Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-10-06
EXCLUSIONLAW
IS CONSIDERED
CABINET CONSIDERS THE PRES.
EMIT METHODS OF ENFORC.
ING IT.

Washington, Oct. 4.-The most in
teresting subjects discussed at the
cabinet meeting today were, first, the
Chinese boycott against American
goods; and second, the consideration
of complaints made by the Chinese
government against the method of
execution of the existing Chinese ex.
clusion laws
The important fact developed was
that the presidents effort last sum-
mer to allay the Indignation of the
! Chinese by a circular of instructions
to the American minister to China and
consular officers therein, had in a
measure failed of it's purpose and re-
quired considerable amendment to Sc.
cure the object sought. Mr.. Rockhill
himself reported that it had not been
found possible to carry out the in
structiOns contained in the circular
without doing great injustice to the
worthy Chinese, and imposing burdens
too heavy to be borne upon the Amer
lean consuls.
Being freshly back from the orient
Secretary Taft took a prominent part
in the discussion of this matter when
| it was preached by Secretary Root,
and presented some of the results of his
observations on his recent trip. 1t
developed that the requirement that
American consuls identify the Chinese
seeking certificates admitting them to
American ports, imposed task upon
these officials beyond their ability
The Chinese applicant frequently
came from some place far distant from
the American consulate and the con-
sui was consequently Obliged to re
fuse to identify as proper persons to
be admitted to the United States
many worthy Chinese which, of
course, led to bitter complaints and
fostered the boycott feeling Then a
Chinese merchant, who desired to
send his son as shop assistant to
his branch store in the United States
with a view to ultimately admitting
the son to partnership, found that the
boy was barred on the charge that
ne was cOOlie.
Some of the Complaints.
Chinese living in the British and
, French and Portuguese Asiatc colon
les, being really citizens of those ma
; tons, did not see why they could not
be admitted to America under proper
, passports instead of being required to
, produce the unpopular certificate
, These were only a few of the com
plants made against the administra
ton of the existing exclusion law
!. The trend of opinion in the cabinet
meeting was that these complaints
l after ALL were directed rather against
the construction placed upon the Law
, than against the act ITSELF and es
= pecially against the definition giveT
! in California to the term coolie, SO il
/ was practically decided that some i'm
portant changes in the present regula
tons must be made.
4 Today's session was the first regular
a meeting of the cabinet held for some
v months, and it was one of the longes
!, held during the administration o
!. President Roosevelt. 1t was attende.
, by all Of the members of the cabine
except Secretary Shaw, who is absen
h from the city, and Secretary Metcalfe
Il who is i'll. 1t was the first cabine
q meeting for Secretary Bonaparte, O
the navy, and the first as secretary o
state for Mr.. Root.
Il "All | did" said the former, jocular
ly. was to listen
q Most of the time of the meeting wa
y occupied by the president and Secre
Il tary Root, Secretary Taft and Attorne.
\ General Moody. Mr.. Moody took VI
with the president two or three ar
pointments which were decided upon
but their announcement was withhel
Il pending acceptance. He discussed tn
q status of the beef trust cases, whicl
y. are being pressed by the department
q of justice.
Postmaster General Cortelyou ais
- conferred over pOstoffice appointments
lre4n,~i, and IoN;ooe$;nn rnrnA