The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-15
CHINESE EXCLUSION.
Ex-senator McI4aurin's views Set ror'n
IN Letter TO secretary Metcaif.

DEAR sir. have yours of May % saying
that my letter to the President on the supJec'
of a threatened boycott by China OF American
goods had been referred to your department
| note that you say that the act OF loo! was
merely a continuation Of laws then In force'
1t may be that friction comes from the rules
adopted by the Bureau OF Immigration. ana
if so. rs it Is In your Department. you va"
easily remedy this situation.
noticed in the press reports from Boston
on June that a party of wealthy ana lnru-
entail Chinese ladies and gentlemen, return
ing to China from England AFTER 'nree
years course at college. were refused per-
mission to land although they held pass
ports and letters from Ambassador Choate.
II Is not surprising when such things are OF
FREQUENT occurrence, that the Chinese guilds
should seek some method OF retaliation.
IF the present rate Of export keeps up we
will this year from Southern mills send over
$4,000 0.oOo OF cotton goods TO emma. ana
with the almost limtless opportunities there
for expanding our trade. anything that would
interfere would he national misfortune.
I do not intend criticism of the Bureau
Of immigration, but do say that our treat
lnent Of China Is not such as 10 promote thos"
friendly relations 80 essential 10 trade de-
velopment and the rules Of the Bureau OF
Immigration are in entire accord with the
unjust and greedy spirit IN when all 'he
Ny understanding is that under the rules
of the bureau, when a Chinaman arrives in
the t'nitcd States. he is stopped at the border
line by officer. who prevents him from
communicating with any one. fie Is en-
amined in private and denied the right OF
consulting either friend or attorney. he can
only have such witnesses as may he selected
by the officer. and even the witnesses are
privately examined.
I for lustnnpp that these ladies' ana
gentlemen from China who were detained
in Boston We're invited by wealthy and in
fiuental resident Of that city. They had
letters from Mr. Choate to the Collector of
tho Port saying they were all right. and yet
n Government official refuses them permits
sion to land, has them photographed ana
REQUIRES bond as though they were crim-
nails With Oriental ideas of caste it Is pc
culiarly offensive to the high caste Chnaman
TO be placed on a level with the coole enter
ing here to open a laundry. and with their
peculiar notions on female seclusion, one
can easily understand how offensive must
have been the experience of these Boston
travellers Under such star chamber pro-
ceedings do not see. even II the Chinaman
we're an American citizen actually born in
the United States. how he could prove it with
no provision for employing counsel or sum-
moning witnesses. understand that in
case of an appeal to you. where he Is allowed
an attorney, that the latter is denied a copy
of the evidence taken by the immigration
officer.
sincerely trust that friction over the en-
forcement Of this law will not affect our COM
merclnl relations with China. and feel sure
that YOU are endeavoring TO avoid such a
result
With assurances Of my highest respect, I
am, Yours truly.
JOIN l.. MCLAURIS.
BFN.ETTsvILLE, $. G.. June II.