latitude
vas notRllowed the exhibitors.
Act of 1908.
These rules were approved under a
speciaIact OF July q, 1903. Apparently.
they ave been overlooked by the Chi
nese exhibitors until the time for the
exposition approaches. The following
IS onsof the paragraphs. which indicates
theirstringency
1.-THE Chinese visitor-shaIl. II ad-
rnited, proceed Immediately by direct
andcontlnuous travel TO the said expo
sittn wherever located; remain there
dung his stay IN the United States:
euage while there solely in the occupa-
ito for which he was admitted: return
within thirty days after the close of the
SD exposition by direct and continuous
tavei to the port at which he was ad-
gifted. and thence depart by the first
-essel sailing thereafter TO China or to
ne country Of which he is a citizen or
lubject."
Many of the merchants who are 10
make exhibits at the exposition are men
Of prominence in their country. and
when they come to America they want
90 see the country and TO stop over a
various places which. under the rule