Another issue of great moment in the pending | and destroy the security of northern investments. contest is the Force bill, the magnitude of which And its reflex action upon the Northern States cannot be over-estimated. It may mean the control of the election of representatives in Congress by the bayonet. The Republican party, by its acts in the Fifty-First Congress, and by its platform in its late national convention, stands pledged to the passage of this bill. That it will pass it when it has the power no sane man can doubt. To all our people who desire the peace and prosperity of our common country this question is all-important. would result in a consequent loss of commercial and trade relations with the vast territory now becoming tributary to their wealth and prosperity. I say nothing now of the inherent vice of the un-American and revolutionary spirit involved in the Lodge bill, which was pronounced by a Republican Senator "the most infamous that ever crossed the threshold of the Senate." I appeal to the instinct of self-interest and common justice in the American people. The era of good feeling and renewed commercial relations, commencing with the election of Mr. Cleveland in 1884, should not be interrupted by the inauguration of a policy which tends to destroy popular representation and the purity of the local self-government, which furnished an in Since my nomination I have been in eight of the Southern and Southwestern States of the Union, and have talked with all classes and conditions there. I found a general and growing apprehension of 'evils which it is believed would result in the passage of the Lodge bill or similar threatened legislation. I found the in-strument to discredited Federal power to perpetudustries established by northern capital during Mr. Cleveland's administration in a languishing condition, that the immigration of labor and the investment of capital invited to those States by their then peaceful condition had in a large measure ceased. The enactment of a Force bill into law, while it would threaten the liberties of the entire people, would undoubtedly retard the material growth of the States at which it is specially aimed, would incite in many communities race troubles, and invite retaliatory legislation, which would disturb property values and discontinue ate it, which seeks to keep alive sectional jealousies and strife, which threatens important commercial interests, and which offers no excuse or palliation for its existence, except the perpetuation in power of a political party which has lost public confidence. I accept the nomination tendered me, and should the action of the convention meet the approval of my countrymen, will, to the best of my ability, discharge with fidelity the duties of the important trust confided to me. Very respectfully, ADLAI E. STEVENSON. Bloomington, Illinois, October 29, 1892. VIII. THE CHINESE QUESTION. Supplement to the Act of May 5, 1892, to Prohibit the Coming of Chinese Persons into the United States. [For previous action, see HAND-BOOK OF POLITICS FOR 1892, pp. 202-206; HAND-BOOK OF POLITICS FOR 1890, pp. 13-15, and other references therein given.] IN HOUSE OF RepresentativeS-FIRST SESSION, FIFTY-THIRD CONGRESS. 1893, October 16-Pending this bill (H. R. 3687) reported from the Committee on Foreign Affairs by Mr. MCCREARY of Kentucky: "A bill to amend an act entitled 'An act to prohibit the coming of Chinese persons into the United States,' approved May 5, 1892. "Be it enacted, etc., That section 6 of an act entitled 'An act to prohibit the coming of Chinese persons into the United States,' approved May 5, 1892, is hereby amended so as to read as follows: "SEC. 6. And it shall be the duty of all Chinese laborers within the limits of the United States who were entitled to remain in the United States before the passage of the act to which this is an amendment, to apply to the collector of internal revenue of their respective districts within six months after the passage of this act for a certificate of residence; and any Chinese laborer within the limits of the United States who shall neglect, fail, or refuse to comply with the provisions of this act and the act to which this is an amendment, or who, after the expiration of said six months, shall be found within the jurisdiction of the United States without such certificate of residence, shall be deemed and adjudged to be unlawfully within the United States, and may be arrested by any United States customs official, collector of internal revenue or his deputies, United States marshal or his deputies, and taken before a United States judge, whose duty it shall be to order that he be deported from the United States, as provided in this act and in the act to which this is an amendment, unless he shall establish clearly to the satisfaction of said judge that by reason of accident, sickness, or other unavoidable cause, he has been unable to procure his certificate, and to the satisfaction of said United States judge, and by at least one credible witness other than Chinese, that he was a resident of the United States on the 5th of May, 1892; and if, upon the hearing, It shall appear that he is so entitled to a certificate, it shall be granted upon his paying the cost. Should it appear that said Chinaman had procured a certificate, which had been lost or de Mr. LOUD moved to amend the amendment by adding thereto these words: "And provided, That upon complaint, under oath, by any citizen of the United States, made before a United States judge, stating that any Chinese person is in the United States unlawfully, a warrant for the arrest of such Chinese person