The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-01-02

about the time of the discovery of gold
in California. In the late seventies
Chinese immigration became a live is
sue. California passed much ineffect-
i've state and local legislation, and fl
nally appealed to the government to
stop the immigration of Chinese labor.
Congress passed an exclusion act, but
it was vetoed by President Hayes.
Then it was asserted that the agita-
ton was not the result of a general
public sentiment but only the mouth
ings of those whose opinions We're not
entitled to respect by the lawmakers
of the nation. In answer, California
submitted the whole matter to a refer
endum before the people. The result
was that out of 162 900 votes cast only
q few hundred were registered against
exclusion. With this evidence of the
unanimity of sentiment congress
passed and President Arthur signed,
the exclusion law of 1882, although
previously he had vetoed a bill be-
| cause of some of the provisions con-
tanned in the approved measure.
In 1886, after there had been some
minor legislation in 1884, China pro-
posed a new treaty, which was signed,
excluding the Chinese for 20 years. The
senate amended the treaty in several
minor matters, and then China refused
to accept it. In this state of affairs
President Cleveland signed a law car
rying into effect h subject matter
of the treaty. Exclusion was made
even more rigid by the law of 1892,
which provided that all Chinese in the
United States who did not register
their presence within a year. should be
deported. It's constitutionality was
attacked. but upheld by the supreme
court. Meanwhile, some 10000 Chi
nese failed to register and We're liable
to deportation. AS it was found that
it would cost some &c. 900, 900 to deport
them, the time for registration was ex-
tended.
In 1894 China negotiated a treaty
upon the. subject, which was ratified
and which provided for the exclusion
of all Chinese laborers for d period OF
ten years. In 1892 there was some
further legislation, and when the ten
year period, provided by the treaty,
expired in 1904 and China refused 70
recognize the American contention
further. congress passed a law exclud-
ing Chinese labor indefini ely, without
any reference to China'S views upon
the subject.
And that is the law in force today.
Because Of the deviuus way which
he Chinese use in smuggling thtri-
selves into Uncle Sans domains, it is
said to be the hardest law upon the
statute books to enforce.
The story of the restriction of jap
anese immigration is too fresh in the
minds of readers to need relation at
length. The a~nti-Japanese sentiment
had been rising for years, but was
brought to a climax when the Japanese
refused to SEND their children to the
separate schools established for them,
and sought to force their way into the
white schools. President Roosevelt
sent Secretary Metcalf to make an in
~vestigation. and upon the strength of
Metcalf's report Roosevelt went so far
as privately to threaten to make CAL
ifornja come to terms by force of arms.
The upshot Of the whole matter was
an agreement between the two gov
crnments that NJ Japanese should be
admitted who did not possess a pass
port, and that passports should not be
issued to laborers. :
Tomorrow immigration.
XIV. How the New" Immigrant