Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1905-07-08
TALKED 0VIR Ch|NISE
TAFT AND METCALf DIFFER
ON EXClU ION ENFORCEMENT
IDEAS AIRED At CABINET MEET.
iNG-METCAlf OPPOSED TO
MORE LIBERAL METHODS
IN ENFORCING.


Taft Of the War Department and Sec.
retary Metcalf of the Department Of
Commerce had clash at the Cabinet
meeting today over the exclusion OF
Chinese. For nearly an hour both tho
Seer etaries explained at length their
attitude regarding the enforcement Of
the exclusion law. Secretary Taft de.
clared that he had received cable.
grams and advices from American
merchants in China TO the effect that
II the United States is to continue its
drastic interpretations of the exciu
sion law China would retaliate in kind,
as movement is now on foot to this
end.
Secretary Metcalf declared that II
the law was bad II should be changed;
that he had to enforce It as he found
~, and that to wink at an evasion of IL
In one case would serve as only o
precedent that could not well be es-
capped without ultimately resulting In
opening the floodgates Of immigration
Of Chinese labor to the injury of Amer.
lea.
While the argument was In progress
President Roosevelt was handed ca.
bile dispatch, which he read. II was
as follows:
"IIongkong. June 23.-Theodore REQ
sevelt, President, U. s. A.: | cannot toe
strongly urge upon you that steps
must be taken Immediately or boycott
will follow. Beg to refer you to Taft
"RENNIE."
TAFT 10 Frightened.
J Secretary Taft explained that Rem
ME is one Of the biggest American
-four. importing houses in Hongkong.
He said he had advices from Minister
Rockhill. who is now in China engaged
can.C Chinese treaty, in which 1t was
declared that something would have
Ito be done at once to fend of the pro
posed boycott of American goods.
"This is getting to be a serious mat.
ter" said Secretary Taft. THE Chi
nese are slow in getting thing into
their heads, but once there 1t is hard
to get It out. That is going to be our
trouble. II the Chinese come to the
conclusion that we are not treating
them right they will resort to nearly
anything in the shape Of boycott.
and 1t will take us years to change
their minds. The trouble is due tu
the mistakes made in the administra-
tion of the law more than to the law
itself. II less time were spent in try
. ing to find evidence against innocent
Cinnamon It would be better, as many
Cinnamon have been arrested who
ought not to have been given this trou.
.ble."
Secretary Metcalf replied: THE law
is not harshly administered. This ID
shown In the fact that out of seventy.
, seven studentstwho claimed admission
last year seventy-one were admitted,
. but the claim is made that the Chinese
merchants who were given trouble
|, and who are held up refused to fur
=: nish proof that their certificates were
not fraudulent.
To Distinguish Coolies.
> ut Is true that there are hundreds
> of fraudulent certificates in use by
Cinnamon. but I do not believe 1t IL
, true that merchants are held up al
coolies. Any man experienced with
: Cinnamon can tell coolie by looking
0 at him. His shoulders, from hard Ia
: Dor. are callous; SO are his hands, ant
: he has a different face from an intelli
: gent merchant. The law requires tha
: every Chinaman coming to this coui,
try shall have a certificate signed By
q Chinese official and countersignet
d by an American Consul. There are 81
o + + + = + = = = = + = =
n e. v. Smith, Capt. G. n. B. Smith
!. wife and child, Capt. ]. T. Switzer
o Capt. P. c. Stevens, wife and child
!. Capt. Fine W. Smith, Capt B. T. Sim
d mons, Lieut.. G. G. Smith. wife ant
}, child and Mrs. Phillips; Lieut.. JohI
: Scott, j. f. Scanlan, II. G. Salmon
:. Lieut.. F. w. Van Duyne, wife ant
{ child Lieut.. G. w. Van way, wife ant
/. two children. Capt. Paul A. Wolf, wifi
1. and Miss Hobart; Capt. j. F. Wilkin
I'll \ VIy