shall be issued by said judge, and the said person shall be subjected to all of the provisions of this act and the act to which this is an amendment, the same as if he had been arrested thereunder by a customs official, collector of stroyed, he shall be detained and judgment suspended a reasonable time to enable him to procure a duplicate from the officer granting it, and in such cases the cost of said arrest and trial shall be in the discretion of the court; and any Chinese person, other than a Chinese laborer, having a right to be and remain in the United States, desiring such certificate as evidence of such right, may apply for and receive the same without charge; and that no proceedings for a violation of the provisions of said section 6 of said act of May 5, 1892, as originally enacted, shall hereafter be instituted, and that all pro-internal revenue or his deputies, United States ceedings for said violation now pending are hereby discontinued.' "SEC. 2. The words 'laborer' or 'laborers,' wherever used in this act, or in the act to which this is an amendment, shall be construed to mean both skilled and unskilled manual laborers, including Chinese employed in mining, fishing, huckstering, peddling, laundrymen, or those engaged in taking, drying, or otherwise preserving shell or other fish for home consumption or exportation." Mr. GEARY moved to amend by adding these sections: "The term merchant' as employed herein and in the acts of which this is amendatory, shall have the following meaning and none other: A merchant is a person engaged in buying and selling merchandise at a fixed place of business, which business is conducted in his name, and who during the time he claims to be engaged as a merchant does not engage in the performance of any manual labor, except such as is necessary in the conduct of his business as such merchant. "Where an application is made by a Chinaman for entrance into the United States on the ground that he was formerly engaged in this country as a merchant, he shall establish by the testimony of two credible witnesses other than Chinese the fact that he conducted such business as hereinbefore defined for at least one year before his departure from the United States, and that during such year he was not engaged in the performance of any manual labor, except such as was necessary in the conduct of his business as such merchant, and in default of such proof shall be refused landing. "Such order of deportation shall be executed by the United States marshal of the district within which such order is made, and he shall execute the same with all convenient dispatch; and pending the execution of such order such Chinese person shall remain in the custody of the United States marshal, and shall not be adImitted to bail. "The certificate herein provided for shall contain the photograph of the applicant, together with his name, local residence, and occupation, and a copy of such certificate, with a duplicate of such photograph attached, shall be filed in the office of the United States collector of internal revenue of the district in which such Chinaman makes application. "Such photographs in duplicate shall be furnished by each applicant in such form as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury." marshal or his deputies." Which was rejected. Mr. GEARY'S amendment was agreed toayes 120, noes 10 Mr. CAMINETTI moved to add to Sec. I the following: "Provided, That no Chinese person heretofore convicted in any court of the States or Territories, or of the United States, of a felony shall be permitted to register under the provisions of this act; but all of such persons who are now subject to deportation for failure or refusal to comply with the act to which this is an amendment, shall be deported from the United States, as in said act, and as in this act provided, upon any appropriate proceedings now pending or which may be hereafter instituted." Which was agreed to. Mr. MAHON moved the following as a substitute for the bill: "That, in addition to conforming to all pres est requirements of law regulating immigration, it shall be the duty of the master or commanding officer of any steamer or sailing vessel to take from all Chinese and other alien immigrants embarking on said steamer or sailing vessel a statement sworn to by said immigrant, before the United States Consul or consular agent at the port of departure, and it shall be the duty of said consul or consular agent to examine all persons presenting said statement, under oath, as to the truthfulness of the facts set forth in said statement. And if upon said examination he is satisfied said statement be true, he shall so certify same on said statement, and without said certificate said statement shall not be received by the master or commanding officer of any steamer or sailing vessel, or by any customs officer or officer in charge of place of entry into the United States. Said statement shall give his or her full name, age and sex; whether married or single; the calling or occupation; whether able to read or write; the nationality; the last residence; the seaport for landing in the United States; the final destination, if any, beyond the seaport or landing; whether having a ticket through to such final destination; whether the emigrant has paid his or her own passage, or whether it has been paid by other persons or by any corporation, society, municipality or government; whether in possession of money, and, if so, how much, which may be used in payment of passage; whether going to join a relative, and, if so, what relation, and his name and address; whether ever before in the United