Speech #500108002

Adequate wages are needed to give selfrespect to the laborer and the means of education to his children. Family life is a great safeguard to our political institutions. Chinese immigration involves sordid wages. nopublic schools. and the absenco of a family. This problem is too important to be treated with indifference. Congress should solve it. having due regard to any rights already accrued under existing treaties. and to humanity. But it must be solved in the judgmeut of the committee. unless our Pacific possessions are to be ultimately given over to a race alien in all its tendencies which will make it practically provinces of China rather than States of the Union. The committee recommend that meas ures be taken by the Executive. looking toward a modification of the existing treaty with China. confining it strictly to commercial purposes. and that Congress legislate to restrain the great influx of Asiatics to this country. It is not believed that these measures will be looked upon with disfavor by the Chinese Government. Whether it is so or not. a duty is owing to the Pacific States and Territories which are suffering under a terrible scourge and arc patiently waiting for relief from Congress. The injurious effects of Chinese immigration became so burdensome and produced so much indignation that in 1879 the Fortyfifth Congress attempted to correct the wrong. A bill was passed by both Houses providing that no vessel entering any port of the United States should thereafter land more than fifteen Chinese passengers on any one trip. and the bill also directed the President to abrogate Articles V and VI of the Burlingame treaty conferring mutual rights of permanent residence on Chinese and Americans. This bill was vetoed by President Hayes March 20. 1879. Steps were then immediately taken to effect a modification of our treaty obligations. and on the 27th of November. 1880. commissioners of the United States negotiated at Pekin a new treaty with the Chinese Government. the first article of which provided: Whenever. in the case of tile Government of the United States. the coming of Chinese laborers to the United States or their residence therein affects or threatens to affect the interest of that country or to endanger the good order of the said country or of any locality within the territory thereof. tile Government of China agrees that the Government of the United States may regulate. limit. or suspend such coming or residence. but may not absolutely prohibit it. The limitation or suspension shall be reasonable and shall apply only to Chinese who may come to the United States aslaborers. other classes not being included within the limitations. The Fortyseventh Congress passed an act to give effect to this treaty. containing a provision absolutely prohibiting Chinese immigration for a term of twenty years. President Arthur vetoed this bill April 4. 1882. Congress thereupon passed another bill whiell became a law May 6. 1882. suspending the immigration of Chinese laborers for a term of ten years. but providing that return certificates should be issued to laborers who were in the United States at the time of the ratification of the treaty of 1880 or who should arrive in the United States within ninety days of the passage of the act. This law was amended July 5. 1884. by adding additional restrictions. but notwithstanding their attempt to make it effective it was found that the flood of Chinese immigration continued to increase. a very large portion of the influx being ascribable to the fraudulent use of return certificates. Legislation was attempted by the Fortyeighth and Fortyninth Congresses. but without success. The Senate bill now under consideration is substantially the same as House bill No. 10605. which was unanimously reported by the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the 23.1 of June last. but inasmuch as the final exchange of ratifications of the treaty must necessarily be delayed for some months on account of amendments made to the treaty by the Senate. the Committee on Foreign Affairs believed that the passage of the bill in the shape in which it came from the Senate repealing the restriction act of 1882 from and after the approval of the bill might throw open our ports to unrestricted Chinese immigration for probably severalmonths or until there shall have been time for the exchange of ratifications of the amended treaty. and they therefore presented the amendment which has been reported giving effect to the repealing clause from and after the exchange of ratifications instead of from and after approval of the act. Mr. Speaker.