The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1907-12-09
Secretary Straus Believes FALL
ing off in Trade is Partially
Due to Boycott Against All
American Goods in Orient
and Suggests Reforms.
LAW TOO GENERAL IN NATURE


report OF Secretary straus, OF the
department of commerce and labor.
was given TO the public today. He
devotes much space to the discussion
OF the Chinese immigration which Is
the principal part Of his report. On
this subject he says In part:
The present policy OF the United
States With reference to Chinese i'm
migration, as developed by both the
legislative and executive depart
ments OF the government, is OF long
b standing. having existed for nearly a
generation. A governmental policy
20 long pursued is not lightly to be
changed. nor islany change proposed.
What have 10 urge is not only based
upon full recognition OF the fixed
character OF the present policy. but is
entirely In furtherance thereof. II IL
not the policy OF the government with
reference to Chinese immigration that
would crlticise, but the manner in
which II is OF necessity carried out by
reason OF the way IN which the laws
are framed. II has never been the
purpose OF the government as would
appear from It's laws and treaties, to
exclude persons OF the Chinese race
merely because they are Chinese, re-
gardless of the class 20 which they be
long. and without reference 10 theiT
length OF stay. The real purpose OF
the governments policy is to exclude
o particular and well defined class,
leaving other classes OF Chinese, ex-
cept as they, together with all other
foreigners, may be included within
the prohibitions OF the general immi-
grafton laws. as free 10 come and go
as the citizens or subjects OF any 9TH
er nation. As the laws are framed,
however. IL would appear that tho
purpose was rigidly to exclude per
sons of the Chinese race in general
and TO admit only such persons OF The
race as fall within certain expressly
stated exemptions-as II, in other
words. exclusion was the rule and adj
mission the exception. regard this
feature OF the present laws as unnec-
essary and fraught with Irritating con
sequences. In the administration OF
laws so framed. Notwithstanding the
care taken 20 treat persons OF the
Chinese race lawfully entitled &c adj
mission with the same courtesy and
consideration shown TO other foreign
ers, II Is impossible that persons who
have to endure requirements and. for
malities peculiar TO themselves should
fan TO take offense. and 20 resent as
a humiliation the manner In which
by law they are distinguished from
natives OF other countries. Laws so
framed can only be regarded as in
volvlng a discrimination on account
OF race, and II Is needless TO point out
that determinations on account of
race. color. previous condition. or re-
liglon are alike opposed to the prin-
ciples OF the republic and TO The
spirit OF It's institutions.
at Is not surprising, therefore. that
both the Chinese government and the
Chinese people should feel agrieved.
and should in various ways manifest
thelr resentment and dlspleasure. The
attitude OF the, Chinese government
NAV be inferred from the fact that. In
1904. after the convention of 1894
had been in force for 10 years. China
availing herself OF right reserved,
formally denounced the treaty, thus
refusing longer TO be a party 10 an
Arrangement which. as carried into
effect by legislation. was offensive to
her national pride.
.In 1905 China held first rank
among oriental countries as a CON
sumner of American products. In that
wear her total commerce amounted to
497 million dollars. of which 329 mil
lions we're imports. OF these imports.
according to the Chinese official data,
the United states supplied 81 mil
lions. or more than IL per cent. As
tbs exnorts OF the United States to
China had grown to these proportions
nv rapid strides-it amounted to less
than 3 millions in the seventies, and
only reached I u millions in 1886. IL
millions in 1897. rs millions In 1900,
and "a millions in 19O'2-it was con-
f,dently hoped that, as commercial IN
tercourse between the two nations
increased as the needs of the Chin
csc market became better under
stood. and as the character of Amer
lean products became better known
American trade would continue to
nrosress in the same ratio and a larg-
a. and larger share of the foreign
trade of China would accrue to the
limited States. Instead of that, how
ever. the reports of the United States
To China, according TO our statistics,
fell from "a millions In the fiscal
year 1905 y a. millions in 1906 and