States, and, if so, when and where; whether ever in a prison or almshouse or supported by charity; | of said vessel, to the effect that he has made a whether under contract, expressed or implied, to personal examination of each and all of the perform labor in the United States; whether a passengers named therein, and that he has polygamist, anarchist or socialist; his or her caused the surgeon of said vessel sailing therecondition of health, and when the statement is with, to make a physical examination of each made by the head of the family, the condition of said passengers, and that from his inspection of the health of each minor of the family must and the report of said surgeon, he believes that be given; each person over 17 years of age no one of said passengers is an idiot or insane must make his or her own statement as to his or person, or a pauper, or likely to become a pubher condition of health, mentally and physically, lic charge, or suffering from a loathsome or and whether deformed or crippled, and, if so, dangerous contagious disease, or a person who from what cause. has been convicted of a felony, or other infamous crime or misdemeanor, involving moral turpitude, or a polygamist, or an anarchist, or socialist, or under a contract or agreement, expressed or implied, to perform labor in the United States, and that also, according to the best of his knowledge and belief, the information in said list or manifest, concerning each of said passengers named therein, is correct and true. 66 "SEC. 4. That the surgeon of said vessel sailing therewith shall also sign each of said lists or manifests before the departure of said vessel, and make oath or affirmation in like manner before said consul or consular agent, stating his professional experience and qualifications as a physician and surgeon, and that he has made a personal examination of each of the passengers named therein, and that said list or manifest, according to the best of his knowledge and be lief, is full, correct, and true in all particulars relative to the mental and physical condition of said passengers; if no surgeon sails with any vessel bringing alien immigrants, the mental and physical examination and the verifications of the lists or manifests may be made by some competent surgeon employed by the owners of the vessel, said appointment to be approved by the United States consul or consular agent, and duplicate copies of said lists to be retained by the consul or consular agent. 'SEC. 2. That it shall be unlawful for the master or commanding officer of any steamer or sailing vessel or customs officer or any officer of the United States to receive or pass any Chinese, or other alien passengers, bound for the United States, if the statement made discloses that he or she is unable to read and write; that the passage has been paid by any person other than the passenger, or by any company or corporation, society, municipality, or government; or who does not possess, if a single man over 21 years old, the sum of $100, if a single woman over 20 years old, the sum of $50, if the head of a family the sum of $300; or whose statement or certificate of a physician shows him or her to be a person of unsound mental or physical condition; or who has ever been in prison for any crime or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude; or when such person has been in an almshouse or supported by charity within five years; or a polygamist or anarchist, or socialist; or under contract, expressed or implied, to perform labor in the United States: Provided, however, That nothing herein shall prevent the reception or passing of minors under 17 years of age, who are coming to this country to join their parents, when they possess a certificate from the clerk of a court of record, showing that the parents are law-abiding citizens, and perfectly able to care for such children, or any dependent member of a family who possess a certificate from the clerk of the court of record showing that the relatives in the United States are residents and citizens of the county and State from which said certificate was issued, and they have under oath shown that they are not only willing, but perfectly able and agree to care for such dependent relative, then, and if said dependent relative be not afflicted with any contagious disease, and be not an ex-convict of an infamous crime or misde-cerning whom the above information is not conmeanor involving moral turpitude, such person may be accepted as a passenger. "SEC. 3. That all Chinese and other alien immigrants shall be listed in convenient groups, and no one list or manifest shall contain more than thirty names. To each immigrant head of a family shall be given a ticket, on which shall be written his or her name, the name of his wife, and names of his minor children, a number or letter designating the list, and his number on the list for convenience of identification on arrival. Each list or manifest shall be verified by the signature and the oath or affirmation of the master or commanding officer, or the officer first or second below him in command, taken before the United States consul, or consular agent at the port of departure, before the sailing "SEC. 5. That in the case of the failure of said master or commanding officer of said vessel to deliver to the said inspector of immigration lists or manifests, verified as aforesaid, containing the information above required as to all Chinese and other alien immigrants on board, there shall be paid to the collector of customs at the port of arrival the sum of $1,000 for each immigrant qualified to enter the United States, con