Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-16
Coolies, or No Coolies,


With the near approach of the day for
It's consideration by Congress, the Chinese
exclusion law has become a leading topic
of discussion by the newspapers In every
section of the country There are advocates
OF repeal advocates of amendment looking
to a freer admission OF Chinese, and still
other advocates of the law as 1t stands. In
this way all sides of the question are being
Canvassed.
This from the New York Evening Post
states the case from the repeaIers' point of
view:
To allay the Intense bitterness with
which Americans are regarded in China,
Congress must do justice to the Chinese
nation. must adopt a treaty dealing with
her subjects as with those of any other ma
tion. She wants the assurance that her
travellers will not be maltreated at our
doors; that the whole Chinese population
OF a city Ike Boston shall not again be ar
rested in a body and shamelessly impris-
oned under conditions resembling those of
the Black Hole of Calcutta: that her sub
Jects shall not be excluded when emigrants
from Bohemia and Hungary and Russia are
freely admitted Failing these healing
measures, there will not for years be cor
dial relations between the two countries.
And If American troops are again landed in
China. they will be opposed with a hatred
more intense than that of 1900. and born of
consciousness Of having suffered great
4AJuSlltt 1T our HdnuS.
Which is to say that go long as we bar
out the coolies-make a difference between
them and immigrants from Europe-we
shall deserve. and may expect, the animos-
ity of the Chinese. No free admission of
Chinese into this country, no Chinese trade.
As a reply TO this may be presented some
observations OF the Louisville Courier
Journal. a newspaper published at the gate
IA az Ha
resentative mouthpiece of that section it
regrets the boycott and inclines to the be-
lief that it grows out OF a too severe ami
tGctIess administration of the exclusion
Law. but II Is not uncertain as to the cooue
proposition. Listen:
There IS a numerous and tolerably IN
hHential class Of people in the United States
who think our laws for the exclusion or
chinese iaborers are all nonsense and VINO
would ike TO see them swept away. New
erlheieSS, the preponderance OF sentiment
IS Overwhelmingly the other way. No party
that proposed to admit coOlle labor with
cut restriction could possibly retain power
any longer than would be necessary for
me voters 10 defeat IL al the polls This
Il so well understood among politicians that
al guments as TO the abstract merits of the
question are quite superhuous. II the CHI
rese merchants refuse to trade with us
TIL their lahorers admitted to TINS
country without restriction, they Will be
proposing conditions that are quite impos-
sible- We should be sorry to forfeit the
Chlnese trade, but II would have to go II
II depended on the admission OF chinese
laborers."
And it was only the other day that
Gov. Swanson Of Virginia. upon taking Of
fee, declared in his inaugural address that.
much as Virginia desired immigration, 1t
would be better that her vacant lands re-
main unoccupIed than become the homes
OF people who by reason of their nature
and training would be a menace 10 our
civilization. He did not mention the coolies
specifically. and his remarks are not to be
confined 10 them. but they fit the coolies
like glove.
Better not tinker with the exclusion law
Give us fair enforcement OF it. and a
hawks eye on the scoundrels in China ana
or our own borders who are smuggling
coolies into this country. and all diti1eul-
ties will be met and removed.