The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-07-08
AS an Official of the Nation It
Is His Duty to Uphold the
Law as He Finds It, and Not
Ridicule It, as It Is Apparent
. He Is Attempting To Do.
Imperative Demand d Of the
Working People Of the Coun-
3 try Is. That the Door of the
Great United States Shall
Remain Closed to Chinese.

gained by a long and harmful expert
ence herewith, and a determination
to protect American labor from the
degrading and destructive effects Of
association and competition with Asia
| tic labor; further,
Resolved, That we commend the ac-
the enforcement of the Chinese Exclu-
| sion Act, in the use of every possible
means Of detecting and frustrating at
| tempts to evade the provisions of said
| Act, beleveing and knowing that the
slightest relaxation of inspection meth
! DDS would result in the admission of
large numbers of coolies in the guise
of merchants, travellers, etc.; further,
Resolved, That we insist upon the
maintenance and continued enforce
ment Of the Chinese Exclusion Act
in every detail and by every means
| necessary to accomplish the object Of
that measure, namely. the preservation
to the Aemrican people of the oppor-
tunity to labor upon American soil
and to enjoy the continued develop
ment Of civilization founded upon
and Of greater Importance to the whole
people of the United States than that
! involved in the question of Oriental
commerce. important as the latter ques-
tion may be from a purely commercial
standpoint.
These resolutions leave little to be
said in explanation of Western senti-
ment toward Secretary Taft and those
whom he represents in this instance.
Whatever may be the views of Presi-
dent Roosevelt and his cabinet, what
ever may be the views of certain ele-
ments in the commercial world, the
people of the West are united and
firm-ln the determination that the Chi
nese exclusion policy shall be MAIN
tanned intact. And the same may be
said with equal force of the people
in all section. Of the country. Proceed
ing upon the theory that the people
still govern the country, it may be
assumed that the Exclusion policy will
continue to be a mandate of the gov
ernment OF course, if it shall turn
out that the cabinet governs the coun-
try-why, that is another matter.
In their treatment of the Chinese
the people Of the eWst are not pre-
JUDGED. Their action is based upon
experience dating back fifty years,
which has demonstrated the impossi-
bility of coping with the Chinese un-
der any system of restriction" or
Limitation. The prejudice in the mat
ter exists entirely on the part of those
who would invite Chinese immigration
and. on the ground that such course is
good for the commercial interests"
There Is a question here that may be
open to debate upon its own merits.
But there is no room for debate upon
the proposition. that Chinese immigra-
tion is bad, even fatal, to the Aemican
people. Upon that proposition the only
thing to be said is that the question as
to whether or not the door of China
shall remain "open" American COM
merce is of no importance at all, as
compared with the imperative demand
that the door of the United States
shall remain closed to Chinese labor,
which means practically all classes Of
SnA1eSo.S .