Speech #570044237

Do you want to leave as many loopholes as possible to The powerful corporations have been heard from upon the sub- enable the Chinese to come here? If you do. then you want to ject while the bill has been pending here. The business interests vote for the Platt substitute for the pending bill. because that is have become alarmed. or have affected to become so. the leaders what it will do. and representatives of organized labor have had the imprudence A great part of the present laws upon Chinese exclusion are to show themselves in the corridors and committee rooms of the found in the act of 1888. A great part of the effective laws upon Capitol. and that has been an additional cause of offense in the the subject of Chinese exclusion are the regulations made by the eyes of some people. Treasury Department supplementing the legislation. which expeWhen we consider that the Republican party worships at the rience has shown are absolutely essential to any efficient carrying shrine of wealth. when we consider that it regards the sole or at on of our policy against the admission of Chinese to our country. least the chief duty of government to be the conservation of It is a fact that both the Scott law and the Treasury regulations wealth rather than the promotion of an honest. intelligent. and are being attacked in five cases in the Supreme Court of the patriotic citizenship. the wonder to my mind is not that sentiment United States. with the great probability that that court will be should have crystallized against this measure on the other side of compelled to declare* that the Scott Act has no force and effect as the Chamber. but that there should be found anybody upon that a law because it was passed in contemplation of the ratification side strong enough. with patriotism and statesmanship enough in by the Chinese Government of the treaty of 1888. which that Govhis composition to cast aside the influences of his environnent ernment declined to do. and give his support to the bill. I honor those who have been So if you adopt the substitute offered by the Senator from Connecable to do so and believe that they will find in the approving ticut. instead of passing the committee bill. you are going to give views of their countrymen full justification for the course which us a lame. a halting. an inefficient system of laws. under which they are pursuing. it will be impossible to have any efficient exclusion of Chinese * In what I say upon this subject I do not intend. either by in- from the country pursuant to the policy entered upon twenty sinuation or innuendo. to accuse any Senator of pursuing any years ago. other course than that which his conscience demands. I am sim- More than that. Senators. the substitute drawn by the distinply stating as a philosophic reason for the action of Republican guished Senator from Connecticut provides by its own terms that Senators the fact that the Republican party finds its chief end it shall run with the present Chinese treaty and expire when that and aim and object in life in the conservation of wealth. instead treaty expires. and it is a distinct statement to the statesmen of of in the protection of the common people of the land. the Chinese Empire. as it is a distinct statement to the laboring I am stating that as a reason why at this time. after all this de- men of this land. that the Republican party in this country does bate. after the merits of this measure have been so fully shown to not propose to have Chinese exclusion hereafter except with the the Senate and to the country. the sentiment against the bill consent of the Chinese Government. should have crystallized as it has done upon the other side of this Mr. PLATT of Connecticut. Will the Senator from WashingChamber. ton permit me to interrupt him?