The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-06-30

Sucl real value that II Is SaIe TO 3c-
cept them here in the United States.
This will result in doing away with
most of the causes OF complaint that
have arisen. The Chinese student,
merchant, or traveller, will thereby Sc
cure before leaving China a certificate
which will guarantee him against 4
improper treatment. But in order tia:
this plan may be carried out, it is alb
.solutely necessary that the diplomatic
and consular officers, in1tead OF treat
ing their work in viseing these certifi-
Gates as perfunctory, shall understand
that this is one of their most important
functions. They must not issue any
such certificates unless they are salts
fed that the person to whom it is is
sued is entitled to receive it, n they
will be held to most rigid accountable
ity for the in which they PEI
form this duty. If there is reason TO
believe that any certificate has been
improperly issued, or is being improp-
erly used a thorough investigation viii
be made into its issuance. The only
way in which it is possible, while fully
carrying out the provision OF the law
against the immigration of Chinese Ia
borers, skilled Or unskilled, to secure
the fullest courtesy and consideration
for all Chinese persons Of the excerpt
classes such as officials, travellers,
merchants, students and the Ike, Is
through the careful and contentious
action of our diplomatic and consular
representatives under the proposed pol
icy of the department OF commerce aud
labor. The change will simplify The
whole administration Of the law; but IL
cannot be made permanent unless me
diplomatic and consular representatives
do their full duty and see to 1t maj
no certificate is issued with their WISE
unless the person receiving 1t clearly
comes within one of the exempt classes
and is fully entitled to the privileges
the certificate secures for hlm.
Accordingly all our diplomatic and
consular representatives in China are
warned to perform this most important
duty with the utmost care.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
These orders are supplemented by a
letter to the President from Secretary
Metcalf setting out the provisions or
| the law under which the bureau or ln1-
! migration operates in relation to Chi
nese immigrants and by the new IN
rtr1ctiopg issued to immigration OH
| ccrs regarding their treatment CT Ch1-
! nese who may come to the Oni.7o
States. The President and Secretary
! Metcalf believe that the instructions
Will insure to the Chinese the SAME
fir and courteous treatment that IS ac-
corded to people OF other ~lonalltl
SECRETARY METCALF'S VIEWS.
Secretary Metcalf IN his letter to the
President, says that in considering lne
creraticn Of the exclusion laws, Con
: nese subjects coming here may De
arbitrarily divided as:
% First. registered Chinese laborers re-
turning to the United States within n
wear after departure therefrom.
Second. merchants, teachers, STU
, drnts. or travellers for curiosity or
rleas1re. who are allowed to enter the
, United States and to come ana ~
therein Of their own free will and are
accorded all the rights, privileges, II
! mi1nities and exemptions accorded 10
the citizens and subjects OF the most
favored nation if in possession OF what
is generally known as a section . Ger
tifcate, unless they have resided as
such in the United States and are re
/ turning thereto, in which case they may
' nresent other evidence than sucn Ger
fiicate of their right to ADMISSION.
The secretary says that, exercising
the general authority conferred by Ia"
to enact regulations, the department
normi+s Chinese labOrers to pass
through the country under sultaple re-
; strictions and proper safeguards.
ono specific regulation has thus Ia
been deemed necessary TO extend lra1-
cit privileges to The second or exempt
class" he says, "as they are pefmlt'eu
hv law to come and 60 of their W
free will and accord when in posses
sion of a section 6 certificate. AS 10
the harsh and unreasonable treatment
which it is said has been accolteu
n,omhers of the exempt classes, section
6 certificates were universally accep'e%l
and the landing of Chinese subJecss
possessing them was facilitated III es-
CIV wav until 1t became apparent u
the officers of the service that the.e
certificates were being issued by lne
hundreds to Chinese labCrers and othel
nersons not entitled to them unuel 'he
low To administer the laws, 1t then
hacame necessary to investigate ed'h
Individual case as by law authorlZei'
!, WHERE THE TROUBLE
..J+ is of course possible that the ol-
fcers of the service were OVer-zeaio"S
IN their efforts to prevent the ent's
If chinese laborers on fraudulent Ger,
+ifoates But the fact remain lna'
the source of the trouble was the ID
methods of the Chinese and other on.
|, Gals charged with issuing n vlse'as
these certificates. ,
The Secretary quotes section 9 OF llt
j act of May 6, 1882, as amended by ths
act of July 5, 1884, nov in force .a'
effect, citing particularly the require
noent that American diplomatic or ecu
: : rnlar 'r representatives. must examine
: into the truth of the statements Sc
forth in the certificates issued by 'h'
foreign government, and If any !,
:. these statements are found untrue III
: duty of our representatives is to re
fuse to endorse the certificates. lhes