The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-07-16
BEST FRIEND
IS AMERICA
China Owes Much to
United States SAYS
Her Minister.

''China owes more to AmeFica than
to any other nation. In my opinion
America is and has always shown her
self our best friend. -
This was the summing up of the
speech delivered yesterday afternoon
by Sir Chentung Liang Cheng, the
Chinese Minister to the United States,
to the Chinese of Honolulu, gathered
at a public reception IN the assembly
han of the United Chinese Society.
The Minister'S speech was d lengthy
one and contained much valuable ad-
vice to his fellow countrymen here.
Inc friendship of America to China
was shown, he stated, by the fact that
during the recent Boxer troubles 1T had
been the United States that prevent
ed the partition of the Empire, which
had forced the other powers to settle
the trouble by arbitration and who
had Just recently abandoned the great
er part OF her cIaim against China for
indemnity arising out of the Boxer
trouble. This abandonment on the
part of America means saving to
China of thirty-two million dollars,
million a year during the time that
the indemnity runs. Not only did the
United States reduce the payment due
in amount of dollars but consented to
accept the same ratio of exchange as
that prevailing at the time of the
settlement. At that time the rate of
exchange for Mexican dollars stood at
30. now it has risen to so, but the
nited States does not propose to take
advantage of the appreciation.
Under these circumstances, and the
fact that in the United States the Chi
nese enjoyed all the privileges of the
citizens of the most favored nations,
there is no justification of the charge
that the United States is unfair in her
treatment of China. During his four
years as Minister at Washington he
had had little opportunity of doing
much to improve the relations between
the two countries. In the matter of
securing the consent of the govern
ment to the repeal of the Chinese Elk
clusion act little was to be hoped for.
The people of the West had insisted
on the passage of the act by the gov
ernment and the people ruled.
Ii hOulu bG DSJLCI AO1 tL1C (hALS0S
to lay aside for the present their agita-
tion against this law and to preserve
the dignity of their country by self
Improvement and advancement, by con-
solidating their Empire into one coun-
try and into a real nation, then China
would be recognized among the powers.
This way, and in this way alone would
the claim Oh the Chinese for the abro-
cation of the Exclusion law be recOg-
nized. The reason why the people of
California, the ones who had secured
the passage of the Exclusion law, had
treated the Chinese as they have is
that the Chinese of California are of
the worst element of Chinese, without
respect for themselves or for others.
That is why they are treated as they
are and the Americans can not be
blamed for so treating them. All the
laws against the Chinese in the United |
States have originated in California |
and the Chinese all over the country |
nave to suffer for the sins of the Cali |
fornia Chinese.
When Commissioner Sargent return |
I'd from Honolulu and made his report |
to President Roosevelt upon the condl- |
ions in Hawaii, a copy of the report |
vas sent to the Minister. In it the |
stated that if the Chi
lese citizens were all like the Chinese |
citizens in Hawaii the Exclusion law |
would have been done away with long /
lgo.
The Minister gave a word of advice |
o the Chinese of Honolulu. He said |
that he had heard with a great deal
If sorrow that there were some minor
roubles between some of the soci-
ties. His hope was that these trou-
lies would be settled soon and amica-
,ly and not develop into the serious law
breaking that followed the tong wars
n San Francisco. To secure fair treat
nent for themselves from others the
,hinese must show that they are will
ng to treat each other fairly and to
ecure the protection of the law they
must themselves respect the law.
The Minister was driven direct to
he Chinese Consulate on his arrival
ere yesterday morning. At the Con
ulate he received the heads of the
-arious Chinese societies, granting au-
fences to them and receiving petitions. i
After lunch he was driven to the hall
f the United Chinese Society, where
public reception was held, the hall /
eing packed by the local Chinese. Last 5
light he held another reception at the H
Consulate, receiving his friends and |
umbeT of the prominent officials and !
itizens of the Territory. I