Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-04-18
Chinese Minister Takes Issue
with Statesmen MADE by he
Detroit Representative.
CONTROVERSY IS THE RESULT
Dispute Is as to Who Is Responsible
for Fraudulent Certificates.
Sir Chentung Resents the Inference
That Chinese Officials Are
Crooked = DENLY Re
e. - plies to All SINS
Comment.

Washington, April 17.-Sir Chentung
Liang Cheng, the Chinese minister, has
taken issue with Representative Den
by, Of Michigan, on the question of the
responsibility for the issuance of fraud
ulent certificates of admission to the
United States. DENLY stated to the
house committee on foreign affairs dur
ing the hearings on the Foster bill
amending the exclusion act that the
fact that so many of those certificates
were found to be fraudulent was pref
ty fair evidence of the fraud of the
Chinese officials.
Says He Has Record.
To this charge the Chinese minister
has replied in a letter which has been
made a part of the record in these
hearings. During the tnree years he
has been in charge of the legation here,
the minister says, he has a record Of
every certificate that has been issued
in the provinces of Kwangtung or Flu
ken, to Chinese subjects departing for
the United States, the Philippine or
Hawaii; that the emigration from all
other provinces is insignificant, and
that 527 certificates represents the total
number issued.
Where Did They Get Them?
However, he says, the figures of the
immigration for these three years
shows the total number of applicants
for admission bearing certificates num-
bers $500. The number bearing GER
tfficates from the Chinese government
IS, he says, but per cent. of the total
number seeking admission. ''Where did
the 90 per cent. get their certificates"
he asks, and then proceeds to answer
the question by stating that under the
regulations of the immigration service
officials in certain countries are per-
mitted to issue these certificates.
Questions Denby's Geography.
He enumerates these countries.
None Of which is under any sort of
Chinese government or domination, and
says: when Mr.. DENLY says that
China is the most fagrantly guilty par
ty in this matter does he mean that
the above named countries are parts
the officers of these countries are Chi,
nese officials? / am willing to give
him credit for a better knowledge OF
geography than that. But is there any
evidence that Chinese officials have
ever issued any fraudulent certificates?
Suggests a ''Fertile Imagination"
During the three years l have been
in this country as the diplomatic rep
resentative of the Chinese government
no case of this character has ever been
brought officially to my notice. to tho
best of my recollection. The inference
is therefore plain that Chinese officials
cannot be blamed for frauds of this
kind. Consequently, / consider the in
timatiOn of Mr.. DENLY that but for the
vigilance of the immigration officers
there would have been "a traffic in
bringing in illegal Chinese which
would have enriched thousands of Of
Gals. and our country would have
Overrun with them as if there had
been no exclusion law as an emana-
ton from a fertile Imagination rather
than a trustworthy Judgment founded
on cold facts