Evening star., 1905-11-02

Hay and Sir Cheng-tung last winter car
ried out the recommendation of Secretary
Metcaf. 1t was not concluded, however,
because of certain differences which could
not be adjusted. The subject was referred
to the United States legation at Peking
where Mr.. Rockhill Is now conducting me-
gotiations with Na-tung, chief of the for
eign office.
The negotiations In Washington failed
because the Chinese minister insisted that
the persons who are to be excluded should
be enumerated and distinctly specified In
the treaty; while the Department OF state
preferred that the several classes exempt
from exclusion should be named instead.
The New Treaty.
According to the latest reports from Pc
king, Mr.. Na-tung has been more liberal
than Sir Cheng- tung Mr.. Rockhill has per-
suaded him to take the American view OF
the case and enumerate in the treaty the
classes of persons who are to be admitted
and consent that all others shall be for
hidden to land. President Roosevelt rather
sympathized with Sir Cheng-tung. He is
very liberal In his views on the Chinese
question, and. as he declared in a speech in
Georgia the other day is in favor of ad-
mitting everybody except the cooiie class.
He said:
''But we should not only operate the law
with as little harshness possible, but
should show every courtesy and consloera-
ton and every announcement to all chi
nese who not of the laborng class 10
come to this country. Every Ch1nese traV
eler student, business or professional
man should be given the same right of en-
try to and the same courteous treatment in
this country as are accorded TO the student
traveller, business or professional man OF
any other nation"
W. I,tz ,fp~y md
Root agreed with the President. and 1t
seems rather queer that they did not insist
upon having their views embodied IN the
treaty. But they We're afraid that the Sen
ate would not ratify it if it were made so
liberal Therefore the matter was referred
to Peking and Mr.. R6ckhill has succeeded
in reaching a conclusion which Will un-
doubtedly be agreeable to the Senate. I'm
der this treaty five classes of people, as at
present. will be admitted-offcials Of the
Chinese government, tourists. students ana
teachers, professional men and merchants
The treaty also provides for the inspec-
ton of all passengers on Chinese soil before
departure by officers of the immigration
bureau, so that no Chinese except those
exempt from the operations of the exclu-
sion law will be permitted to purchase
steamship tickets or go aboard steamer
Thus. unless fraud is discovered after de-
parture. every Chinese who Is allowed to
sail for American ports will be allowed to
land upon arrival This treaty, which Is
practically completed between Mr.. Rock
hill and Na-tung will be reported to the
Department of S.ate in time to be submit
ted to the Senate for ratification at the be-
ginning of the next session. Then the
greatest cause of friction VIII be removed.
Chinese travellers who are entitled to ad-
mission will no longer be compelled to pay
blackmail, and the exclusion law can be
enforced with very little difficulty and much
less expense than at present.
Angel Island Immigrant Station.
Another great reform has been secured
by the appropriation of $4,000 for the
erection of an immigrant station on Angel
Island, in San Francisco bay. where Chi
nese passengers who have to be detained
may be treated like human beings instead
of cattle. as at present The architects are
now preparing the plans and construction
will be commenced as soon as they have
been approved by Secretary Metcalf and
Commissioner Sargent. 1t is expected that
the building may be completed before 1907.
Commissioner Sargent attempted to take
a census of all Chinese in the United States
for the purpose of Identification; but the
work was stopped before it was finished,
upon the objection Of the Chinese minister
who complained that his fellow-countrymen
were being terrified by the inspectors. The
census of 1900 showed only SO. S63 Chinese,
which was a falling off from 1O7 .4SS in 1890,
when there should have been some increase.
This discrepancy indicates that the emu
meration or 1870 must have been in
complete and imperfect, and 1t is we'll
known that the Chinese are suspicious of
census enumerators, directory men and all
other persons who come to their residences
or places of business asking personal ques-
tions. Although Mr.. Sargents enumeration
was stopped before completion, 1t went far
enough to show that there are from 25 to
80 per cent more Chinese in this country
than were returned in 1900 by the census
enumerators. He regrets that his plans
were interfered with. because it was his be-
nevolent intention to give every man. wom-
an and child a new certificate of citizen
ship. no matter whether they are here law
fully or unlawfully.
Few emigrantS were turned back during
the past fiscal year, and during the calen-
dar year thus far the number is still small
er, although there have been more students
coming in TO be educated than ever before.
Almost every one of them, however, has
had a straight certificate and has been
passed without detention. The Presidents
recent speech at Atlanta will encourage
much larger immigration of Chinese stu
dents; for he says emphatically that he
wants them to come here The speech has
been translated and sent to China, and will
doubtless be published in all the leading
newspapers of the empire