New-York tribune., 1905-08-10
Mr.. WI TALKS ON BOYCOTT
GRIEVANCES OF CHINA.
MiIder Regulations and admission
TO Ha7oan Desired.

Picking. Aug 9-wu-Ting- fang former Chi
rsse Minister at Washington. said to-day that the
visiting regulations for the exclusion of Chinese
s-on, the United States were unsatisfactory from
.ha Chinese point of view, and that 1t was de-
,-a6 that they should be modified by the new
.o-,,ention The Chinese, he said. agreed to the
.,,l,sion Of coolies, and this point presented no
s,e5c1lty. but the existing regulations pressed
,-,h severity on other classes. He mentioned
=. cases Of merchants. travellers for pleasure,
--,,ssnts and others. who. while nominallyE ad-
-isslhle 10 the United States were forced to
,-,serro examinations which. though possibly
~aosssary. we're generally rendered highly objec
,tanable on account of the manner in which the
-sg,lations were enforced. He said:
s,perior Chinaman arriving at San Fran
.;sco for example, is detained by the authorities
H-bile his credentials are being examined, and
MS detention frequently involves consorting
With q low class Of coolies in common shed.
E5e Is unable 10 communicate with friends and
is subjected TO inconvenience and indlgnltles 10
which Americans would refuse TO submit More
over he is not allowed 10 retain the services OF
anv one 10 protect his interests and if the i'm
migration authorities decide against him there
Is no possibility OF appeal That these grievances
az well founded Is demonstrated by the neces-
sirv for President RoOsevelts stringent order
thar courtesy be shown the Chinese by the i'm
migration officials under pain OF dismissal There
have been numberless instances of harsh treat
uaent which the Americans themselves have been
forced 10 admit
Mr WI admitted that European immigrants
were not allowed representation by lawyers or
Others in their examinations, but he rejected
this argument because ne said the Chinese in
other respects received treatment entirely diff
ferent from that accorded TO Europeans
The Chinese government said Mr.. W. while
agreeing 10 the exclusion Of coolies, urged as
the main points Of a new convention that the
better classes of Chinese be treated on an equal
footing with other aliens. with the right TO re-
tain counsel and the right Of appeal If neces-
sary China also desired the admission of coolies
TO Hawaii which he regarded of the utmost
importance. Hawaii was greatly in need of
Ia borers and since the Chinese We're excluded
the industries of the islands had suffered At
all events. the Chinese there could not COM
pete with American labor. The Philippines had
long been a natural field for Chinese industry,
but the application Of the exclusion act 10 the
islands had changed this. Regarding the de-
STABILITY OF Chinese labor in the Far East. Mr..
WI referred 10 the prosperity of Singapore and
the adjacent country.
Mr.. WI added that he greatly regretted the
Chinese boycott Of American goods and steam
ship and insurance companies, as it might es-
TRANCE the good viii of Americans, which he
highly priced. Apparently. however, the Chi
nese classes most concerned. considering that
the prospects for the solution Of the difficulties
arising from the application OF the exclusion
act were remote. decided on the boycott as the
only means OF ventilating the grievance. He
pointed OUT that the movement against Ameri-
cans. though well organized by the best and
most representative Chinese was altogether pa
cifc. and was not directed gainst persons or
property.
The former Minister admitted that he was
surprised at the extent Of the movement and
the depth Of feeling shown not only by the ner-
camille classes, but by the students and even
the women. and said that such an expression
q public sentiment meant extraordinary prog
ress in the direction OF the growth of a real
nationality he could not tell what the results
would be should the boycott be disregarded, but
considered the movement 2 most serious one.
and trusted If would soon be rendered super
iUous by the satisfactory settlement of the
grievances Of which China complained
Nj Wu's attention was called 10 reports
crediting 70 him the direction of the boycott.
He Indignantly repudiated the suggestion He
said II would be as unreasonable 10 expect that
his government had the ability TO compel the
Chinese 70 purchase goods as TO believe that the
United States government was able TO prevent
Chicago strikes. He added:
I regret that so little progress has been made
in the negotiations for new convention.
Should the American government permit the
wishes Of China 10 be embodied in this conven-
ton. IL would practically have no effect on the
United States, as Hawaii and the PHILIPPINES
do not concern American labor, while the facili-
ties required for superior Chinese immigrants in
the United States are admittedly just and rea-
s0nable- / suggest that an educational test
would be the most effective means of prevent
ing the ingress Of coolies and an easy means of
ascerraining the eligibility of other classes be-
sides eliminating undesirable class distinction.
In conclusion Mr.. WI said in his opinion a
clearer definition OF the term laborer was neces-
ssry.