Speech #570043640

Wfashington. March 22. 1902. Sin: When the Chinese Government consented in 1880 to a modification of the treaty of 1868. whereby the free immigration of Chinese laborers into the United States was restricted. it was provided in the treaty that where the legislation of Congress authorized by that convention was likely to work hardsi on the Chinese subjects the minister in Washington would be permitted t communicate with the Secretary of State. to the end that mutual and unqualified benefit might result. In making use at this time of the privilege giunted in the cited treaty provision I desre not to be understood as antagonizing the just provisins of pending legislation or influencing Congressional action. but to brin to your attention. and through you to Congress. some of the hardships which will inevitably remult to the subjects of Chn in case some of tho proposed legislation should become a law. Should I remain silent until tho bills now beforo Congress he enacted into a law. it will then be too late to remedy the evil. I trust. therefore. that what I say to you may aid the honorable Congress in making a right conclusion on the subject. I desire especially to direct attention to the bill 5. 2080. which has been reported to the Senate from the Committee on Immigration. In the concluding paragraph of the report which accompanies the bill it is said: "There can be no doubt that under a wise. humane. and fearless enforcement of this act the importation of Chinese laborers will be prevented and the ingress of Chinese merchants and others of the exempt classes facilitated. and that the present relations between tho United States and China will be strengthened thereby." I feel it my duty to may to you. and through you to the Congress which will soon be called to act upon this bill. that it it becomes a law it will havo just the contrary effect from that stated by the committee. It can not fail to seriously disturb the friendly relations which hanve up to the present existed between the two Governments and peoples. I do not wish to go into the different prowiions of the bill in detail. but I should like to call your" attention in a general way to its effects. It restricts the privileged Chinese persons. other than laborers. to come to the United States to only five classes. viz. officials. teachers students. merchants. and travelers. in direct contravention to the treaty oi 1880. in Article I where it states that the limitation or suspension of immigration shall apply only to laborers. "other classes not being included in the limitation." So also the history of the negotiation shows that it was the intention of the two Governments that lahorers alone were to be excluded. Under the bill there would be excluded bankers. capitalists. commercial aents or brokers. and even merchants who come only to make purchases. aso scholars and professors. of which there are many in China of high attainments. also physicians. clergymen. and many other classes which do not fall under the five classes exempt by the hill. The provisions of the hill as to the five exempt classes are so restrictive as to practically nullify the treaty in regard to them.