Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-15
Roosevelt Justified.


President Roosevelt has felt justified In
speaking to the belligerents a message
from the world that the time has come for
a settlement by peaceful means of the con-
troversies between the two nations and for
an ending of the awful loss Of life and
property and Of the woeful disturbance of
business that continuance of the war en-
tails. The personality of the President has
had much to do with the willingness Of the
powers to allow him to intervene. Con-
fidence In his impartiality and integrity
have doubtless aided our national prestige
in securing this end devoutly to be wished.
But while we are pluming ourselves on
having advanced far toward the ideal OF
civilized nation, it is we'll for us to consider
some other issues in respect to which we
have taken a position which Is not only
wrong In principle, unjust in operation. but
most ineXpedfent and unwise in policy.
After years of controversy with the Chi
nese empire over the subject. in some of
which we cannot escape the charge of hav-
ing broken a Chinese treaty rights by our
legislation, we reached an agreement with
the representatives of the middle kingdom
by which they agreed not to object to our
exclusion from this country of the coolie
labor of China.
1T would seem that we may properly OBJ
ject to the introduction into this country
of laborers who do not become a part OF
the real population of the country, who
refuse to amalgamate and to stake their
all as citizens of this republic, and whose
habits and views of life are so much at
variance with those Of our civilization as
to make it impossible for them to ever be-
come a useful and intelligent part in this
selfzgoyernng community. The Chinese
government seems willing to concede this
but the extreme feeling on this subject on
the part Of some Of our people has led to
a severity In the statute and the enforce
ment of it which the Chinese government
feels. and justly feels justified it in ask
ing for change.
The Danger of Contumely.
ut appears that in the effort to catch in
the meshes Of the law every coolie Iaborer
attempting illegally to enter the country we
necessarily expose to danger of contumely,
insult. arrest and discomfort the merchants
and students of China who have a right to
come to this country under our treaties,
and who come here for the purpose of es-
tablshing a bond of commercial union be-
tween this country and China, or of taking
from this country familiarity with the best
OF our institutions to aid the older but re-
tarded civilization of the Chinese empire.
rs it just for the purpose of excluding
or preventing perhaps one hundred Chinese
coolies from slipping into this country
against the law, We should subject an equal
number of Chinese merchants and students
Of high character to an examination of
such inquisitorial. humiliating, insulting
and physically uncomfortable character as
10 discourage altogether the coming of
merchants and students?
Ever since the Boxer war. when America
was able to show her friendship for China
and her diSntereStednesS and freedom from
the land grabbing spirit of some other ma
tons, China has regarded the United States
as her best friend One of the great CONNER
cial prizes of the world Is the trade with
the four hundred million Chinese Ought
we to throw away the advantage which we
have by reason of Chinese natural friend
ship for us and continue to enforce an I'M