Speech #570042156

I find that the anxiety to exclude Chinese in the East is now quite as strong as it is in the West. Sentiment against Chinese immigration is too strong for any Government officer to disregard. and the regulations will be as strict and comprehensive as the people of the United States desire. While impcrters of Chinese coolies were free to bring all the labor they desired to this country. the baneful effects of Chinese on the Pacific coast were acknowledged by all. Labor was demoralized. They invad d every pointthe household. the kitchen. the factory. on the farm. and everywhere elsewith rates of wages with which white men could not compete. Our Eastern friends could not realize what competition with Asiatic labor meant. but now they understand the question and are as much opposed to the coming of Chinese in Pennsylv.nia as they are in California. China herself recognized. in the Burlingame treaty. the evil of the importation of Chinese to this colintry and agreed in that treaty to pass laws to prevent the cooly traffic. But she was unable to accomplish what she promised in that treaty. She undertook to prevent Chinese coining under contract. All her efforts were ineffective in that regard. After the United States refused naturalization to Chinese. in 1870. the traffic in coolies still continued. Finally. in 1880. Congress was compelled to act to prevent the importation of Chinese. because China was unable to keep them at home. The few that are now here illustrate how difficult it would be for American laborers to live and prosper if the doors were opened to Chinese immigration. I have no doubt the present bill will be put in such shape as to be agreeable to all. I think that it would be better to reenact the Geary and the Scott laws. make them operative wherever the jurisdiction of the United States extends. and then trust to their enforcement under regulations made by the Department.