Honolulu Republican, Volume IV, Number 505, 24 Ianuali 1902 — EXCLUSION PROBLEMS [ARTICLE]

EXCLUSION PROBLEMS

MANY DIFFERENCES OF OPINION SENATOR MITCHELL CLAIMS THAT LABORERS MAY GO TO HAWAII. Composite Bill in Senate Contains Fifty-six Sections —Representative Newlands Thinks Democratic Party May Make Question the Burning Issue of Next Campaign. WASHINGTON. D. C-. Jan 15Senator Lodge said to day that the Chinese exclusion question was likely to give rise to extended debate in th~ Senate inasmuch as the whole Philippine question probably would become involved. He added that he thought there was a growing feeling in favor of his bill. looking to the simple continuation of the present laws. This would avoid bringing in the question iof the citizenship of the people of the Philippines, about 1.500.0*"' of whom are of Chinese blood. It is estimated by the insular bureau that of these 500.000 are of pure Chinese blood. 60.000 af them being in Manila. If the people of the Philippines are citizens, or should be made so by act of Congress, the question arises whether the Chinese there, citizens like the rest, could be excluded from the mainland of the United Sfhtes. This is a subject of such far-reaching j scope that there is hesitation in attacking it. Composite Bill Presented, It was this very question that cans ed something like a split to-day in the -nib-committee charged with framing the Chinese bill. The labor leaders. Immigration Bureau representatives and California Commission, presented a composite bill containing features drawn from several bills already described. and the sub-committee rtisi cussed it at some length. This com posite bill contains fifty-six sections. The bill differs most radically from the existing law in extending the exclusion law against the Chinese from the Philippine Islands. This new matter is contained in section 3 as { Hows: Section in Dispute. “Section 2 That from and after the passage of this act the entry into the American mainland territory of the United States of Chinese laborers coming from any of the insular possessions of the United States shall be ab soiutely prohibited, and the prohibition shall apply to all Chinese laborers regardless of considerations of citizenship, unless their citizenship shall have arisen in the said mainland territory. And the same prohibition of entry shall apply to Chinese laborers coming to one of the insular possessions of the United States from any of the other territories of the United States. But the transit privileges hereinafter given to other Chinese persons and hereby given to Chinese laborers in all territory of the United States, subject to the • conditions hereinafter expressed.’" From Philippines to Hawaii. The words "regardless of considera lions of citizenship." and the clause prohibiting Chinese laborers from . ; assing fnom one gitnip of islands to another, as from the Philippines to M .waii. gave rise »o rg';- h discussi- i Senator Mitchell opposed it vigorous- ; ly. saying there was only one class of clriyens under the American flag. and I that if the Chinese were entitled to ! citizenship now or Hereafter in the ; Phliipji'pes. they were entitled to go from me tart of the country to another. Retire . native Newiands, chairman cf the sub-committee, also withheld his sanction of section 2. His rea son? are based on questions of party policy. The Democratic party, he hinks. may take the ground that the people of the Philippines, of what ever color or blood, are Am?rioan citiz- ns. and this mar become the burning issue of the next Presidential He will not commit him self on this section, therefore, until he hrs consulted with the Democratic , lead rs. Differerc* of Opinion. Other members of th <:b ommit tee indorse this section, and declare that the United Stat-s ha- a n-■fee-right to exclude Chinese from the mainland, no matter what their status may be in the Philippine*. They say that is a qu- stion f- r the Supreme Court to determine in a specified rase, and that the anti-Chinese advocates should not raise the ques tion themselves. The sub-committee flna’ly decided to present the bill to the Pacific Coast caucus tomorrow with a fa vorable report, except as to section 2. which will be presented without comm-nt.