Show THE NEW CHINESE EXCLUSION BILL IN the early part of april the house of representatives at washington pawed passed by a very large majority the geary chinese exclusion bill in its provisions this measure was as severe as even the old exclusion methods adopted in china in bygone times it absolutely prohibits chinese from entering the united states under any conditions except as diplomatic and consular ular officials and their servants even chinese who may leave the united states were prevented from returning lur ning the master of a vessel who would knowingly land a chinaman on these shores would be subject to a fine of and imprisonment for one year citizens siding aiding or abetting in any way to introduce eitner chinese or persons coif of chinese descent were subject to a fine of 1000 and imprisonment for one year even chinese tourists before e entering a t A ding the united states would be red to obtain permits from the secre secretary re ary of the Tre treasury amry the bill also required chinese now resident here to obtain certificates of identification from the commissioner of inland revenue such certificate to be stamped with the portrait por trait of the person it purports to identify there were a number of other provisions equally as severe but those already touched on amply illustrate the character of the mei measure oure in the senate a substitute to the geary bill was reported from the com cittee on foreign relations by senator dolph of oregon that measure virtually provides for the continuation of exist existing ng laws for a period of ten years longer mr squire of washington and mr mitchell of oregon vigorously opposed the substitute measure but the report was agreed to by a vote toto of forty three yeas to fourteen nays the title of the bill was next amended making it read to prohibit the coming of chinese persons into the united St Sta ateL tep A conference with the house was next asked for and senators dolab davis aud and butler were appointed con derees on the part of tho senate steps step were taken by which a conference between both houses was hf held id on the 3rd ard it ii at the report of this conference was laid before the senate and after some discussion was agreed to by a vote of 30 yeas and 16 15 nays on the ath dinst mr geary presented the conference report in the house after some ineffectual opposition the report was agreed to by a vote of yeas to 28 nays it alpearl af pears that the compromise measure which the conference agreed on embodies essential features fea turee of both the original house bill and its senate substitute judging from what mr hitt of illinois said in opposition the compromise measure retains the certificate feature with portrait attached of the geary billar chinese now resident in this country he alludes to te it as an reducing a human being to the level of a dog by the tagging system the objection to existing legislation on this question is that it to is defective in identification when a chinaman leaves the united states and returns to his own country another takes his certificate and returns on it to this country and present provisions are not adequate to detect the fraud under the portrait system of identification fi it seems that the old defect can be to a large extent effectually removed in future the celestial must enter entirely on his own cheek and queue |