Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-19
NEW INSPECTION PORT
Vancouver, B. c., for Chinese
Coming Through Canada.
LAW OF ENTRY MODIFIED
By Order Of Department Of Com
meroe and Labor.
BORDER PORTS CONTINUED
Notice Issued to Settle Contention Of
Railways and Promote Ameri-
can Interests.
LAW OF ENTRY MODIFIED
BORDER PORTS CONTINUED

With the broad purpose Of supporting
American business interests In Chinese
immigrant transportation. Acting Score
tary McHarg of the Department Of Com.
merce and Labor has directed that here.
after the inspection of Chinese coming
from the orient and seeking admission
through Canada will DO made at Van.
couver. British Columbia The present
land border ports of entry for Chinese
are to remain open for the entry Of Chi
nese coming from the orient furnished al
Vancouver with certificates of identity and
for the examination and admission of the
small number Of Chinese not from the
orient desiring to enter from Canada.
Mr.. McHarg has ordered that notice be
served on the Canadian Pacific railway OF
the departments intention to modify the
agreement Of February %. 1908. to this ex
tent. This agreement was entered into
between the Secretary of the Treasury anc
the Canadian Pacific with a view to ef
ficient control of the immigration Of Chi
nese through Canada, and American trans.
portation lines complained that under the
agreement the business of carrying Chi
nese destined to eastern points was stead.
lily falling into the hands of the Canadian
Pacific to the serious injury of the Ameri.
can lines.
Change In Conditions.
For many years previous to the Febru-
airy q. 1908. agreement with the Cana
dian Pacific. Chinese were brought to
Canada in large numbers. and after be-
ing landed on Canadian soil were snug
gled into the United States. Under the
agreement the company brings all Of its
Chinese passengers destined to the
United States to certain designated ports
on the Canadian border and there places
them in the custody and control Of the
immigration officials. The company
agreed to return to China all It's Chi
nese passengers who were refused ad-
mission. The government agreed to
maintain at the land border ports q
corps OF officers to examine the Chinese,
these places to be the sole ports of entry
States in transit overland through Can
ada. The agreement was subject tG
revocation by either party on sixty days
written notice.
Acting Secretary McHarg says condi-
tions have changed materially since that
agreement was imperattvely required and
Chinese now have to pay q $500 per cap
ita tax to remain on Canadian soil. The
Southern Pacific Company and the Pa
cific Mail Steamship Company and other
tives in Congress, have protested against
the agreement.
An Objectionable Attitude.
mo department Of the government
should assume or maintain an attitude
which is justly open to the aspersion OF
favoring one transportation line aside
from the question whether such trans
portation line Is an American or foreign
corporation) to the detriment Of other
transportation lines Of the same general
character" says Commissioner General
of immigration Keefe. in the recop-
has approved. obviously 1t is an ad-
vantage to any company engaged in
bringing Chinese to the eastern section
Of the United States to be in position to
place them at the time of their ex-
animation in close proximity to the point
where their counsel and witnesses are To-
Gated
1t was concluded that justice to the
two protesting companies required that
Chinese BY the Canadian route should
be inspected at the Pacific seaport of
Vancouver. thus placing them on a par
with those coming to San Francisco or
Seattle. or else all lines should be al
lowed to bring Chinese destined east
across the United States in bond, their
examination to be conducted at an east
ern point as convenient to their counsel
and witnesses as the Canadian Pacific
ports of Malone N. Y, and Richford,
VT.
Complications Arise.
The latter alternative was held to be
enthusiastically Objectionable chiefly be-
cause it would necessitate a Chinese
detention station at some such place as
Ellis Island
The first plan was decided upon as
putting the various lines on exactly the
same footing and as materially reduc-
ing the service expense on the Canadian
border. 1t will no longer be necessary
to maintain detention stations and equip
them with men. furniture and supplies,
for the Chinese. after once being ex-
amined and passed at Vancouver. will re-
ceive identity certificates, under which
their admission at the border ports will
merely be a question of Identification by
the omcer passing through the train.