Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-05
Working the Bugaboo Again.

The news mill at Shanghai Is again in
operation. Its output Is steady, and some
of 1t is startling. We hear more strange
things from Shanghai than from any other
oriental city. This is the latest:
The boycott of American goods. due to
the failure of the United States authorities
to modify the Chinese exclusion act, which
was recently revived at Canton. Is spread
Ing over China. Efforts are being made
here to induce the Chinese newspapers to
reject advertisements of American manu-
features"
This inaugurates the present campaign
While Congress Is in session we shall prob
ably hear freauently-mayb as often as
once week-about this matter, and every
story will be freighted with woe. American
trade with China will dwindle so rapidly
the loss will make your head swim. And
before March 4th even human life-Amer-
lean human life-may become unsafe in
China<-in the dispatches. It's great
game. But Congress is used to it. II /,
cared it could almost put it's hand on the
authors. Maybe 1t doesn't care. Why should
IT? The coolies are not going to be admit
ted into this country, whether by one means
or another.
AS reply to this story the following has
gone out under a Washington date line:
The State Department officials are still
without adVlces from consular or dplo-
matte officers In China concerning the ma SIS
meeting reported to have been held In Can
ton for the purpose of reviving the boycott
on American goods. but 1t was stated at
the department today that this government
feels sure that the Chinese government will
not lend Its assistance to revival of the
American boycott The State Department
uoes not oeiieye that any movement not
countenanced by the Chinese government
VIII have great success and is disposed to
take the position that whatever trouble
there may be near Canton is purely local
ana should not be regarded as an indica ton
or revival of the general movement
against American commerce"
We may be very sure that this is true.
The Chinese government never has been
and is not now, a party to this coolie
scheme. 1t is not seeking to force the
coolies into this country. 1t understands
our feelings in the premises, and probably
synpathiZes with them. The two govern
ments are on friendly terms, and will re-
main so If nothing more serious than coolie
interests shall arise between them.
The merchant class and the student class
CHINA well understands. are welcome in
America. We have long boundary lines to
guard, and our difficulties as respects the
Chinese are greatly multiplied by the per-
sistent and almost scientific schemes for
smuggling coolies across the border II
those schemes could be broken up and the
men engaged in them punished, the admin
tstration of the exclusion law would be free
from the possibility of blunders toward
those entitled to enter the country This is
an entirely safe statement.
The boycott as a bugaboo has never met
the expectations of it's authors and abettors
and cannot be worked to advantage at this
late day. We want Chinese trade, and
shall get our share without opening our
ports to the scum of the most populous of
the oriental nations.