New-York tribune., 1907-01-27
THE CHINESE QUESTION.
Il Plea for Justice to People Of the
Far East in This Land.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: I have just read IN The Tribune the proposed
new exclusion act OF subcommittee Of the House
Committee Foreign Affairs. While I am
grateful that under the pressure OF merchants
pocket conscience-not from common Justice. to
say nothing of the Golden Rule-ths bill does
not propose TO continue mprisoning. stripping and
measuring criminals honorable citizens Of China
college graduates. tourists students. merchants OF
guilds Ike unto our chambers OF commerce-re-
serving. 1 suppose. such attentions for those who
have no more self-respect than 20 be honest in
dustrtous 'laborers." yet must protest that the
proposed 'reief bilI' is a very poor specimen OF
national righteousness and in direct contradiction
TO a statement of late Golden Rule Secre-
tary, John Hay. which statement he made In an
address in New York; give the gist OF it-This
government observes the Golden Rule. and does
not Oppress weaker nationsl
Two or three points in the proposed bill most
Objectionable Chinese desiring 10 go home and
return here must deposit his certificate with the
Inspector at the port from which he starts. II I
were Chinese few indeed would be the inspectors
that would trust with the only proof OF my right
To re-enter here unless had the money TO induce
them TO produce I'll How all the Chinese work.
Ing In out-of-the-way places. away from news
papers and means OF information, 20 know that
they must apply within a year for a certificate OF
residence That they here should be their
proof This opens another door for the entrance
of persecution distress and fees. The student Is
forbidden TO do anything toward his own support
or TO build himself up into higher life Honorable
and helpful this. for a government that has gIorfed
in its selfmade menI All others than the dreadful
working people-what insult 10 Iabor-such as
teachers. students merchants and persons travel
ling for curiosity or pleasure % IN the United
States. will be compelled to apply within a year
TO the officers OF the Department OF Commerce
and Labor for a certificate OF residence and 20
these certificates to be attached their photo
graphs: falling these they are 20 be deported' 4!
And this great relief IS great as to encourage
those whose brains wrought out tho marvellous
plan 70 feel that will dispel any bitterness
against the United States the part OF Chinese
merchants and that 1t Will alay any feeling against
this country"
The soothing prescription will not be effective
because OF failure TO diagnose the case correctlv
nave little hope that this mild splash OF policy
will much facilitate the sale OF our New England
cotton. our kerosene oil or American -four or
any other or our goods that try to force the
chinese to buy. May God help those patrIots-nis-
takenly called boycOters-to carry out their right
eous programme TO the last letter. This is how
II reads: Buy no more American goods until the
United States treats China just as she does all
other nations A principle worth dying for. and
the Chinese people that will die for princi-
pie Ten thousand of them-men. women. young
men, young women yea. little childrsn-wear
martyr crowns to-day, rather than deny their
Saviour I'm 1900. Shortly I expect to go 10 China
to attend an international and inerdenominationaI
convention to be held in Shanghai in April The
Protestant missionary societies of Europe and the
United States will be represented officially there
while many visitors Of many countries will make
up the greatest convention held IN a heather
land. OF no one of us Will certificate or photo
graph be demanded. We shall have no fear OF
deportation. imprisonment measurements or in
suits. Even a Californian would be received with
courtesy, although think by this time even the
moral standard Of even Sabbath law. We de
/ mand even the Californian dOeS-that every door
! IN China Will be open TO us. whether native born
or naturalized whether gentleman or the foreign
devl'-such an accurate expression, No certificate,
photograph or inspection for them!
government. lost all memory of It? Has the bal
ance of power knocked 1t out Of heads and
/ hearts? Does such government action as we have
had and is now proposed contribute TO China's
favored nation in China's coveted and great mar
ket? We were that oncei Are idiots CONNER
though it make itself the political balance between
our great parties? One of this refuse who posed
that you, who here by the mere accident
of birth. have not" Pleasant words these to us.
How do you like such statements. brother Amer
leans? Some day this nation will know to it's cost
this domain of ours. Even the Commissioner of
Immigration hints mildly that all is not we'll Yet.
giles and cudgels Drains how to manage the little
over one thousand Chinese who enter. while the
the average voter. few not ChlOrOfOrmed!
Nothing is settled until settled right. and this
Chinese question will be settled and to the safety
OF this country when we have one immigration law
for all peoples, with no exception. and that law
countries, and admits the honest Industrious phys
lcally ana morally clean and oppressed OF every
Book which Queen Victoria declared 20 be the
source OF the power Of the British Empire Is the
being and will he fuhlled. and that these shall
are not named but ChInaISlnim-was and was
made to represent the whole East. Whatsoever
IA man sOweth that shall he also reap" and this is
A FRIEND OF JUSTICE
Brooklyn. Jan. H. 1907.