The case was urgent. Three years and more have elapsed. and we have been all this time waiting without power to proceed a step farther in legislating until now. In prospect of the treaty contemplated by this act we hope to pass a law which will tend at least to prohibit the further immigration of Chinese labor. It is much to be regretted that we have had to wait so long. There are evidences that in all this our Government has a willing party to deal with. at least to a great degree. so far as is consistent with its dignity. in the Chinese Government. I have seen it stated unofficially that a decree or order has been issued by the Chinese Government forbidding Chinese subjects who are laborers to come to this country. and the gentleman from Kentucky intimated the fact that this negotiation has been. in unofficial ways. made known by the State Department to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of this House. and I think also of the Senate. There is no doubt a willingness on the part of China to come to an agreement with us as soon as possible. They have long been willing to agree that we shall not only regulate. limit. and suspend. but totally prohibit all immigration of Chinese labor. I regret exceedingly that I can not agree with the views of my colleagues on the committeethe gentleman from Kentucky and the gentleman from Mississippi -that the treaty as negotiated by the Secretary of State was complete or satisfactory. It was a defective instrument as he sent it to the Senate.
Keywords matched
immigration