Los Angeles herald., 1905-06-18
EXCLUSION LAW
BLOCKING TRADE
CHINESE TURN COMMERCE
FROM THIS COUNTRY
WASHINGTON is ALARMED
Former Prime Minister Of Eastern
Empire Gave First lntimation
Of Feeling Aroused When in
Los Angeles

The yellow peril supposed to prevail
on the eastern side Of the globe and
pictured by artists as combination
body Of dragon and Chinaman has ap-
peared on the shores of the United
States in full force and as q result
western port officers are being jolted
severely by officials at Washington,
while President Roosevelt and Secre-
tary Taft are staying up nights to find
a remedy that will properly cover the
new monster.
The strike of the Cinnamon has been
gradually working itself into boiling
point ever since the passing of the Chi
nese exclusion act several years ago.
The restrictions, according to the
complaint of the yellow man, are
drawn to such fine point that China
has nearly reached a condition to en-
ter strong objection to the matter in
which it's distinguished men are treat
ed.
Kong WI Wei, former prime minister
Of China under the rule Of the late
lamented emperor Of the celestial king
dom, who is now making a tour of the
United States and Europe, gave the
first hint as to the feelings of the Chi
nese toward us when he was in Los
Angeles some time ago.
Law Is Objectionable
"Our rich men come to this country"
said the minister, land how are they
treated? Merchants, physicians, globe
trotters, students mandarins and in
fact hundreds of our best people often
make visit to this country as a token
of friendliness toward this nation and
in order to see the country. This ex-
clusion act of the United States, as 1
understand it, is aimed to keep the
coolies out of the country and the law
is all right, because even in their own
country many of the coolies are objec-
tionable characters.
But on the other hand, the merch
ants and kings of finance of my coun-
try come over here and many of them
are as rich as the wealthiest of your
capitalists. They suffer indignities at
the hands of port officials who seem
unable to see any difference between q !
coolie and an autocrat, and when they
return to their own country, even at
the risk of little Of their profit, they
turn their commerce toward the chan
nels of some more hospitable nation"
A wealthy merchant from the Orient,
who is at present visitor in Los An
gels, tells the following story of his
visit to this country:
II was told by my countrymen that
although there was an exclusion act in
force in the United States that it ap-
piled to coolies only and not to reputa-
BILE visitors. made the trip across the
ocean and reached this coast.
Thrown Into Cattle Pen
Before 1 had chance to explain or
say anything, 1 was thrown into a sort
of cattle pen in which were a number of
the poorest specimens of humanity that
my country has ever produced, and
there 1 was compelled to stay for sew
eral days, until 1 was finally identified
and let out. Some of my brother
merchants were not let out, but were
deported like dogs away from the land
that they had Travelled far to see and
for which they had always had a warm
affection.
I'm the meanwhile before we were
released, some under official was or
dering us about as though we were
some strange kind of cattle and often
calling US 'D-n Chinks."
That was the beginning of mild re-
sentiment among the yellow friends who
have always showed courtesy to the
United States, and business men up
and down the coast are calling aloud
for the government to make some kind
of an investigation.
The higher class of Cinnamon, ac-
cording to the reports of Americans in
Hong Kong and other Oriental ports,
are simply hurt over the matter and,
: while in their slow, philosophic way
they have made no "kick," they have
started a movement to turn the Orien-
tai commerce, which is the plum after
which all the other nations are striv-
ing. into different channel.
Secretary Taft Interested
Secretary Taft has been one of the
first eastern officials to recognize the
gravity of an offense which would COM
pare favorably with an action on the
part of the celestials in taking the
Standard oil king, or Carnegie or Nor
gan. and, after catching them at Chi
nese port, forcing them into cattle
pen for about week before they could
prduce their papers and get bailed out.
Such an act by the Chinese might
precipitate a war of arms, but the
Chinese have taken different stand
in the indignltles heaped upon them
and have declared war on our nocket