tained in any list, as aforesaid, or said immigrant shall not be permitted to enter the United States, but shall be returned as now provided by law. "SEC. 6. That it shall be the duty of every inspector of arriving Chinese and other alien immigrants, as well as customs officers and other officers of the United States in charge of place of entry, to carefully examine each one, and if he shall find that he or she is unable to read or write, except children under the age of 17 years; that the passage has been paid by any person other than the person, him or herself, or in case of minors or married women by any person other than the head of the family, or guardian of minors, or that it has been paid by any company, corporation, government, or society; or who does not possess, if a single man over age of 21 years, | the jurisdiction of the United States without such certificate of residence, shall be deemed, and adjudged to be, unlawfully within the United States, and may be arrested by any United States customs official, collector of internal revenue, or his deputies, United States marshal, or his deputies, and taken before a United States judge, whose duty it shall be to the sum of $100; if a single woman over age of 21 years, the sum of $50; if the head of a family, the sum of $300; or that such person is in an unsound mental or physical condition, or has ever been in prison for any infamous crime or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude; or that any such person has been in an almshouse or supported by charity within five years; or that he or she is coming under any contract, ex-order that he be deported from the United pressed or implied, to perform labor in the United States; or that he or she is a polygamist, or anarchist, or socialist; then, and in either of the above cases, he shall refuse to allow such alien immigrant to land or enter the United States, and shall cause them to be returned as provided by law: Provided, however, That nothing herein shall prevent the reception of minors under 17 years of age, who are coming to this country to join their parents, when they possess a certificate from the clerk of a court of record showing that the parents are law-abiding citizens and perfectly able to care for such children; or any dependent member of a family who possesses a certificate from the clerk of a court of record showing that the relatives in the United States are residents and citizens of the county and State from which said certificate was issued, and that they have under oath shown that they are not only willing, but perfectly able and agree to care for such dependent relative; then, and if said dependent relative be not afflicted with any contagious disease, and be not an ex-convict of any crime or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, such person may be accepted as a passenger. "SEC 7. That it shall be the duty of every inspector of arriving Chinese or other alien immigrants, and all customs officers and other officers of the United States in charge of place of entry, to detain for a special inquiry, under section I of the immigration act of March 3, 1891, every person who may not appear to him to be clearly beyond doubt entitled to admission, and all special inquiries shall be conducted by not less than four officials, acting as inspectors, to be designated in writing by the Secretary of the Treasury or the Superintendent of Immigration for conducting special inquiries; and no Chinese or other alien immigrant shall be admitted upon special inquiry, except after a favorable decision made by at least three of said inspectors, and any decision to admit shall be subject to appeal by any dissenting inspector to the Superintendent of Immigration, whose action shall be subject to review by the Secretary of the Treasury, as provided in section 8 of said immigration act of March 3, 1891. "SEC. 8. And it shall be the duty of all Chinese laborers within the limits of the United States who were entitled to remain in the United States before the passage of the act to which this is an amendment, to apply to the collector of internal revenue of their respective districts within six months after the passage of this act for a certificate of residence, and any Chinese laborer within the limits of the United States who shall neglect, fail or refuse to comply with the provisions of this act, and the act to which this is an amendment, or who, after the expiration of said six months, shall be found within States, as provided in this act and in the act to which this is an amendment, unless he shall establish clearly to the satisfaction of said judge that by reason of accident, sickness or other unavoidable cause he has been unable to procure his certificate, and to the satisfaction of said United States judge, and by at least one credible witness other than Chinese, that he was a resident of the United States on the 5th of May, 1892, and if, upon the hearing, it shall appear that he is so entitled to a certificate, it shall be granted upon his paying the cost. Should it appear that said Chinaman had procured a certificate which has been lost or destroyed, he shall be detained, and judgment suspended a reasonable time to enable him to procure a duplicate from the officer granting it, and in such cases the cost of said arrest and trial shall be in the discretion of the court; and any Chinese person, cther than a Chinese laborer, having a right to be and remain in the United States, desiring such certificate as evidence of such right, may apply for and receive the same without charge; and that no proceedings for a violation of the provisions