The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-07-08
AGITATION FOR IMMIGRATION OF COOLIES
STllS WESTERN LABOR MEN TO ACTION

the Chinese people, and it makes no
difference to him whether these people
are located in China or in the United
States The views Of the Exclusion
opponents seem to have met with a
response in government circles. Presi-
dent Roosevelt has SO far been non
committal in his expressions on the
subject, although his ideas of the
square DEAL" as APPLIED to this par
ticular case evince more or less
clearly defined sympathy with pro-
Chinese sentiment. One member Of the
cabinet, however, has been less evasive
than his chief. Secretary of War Taft,
in certain public utterances, mas left
nothing to be desired on the grounds
Of frankness. Mr.. Taft has come out
flat-footedly for a modification of the
Chinese Exclusion Act, and has even
suggested that, pending or failing such
present law should be relaxed so as to
facilitate the admission of Chinese.
These expressions on the part Of a high
public official, who was but recently
invested with the regency of the exc
cutive office, and who has been wisely
credited withan ambition to fill that
office by virtue Of election, have Great
ed a great deal OF comment, somewhat
mixed, but mostly of an unfavora BILE
character. The remarks of Mr.. Taft,
being in the nature of a challenge to
the people of the West, have been
taken up by the people and press Of
that section and answered in emphatic
terms. Perhaps the most pointed of the
Western replies to the Taft deliver
resolutions adopted by the San Fran
cisco Labor Council 'on juno 23. The
Labor Councils resolutions are as fol-
lows:
Whereas, Secretary of War Taft, In
a public address at Miami University,
Oxford, o., on June Is, 1905, character
lied the Chinese Exclusion Act as "un-
law was passed by Congress and is
now enforced through fear of certain
unreasonable and extreme popular lead
ers of California and other coast
states;" and
Whereas, Secretary Taft, answering
the question raised by himself, as to
the continued enforcement of the Chi
languages:
Does the question not answer itself?
Is it not the duty of all members Of
Congress and of the executive to disre-
gard the unreasonable demands of a
portion Of a community. deeply pre-
JUDGED upon this subject ip the far
West and insist =uponz.extendinge JUS
tice and courtesy to 4 people from
whom we are deriving ana are likely
to derive such immense benefit in the
way of international trader"
Therefore be it
Resolved, BY the San Francisco La
Dor Council, that we deny the state
ments of Secretary Taft concerning
the nature of the Chinese Exclusion
Act and denounce the insinuation made
against the people of the whole coun-
try, as contained in the charge that
the said act was passed by Congress
and is now enforced by the Authorities,
not in accordance with the dictates
of sound public policy, but through
fear Of certain elements; further,
Resolved, That we condemn the sug-
gestion of Secretary Taft that all
members Of Congress and the execu-
tive shall disregard the wishes of the
people, or even Of portion of the
community" as contrary to the COM
monest conceptions of the respect due
by all persons to the public will. and
as particularly unbecoming on the part
of public official; further,
Resolved, That we deny the charge Of
either in the conception or
administration Of the Chinese Exclu-
sion Act, and declare the same to be
based upon full knowledge of the
facts concerning Chinese immigration,