The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-07-23

view of the danger which Is threat ened to the productive industries of this country in consequence of our. at least partial assent to this demand, 1t is not strange, perhaps. that both the business men of the Pacific coast and ths politicians at Washington are be- ginning to take account of the real re- lations between the two countries, and of the real conditions produced by these exclusion acts The treaty has expired. and there is no modus vivendi. There fore, there Is an opportunity both for the making of new treaty and for the enactment of new laws. The ef- fort to do both will be made during tbe coming winter The laws may be passed. but a new treaty is not likely to be ratified. Whatever Is done, how ever. will be more liberal to China than our recent treaty and acts.
 The Chamber of Commerce of Port land. Or, has addressed a letter to President Roosevelt. In view of all that is said in that letter it Is easy to realize that Secretary Taft felt per fectly safe in his recent allusion at Cincinnati to the unreasonable demands of the Pacific coast. This letter ad- mits that the movement on the coast which resulted in the exclusion treaty and the exclusion laws was without warrant. The people imagined a danger which did not, in fact. exist. This letter goes on to say that the danger was apparent, but that "ex- perience since that time has shown that sue hfear was without warrant" The letter says: #-. ..- ~v~#
 Thus it has come to pass. we be- lieve, that the Pacific coast Is now no more in favor of their exclusion than the middle West, the East or the South, and 1t seems fitting that the commercial bodies of this section of the country should put themselves on record to that effect"
 This does not mean that the labor element of the Pacific coast has sur rendered, but that the rational element of the coast Is asserting itself to cure an evil which 1t now finds to be about to react upon itself and upon its in terests Not only do these Portland gentlemen discover that there was no occasion for the fear which once led to the treaty and to the exclusive legisla- tion. but they find also that the Chi- nese are actually needed in this coun- try: that they are wanted as house. hold servants. and for the performance of a great many other tasks for which no other laborer can be found. While this is a new confession to come from the Pacific coast, 1t Is not a new fact, nor Is 1t a fact which has not obtained from before the very earliest days of the agitation against Chinese laborers
 There has rarely been a more hollow sham than this outcry against China. Its folly Is only equalled by its barbar- ity. The Portland Chamber of Com- merce properly points out that there is no more objection to the admission of Chinese at San Francisco because they are Chinese than there is objection at New York, Boston or Philadelphia to the admission of Italians, Poles, Slavs, Russians and the inhabitants of south Europe because they are such. Not only are the Chinamen needed for the doing of tasks which are now only par tially done by an inadequate force of American and European laborers, but if they were here the Portland Cham Der of Commerce believes they would do a great deal of work that is now left undone, and that they would de- velop vast areas of territory which are now untouched Their labor in this respect, so the report declares. would not interfere with the American labor. save in ia most limited way.
 When the letter comes to treat of the danger threatened to our export trade with China, 1t becomes very touching. Here we find, of course, the real mo- tive for writing the letter and the real motive that will underlie the govern ment's action, if such action be taken. The report points out that while our trade with Asia has been growing, it is stu tsns that our axnnStatians to the