of said section 6 of said act of May 5, 1892, as originally enacted, shall hereafter be instituted, and that all proceedings for said violation now pending are hereby discontinued. "SEC 9. All Chinese or other alien immigrants coming into the United States by railroads or otherwise shall file said statement with the United States officer in charge of the port or place of entry, and said Chinese or other alien immigrants shall be subject to sections 6 and 7 and all of the provisions of this law and all other laws not repealed by this act so far as the same is applicable. "SEC. 10. This act shall take effect in forty days from the time same becomes a law. "SEC. II. All acts or parts of acts inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed." Which was rejected. The bill as amended was then passed-ayes 178, noes 1. IN SENATE. November 1-Pending the above bill reported from the Committee on the Judiciary by Mr. GRAY: Mr. HOAR moved the following as a substitute for it: "Be it enacted, etc., That from and after the passage of this act the immigration of Chinese laborers to the United States be, and the same is hereby, suspended (except as hereinafter provided) until such time as by treaty between the two Governments the subject of such immigration shall be determined by both, and during such suspension it shall not be lawful for any such Chinese laborer to come from any foreign | a passport to all the rights and privileges acport or place, or having so come to remain within corded to citizens of the United States.' the United States. "SEC. 4. That so much of the law of May 5, 1892, as relates to the punishment of Chinese persons violating our laws, be amended so as to "That all Chinese aliens, being subject to the laws and regulations of the United States, shall, in case of any accusations or indictment, be accorded the regular and full process of laws, and for violations of any of the laws, or any of the provisions of this act or of the acts of which this is amendatory, the punishment of which is not otherwise herein provided for, shall be punishable by fine not more than $1,000, or by imprisonment for not more than one year.' "SEC. 2. That any Chinese laborer already in the United States, and possessing a certificate of his right to be here, who may be desirous of re-read as follows: turning to his native land with the purpose of again coming to the United States, shall receive, free of charge or cost, a certificate of identification, in such form as the Secretary of the Treasury shall prescribe, which certificate shall contain a statement of the name, age, occupation, last place of residence, personal description, and other facts of identification, and which shall state at what time and in what vessel and from what port said Chinese person is to sail, which certificate shall be signed both by the collector of customs or his deputy of the district, including such port and by the Chinese consul there or his assistant, and shall be attested by their seals of office. Whenever said Chinaman desires to return to the United States he shall report himself both to the Chinese taotai and the United States consul at the port of departure, showing the certificate thus issued, signed, and viséed, and thereupon, if his right thereto be established before said officers of both Governments, shall be allowed a new certificate similar in kind and form to the one previously issued at the port in the United States. "SEC. 3. That so much of the act of Congress approved May 5, 1892, as relates to the regulation and registration of a Chinese laborer or any Chinese person, be amended so as to read as follows: "That all Chinese aliens residing in the United States at the time of the passage of this act, shall receive, within a further period of three months after the passage of this act, and without charge or cost, a certificate of identification, in such form as the Secretary of the Treasury shall prescribe, which certificate shall contain the statement of the name, age, occupation, place of residence, personal description, and other facts of identification, and which may be a legal and useful means for distinguishing those Chinese legally here from those illegally here or seeking to come here, and be a guaranty of the full and equal protection of our laws, 'SEC. 5. That so much of the statute of May 5, 1892, as requires that the witnesses therein described shall be white persons is hereby repealed. "SEC. 6. That the provisions of the first six sections of this act are hereby continued in force until such time as by agreement with the Chinese Government, and the consent of the same, there shall be regulations established by treaty, duly made and ratified by both Governments. "SEC. 7. That all such part or parts of the acts of which this is amendatory as are consistent herewith are hereby continued in force, and all part or parts as are inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed." Mr. DAVIS moved to amend by substituting this for the bill: "That those certain acts of Congress entitled severally, An act to prohibit the coming of of Chinese laborers to the United States,' approved September 13, 1888; an act entitled An act a supplement to an act entitled "An act to execute certain treaty stipulations relating to Chinese, approved the 6th day of May, 1882," approved October 1, 1888; and an act entitled An act to prohibit the coming of Chinese laborers into the United States, approved May 5, 1892, be, and the same are severally hereby, repealed." November 2-Mr. HOAR'S amendment was rejected. Mr. DAVIS'S amendment was rejected. The bill was then passed without amendment. |
