Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-09
EXCLUSION OF CHINESE
REMEDY SUGGESTED ron Az
LEGGED GRIEVANCES.

Commissioner General Sargent OF the Inn
migration service was heard today by the
House committee on foreign affairs relative
to proposed amendments to the Chinese ex-
clusion act. The commissioner reviewed at
length the difficulties In the way Of enforc-
ing the present Law and the tricks that were
pFaetiesd to evade II. For three years he
said he had emphasized the necessity Of
having q better supervision and greater
care exercised In the issuance Of certifi-
Gates to the privileged class In China
The greatest cause of complaints arose.
in his opinion, from the fact that what
are known as section six certificates,
which are in reality passports of China
men privileged to land in this country,
were made out in blank by the United
States consular officers In China and were
bartered in for q consideration. This. Mr.
Sargent said. appeared in the recent Peirce
report conditions Of the consular Serv-
ice in the ORIENT and his Office was full OF
evidence to the same effect. The remedy.
he suggested. was to have officers in China
who were subject to the discipline OF the
immigration service. whose duty should be
to investigate the certificate issued to every
Chinaman, and who would send with the
steamer in which he sailed proper pap erS
to the immigration authorities at the port
Of destination. the means of readily fden-
hfytng the Chinaman and the certificate.
Chinese in Mexico.
Mr.. Sargent declared that today Mexico
was flooded with Cinnamon who were
schooling themselves for fraudulent entry
into the United States. He has not been
able to consummate an agreement with the
Mexican railroads which would greatly aid
in controlling the situation. and 1t would
take the whole American army to patrol
the border line and effectually keep them
out.
better than it was several years ago. be-
cause of an agreement with the Canadian
railroads.
He recounted an experience he had In
New York shortly after he became the head
of the service. which led to the railroad
agreement. He at that time witnessed in
Peii street the operation Of a school for
witnesses carried on by an old Chinaman
who had been doing lively business in
furnishing Chinese witnesses. both for the
government and fof Cinnamon who were
endeavoring to prove that they were born
In this country when arrested along the
Canadian border line.
For a consideration q witness or any
number of Them could be obtained for
either side from this school, and the gov
eminent had been endeavoring to break
down The case of the "native-born' Chi
naman with bought witnesses.
Many Here Without Right.
Mr. Sargent also advocated an amend
iuehl 10 the present law requiring all Chi
namen in this country to be re-registered
He said the country, and even the city Of
Washington. was full of ChiSamen who
were here in violation of law. After the
re-registration has been had he would then
send out of the country all Cinnamon who
did not have proper certificates
The difficulty of enforcing the Chinese
exclusion act, Mr.. Sargent said. was be-
cause of the dishonesty of American at
torneys, the big six companies in San
Francisco. well other interested par
ties, and these were the interests now
actively engaged in efforts to get the law
broken down by lax amendments.
AS to the charge that the immigration
bureau was responsible for the Chinese
boycott against American goods he said
all he would ask for was a specific case.
None such had yet been cited.
The committee had before 1T the Foster
this was the proper remedy for the situa-
ton.