| Show RIGID enforcement OF THE LAW chinese exclusion act is interpreted as western people interpreted it when passed washington july 20 assistant secretary howell of the treasury department made a ruling in regard to the admission into the united states ot chinene persons which ie more comprehensive in its restrictions than hitherto made since the passage of the chinese exclusion act this act was caused by the opinion of abe attorney general who holds in effect that the exclusion act applied to all classes of chincey persons other than those specify cally named in the act the only exceptions are officials teachers students merchants or travelers for or pleas are itis estimated that the number of persons admitted hereafter excluded will aggregate several thousand a year the following letter of instructions based upon the attorney generals opinion has been sent to the collector of customs at san francieco Franci ece washington july 20 1803 collector of customs san francisco sir referring to your communication of the ultimo in relation to the appeal from your decision rejecting the application of wong took sun a chinese person seeking admission to this country as a trader and confirming the telegram sent to you on the dinst you are informed that in an opinion dated the aust the honorable attorney general holds that chinese persona known as traders should not be allowed to land in this country oven though they submit the certificate prescribed by the act approved july 5 1881 relating to the admission of chinese I 1 enclose herewith for your information a copy of the opinion of attorney general and invite your particular attention to that portion of it in which be bays it may beata ted comprehensively that the result of the whole body of the law and 2nd decisions thereon is to determine that the true theory is not that all chinese persons may enter this country who are not forbidden but that only those are entitled to enter aho vho are ex beesly allowed you are therefore hereafter refuse admission to all enincse persons whose objection or station does not clearly indicate that they are member of exempt class of chinese defined by the law and applications for admission for persons described as salesmen clerk buyers bookkeepers accountants managers storekeepers apprentices cashiers physicians agents proprietors prie tors of restaurant etc should be rejected by yon respectfully youre W B HOWELL assistant secretary |
