Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1905-10-05
THE CABINET MEETS.
President and Advisers Hold Firs'
Meeting In Months.
THE CHINESE BOYCOTT CONSIDERED
Secretary Taft Gives His Personal
Impressions of ExiStinS COndA-
tions-MOOdy Tells OF Beef
Trust Cases.

Washington, Oct. 4.-The most In
teresting subjects discussed at tn'
cabinet meeting Tuesday were first
the Chinese boycott against Ameri'
can goods, and second, the consider
alton of complaints made by the Chi
nese against the method Of execution
of the existing Chinese exclusion laws
The important fact developed was
that the presidents effort last sum
mer to allay the indignation OF the
Chinese by a circular Of instructions
to the American minister to China
and consular officers therein, had In
a measure failed of It's purpose and
required considerable amendment to
secure the object sought. Minister
Rockhill himself reported that 1t had
not been found possible to carry oul
the instructions contained in the cir
cuIar without doing great injustice ia
worthy Chinese and imposing burdens
too heavy to be borne upon the Amer
lean consuls.
Being freshly back from the Orient.
Secretary Taft took a prominent part
in the discussion Of this matter when
II was preached by Secretary Root,
and presented some Of the results OF
his observation on his recent trip. 1t
dveloped that the requirement that
American consuls identify the Chinese
seeking certificates admitting them to
American ports imposed a task upon
these officials beyond their ability.
The Chinese applicant frequently came
from some place far distant from the
American consulate and the consul was
consequently obliged to refuse to iden-
tify as proper the persons to be admit
ted to the United States many very
worthy Chinese, which Of course led
to bitter complaint and fostered the
boycott feeling. Then Chinese mer-
chant who desired to send his son as
a shop assistant to his branch store
In the United States, with view to
ultimately admitting the son to partner
ship, found that the boy was barred
on the charge that he was a coolie.
Chinese living in the British and
French and Portuguese Asiatic colonies
being really citizens of those nations,
did not see why they could not be ad-
mitted to America under proper pass
ports instead of being required to pro-
duce the unpopular certificate. These
we're only a few Of the complaints
made against the administration OF
the existing exclusion law. The trend
of the opinion in the cabinet meeting
was that these complaints after all
were directed rather against the con-
struction placed upon the law that
against the act itself, and especially
against the definition given in Cali
fornia to the term coolie, so 1t was
practically decided that some import
ant changes in the present regulations
must be made. Tuesdays session was
the first regular meeting of the cab
met held for some months, and 1t was
one Of the longest held during the ad-
ministration of President Roosevelt.
It was attended by all Of the members
of the cabinet except Secretary Shaw,
who is absent from the city, and Sec
rotary Metcalf, who is i'll. 1t was the
first cabinet meeting for Secretary
Bonaparte of the navy and the first as
secretary Of state for Mr.. Root. "All
did," said the former, jocularly, was
to listen"
Most of the time Of the meeting was
occupied by the president and Secretary
Root and Secretary Taft and Attorney
General Moody. Mr.. Moody took up
with the president two or three ap-
polntments, which were decided upon,
but their announcement withheld
pending acceptances. He also discuss
cd the status Of the beef trust cases.
which are being pressed BY the depart
ment Of justice.
Postmaster General Cortelyou also
conferred over postofloe appointments
-
Report Of General Land OAce.