Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1905-10-20
The Chinese as Buffers.

OF wealth into the hands of the few,
and they now, with that sly cunning
for which the race is so noted, an
nouncc that they are preparing a big
bill OF indemnity, amounting to mil
lion or two OF dollars for damages sui
fered hy Chinese immigrants for de-
portation under the exclusion act. 1t
is maintained 10y the Chinese govern
ment that part Of the Burlingame
treaty, made in lSGs, is still in force
and annuls all other stipulations, SO
far as this matter is concerned.
1t is the intention OF the Chinese
government, if our people decline to
recognize the claim, TO appeal to the
Hague tribunal for an adjustment, in
asmuch as the lazy passed by Congress
in l>SS, excluding coolies, was enacted.
against the protest OF China, and for
that reason is not an international
compact, but domestic law.
1t is quite probable that the delay in
making the demand: which they de-
clare is to aggregate all the claims in
as large an amount as possible, is more
to influence popular sentiment into
making demand for practically omit
ting the exclusion clause from the
new treaty, or as our Washington cor
respondent last week expressed it,
making it more in accordance with
the wishes OF the Chinese government
without entirely letting down the bars"
Commissioners of the Chinese gov
ernment-Doctor Long and Wong Kai
Gop-came over month ago to study
the situation, and a delegation of
thirty-two Chinese statesmen and lead
ing importers will arrive some time in
December, to urge concessions in the
new treaty to be negotiated between
the United States and China, and by
threat and bribe to induce our law
makers to establish practically an open
door for all classes Of mongolians to a
country they long have coveted for
exploitation of their clannish policy Of
cheap labor in field of limitless ex.
tent and phenomenal resources.
These delegates will make q strong
showing under present conditions, and
unfortunately find the "Powers that
Be" more than half willing to concede
all they demand, and with the advo.
Gates of the dignity of labor only
awake to interests of minor considera.
ton, fighting among themselves, and
entirely oblivious OF the cloud of To-
Gusts that await only removal of re.
strictions to devastate our country as
completely as the plaques overcame
Egypt.
1t is frequently said in the East that
the whole Pacific coast favors exclu-
sion of this heather nation, which
outnumbers our people five to one,
simply from prejudice or passion. If
so, what has caused this unanimity OF
sentiment? Why do people whose
average in intellect is high, from the
fact that it is made up Of the most
intelligent and more enterprising OF
the people OF the whole Federal Union,
become practically unit on this i'm.
portant matter of public policy? The
answer is simply that they have seen
more OF the nature of the average
Chinaman than their Eastern brothers.
They have become more fully embued
with a knowledge of his utter cursed.
ness, which entirely eliminates the
prurient sentimentality held by the pro-
fessional philauthropist who forms his
ideals of Indians from Fenimore Coop
er, of negroes from Harriet Beecher
Stowe, and OF Cinnamon from o vague
conception OF the master-mind of q
Confucius.
McNE1L's ISLAND MAY BE ONE OF
THE THREE.-It is thought from the
present trend OF affairs that the Fed.
eral prison on McNeil's Island will
constitute the beginning Of what will
be the chief U. s. penal institution in
the West. Several years ego it was
determined by the Department OF
Justice to provide three places for con-
fnement of Federal prisoners, one on
the Atlantic seaboard, one on the
Pacific and one in the Middle West.
The latter has been established at
Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The nat.
ural advantages OF McNei's leland,
urge its selection as the one for the
Pacific Coast, and a email appropria.
ton $3.50, OOO) is already available for
erection OF a new wing and hospital
The recent visit of General Agent
Clay, of the Department of Justice
gives some hope that the selection will
fall upon McNeil's Island.
>U"
KEEP OUT OF POLITICs.-The Presi
dents attitude towards offensive
partnership" since he is out OF the
ring as a candidate, seems to have
crystalized into a general order for hi
cabinet officers to refrain from cam
paigning in any but their own States
in behalf of candidates of their party
, He declared his intent of not bein,
, drawn into political controversies ant
thought that representatives of tn
administration should recognize
, similar concession to property.
The most complete exemplifcatiol
of the motto hitherto applied solel
to the great Washington, is affords
by President Roosevelt: That he