Speech #470031200

Upon this subject the treaty projet from the foreign office of the Chinese Government contained. among others. the following proposition: ARc. 2. Chinese who may be desirous of proceeding to any other part of the United States for purposes of labor. excepting only the State of California. shall be alloweI to go of their own free will and accord. Persons of all other classes. with the exception of actual Chinese laborers. whose immigration into California will be temporarily regulated and limited by the United States. whether proceeding to California as teachers. students. travelers. traders. or artlisau. as well as al Chinese laborers now in that State. will be allowed to go and come with entire freedom. and will not be included in the limiting regulations. This proposed article was not satisfactory to the Ameri can comumissinners. But they submitted after considerable consultatio and consideration a counterproject with the following observations upon the point under discussion: 2. The United States commissioners feel it their datytoinsist upon their definition of Chineselaborers. viz: "The words Chineselaborers are hereinused to signify all immigration other than that for teaching. trade. travel. study. and curiosity hereinbefore referred to and provided for in existing treaties." They cannot consent that artisans shall be excluded Irom the class of Chinese laborers. for itis this very competition of skilled labor in the cities where the Chinese labor immigration concentrates which has caused the embarrassment and popular discontent they wish ito avoid. But they are willing to adopt an article providing that the classes who are authorized to come and reside in the United States shall bringthe servants who are necessary to their convenience. As it result of the negotiations following these two propositions. the treaty finally concluded and ratified omits the word "artisans" from its text. which upon this point reads as follows: ART.