The San Francisco call., 1905-04-27
DEADLOCK
ON CHINESE
EXCLUSION
Officials of United States
and the Diplomats of the
Orient Unable to Reach
Agreement as to a Treaty
MINISTER ROCKHILL
TO TAKE UP ISSUE

WASHINGTON, April 26.-Negotia-
tions between the United States and
China for a treaty restricting the i'm
migration of Chinese to this country
have been practically abandoned. II
has been found impossible by the rep
resentatives OF the two Governments to
reach a common ground Of agreement
as to many of the terms Of the pro-
posed treaty. The whole subject, there
fore, is being held in allegiance until w.
w. Rockhill, the recently appointed
Minister Of the United States to China,
will arrive in Peking.
When WI Ting Fang was Minister
of China in this country he made an
exhaustive study of the Chinese immi-
grafton question, ascertaining very
precisely, among other things, the
American point OF view. He main
tanned consistently that unjust re-
strictions were thrown by this Govern
ment around the immigration OF Chi
nese, but was unable to accomplish
anything In the way of lowering the
barriers during his sojourn here. In
China he is now in a position to make
IL difficult, If not absolutely fmpoesi-
BILE, to negotiate treaty unless the
convention shall have incorporated In
It certain provisions for which the
Chinese Government contends.
China is anxious to obtain In the
proposed treaty liberal definitions of
the terms merchants" travellers"
such classes from embarrassment on
their arrival in the United States.
These classes now are admitted to the
country, but the restrictions thrown
around their entrance are severe. The
immigration authorities urge the ne
cessity for such restrictions because
of the issuance by Chinese officials, in
many instances, OF fraudulent certif1-
Gates indicating that coolies are STU
dents or merchants" and as such
entitled to admission. These certifi-
Gates have to be passed upon by
United States Consuls in China, but
they necessarily have to take the word
of the Chinese officials for the ap-
plicant's standing. as they have neither
the time nor the appropriation to
make q personal investigation of each
case.
Sir Chen Tung Liang Cheng, the
Chinese Minister, has been informed
frankly that much of the trouble ex-
perienced by merchants and students
arises from the action of the Chinese
officials in issuing certificates that re-
Quire investigation here.
When a tentative draft OF the pro-
posed treaty was prepared some time
ago IT was laid before the immigration
officials of the Department Of Com
merce and Labor. Some parts of 1t
did not meet with their approval. The
suggestions they made did not suit
Sir Chen Tung Liang Cheng. This
brought the negotiations practically
to an end. and there probably they
will remain until Minister Rockhill
shall reopen them In China
An intimation is given in official
circles that the law as IL stands at
present, may be open to attack. If
the attack upon 1t should be made
by some Of the numerous organizations
in this country interested in Chinese
immigration and carried to the Su-
preme Court of the United States, the
result, in the absence Of treaty on
the subject, probably would be food
of Chinese to the United States.