Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-29
Terms of Chinese Boycotters.

This bearing . Iongkong date line, is
the latest on a subject likely to retain it's
interest until Congress takes it up and dis
poses of it in some fashion;
The Canton correspondent of the South
China Morning Post reports that the vice.
roy there has telegraphed to the Chinese
minister at Washington approving the con-
ditions agreed upon by the American mer-
chants. the Chinese guilds and the boycott
committee of Canton on December 10 for
the raising of the boycott against American
imports. The viceroy states that II the
United States accepts these conditions he
will use his utmost endeavors TO stop the
boycott and punish the agitators.
Among the conditions agreed to by these
American merchants is that coolie labor
shall be admitted into both Hawaii and the
Philippines That of course is the rankest
nonsense. The President in his message to
Congress advises distinctly against it. and
popular sentiment in this country firmly
supports his position. The proposition is
preposterous.
In advocating freer trade between the
United States and the Philippines. and a
reduction of the tariff on sugar and to-
bacco coming from that country to this, the
President says:
1.-THE problem of labor IS also a formid-
able with the sugar and tobacco pro-
uucerS in the ISLANDS, ne pest ITleHuS Ol
the Filipino people and the people them
selves are utterly opposed to the admission
OF Chinese cOolie labor. Hence the only
solution is the training of Filipino labor,
and this will take long time
On the subject of Hawaii the President
speaks with the same emphasis and dis
tinctness:
1T cannot be too often repeated that our
aim must be to develop the territory of Ha-
wall on traditional American lines: That
territory has serious commercial and indus
trial problems to reckon with; but no meas
ure of relief can be considered which looks
to legislation admitting Chinese and re-
stricting them by statute to field labor and
domestic service. The status of serviltty
can never again be tolerated on American
soil We cannot concede that the proper So
luton of it's problems is special legislation
admitting to Hawaii class of laborers de-
MED admission to the other states and ter
rtories. There are Obstacles and great
obstacles, in the way of building up a rep
resentative American community in the Ha-
waiian Islands: but It is not In the Amer1-
can character to give up in the face of diff
Guilty. Many American commonwealth
has been built up against odds equal 10
those that now confront Hawaii.
NO merely half-hearted effort to meet Its
problems other American communities
have met theirs can be accepted final.
Hawaii shall never become a territory in
which a governing class of rich planters
exists by means of coolie labor. Even if the
rate of growth of the territory is thereby
rendered slower. the growth must only take
place by the admission of immigrants fit in
the end TO assume the duties and burdens of
full American citizenship. Our aim must be
to develop the territory on the same basis
of stable citizenship exists on this conti-
nent."
Those American merchants had In mind
when they confabuated with the Chinese
guilds and boycotters, and have in mind
now only the goods stored in their shops
and warehouses. For quick sales and large
profits for their present stocks they are will
ing to see coolies overrun every inch of soil
owned or controlled by the United States.
Artemus Wards willingness to sacrifice all
of his own and his wife's relatives in de-
Tense of the country is copied in spirit by
these people. They would sacrifice the in
terests of others right and left in order to
serve their own interests.
But the question is larger than appears to
them. And what is more, it is not in their
power to change the sentiment which has
crystalliZed around it. They have no COM
mission to treat with guilds or boycotters in
behalf of this government, and, not unlike
ly, their bumptousness may result in still
further complicating matters.