Speech #520048715

President. the fact is that I then became satisfied of the great injury to our own people from the presence of Chinese in any considerable numbers. and that to promote domestic tranquillity it was necessary that our Government adopt more vigorous measures than it had ever adopted then or has adopted since to enforce the exclusion of Chinese. The first point I make is the inefficiency of our Government in carrying out the provisions of the laws which have already been enacted. Every year since 1884 the attention of the Government has been called to the nadequacy of the customs force on the northern frontier for the enforcement of the acts for the restriction of Chinese immigration. During this time the facilities for the introduction of Chinese have been largely increased by reason of the establishment of a regular line of steamers between China and British Columbia. and by the:opening of railroads and other avenues of travel on land between British Columbia and the United States. yet the customs force in the collection districts along the northern frontier has not been perceptibly increased. and the reason for this failure to increase the customs force is alleged to be. and undoubtedly is. the lack of money which should have been appropriated for the purpose. I have no sympathy with demagogy in any form. and it seems to be demagogy of the most arrant kind for the representatives of the United States in Congress assembled to inveigh against Chinese. and to pass act after act for the alleged purpose of their exclusion from this country. when at the same time that Congress fails to provide a reasonable sum of money to enable the law to be efficiently executed.