Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 February 1890 — THE CHINESE QUESTION. [ARTICLE]

THE CHINESE QUESTION.

CORRESPONDENCE ON THE SUBJECT BEFORE THE SENATE. The Oriental Ambassadors Protest Against the Bill Prohibiting the Return of Chinese Laborers to Our Shores May Be Courtinartlaled—Overworked Women. Washington dispatch: The State department has sent to the Senate in answer to a resolution the correspondence which has taken place between the State department and representatives of the Chinese government located at Washington. This correspondence Includes that of Secretary Bayard with Mr. Chen Yan Hoon and of Secretary Blaine both with Mr. Chen Yan Hoon and his successor, the present Chinese minister, Mr. Tsui Kwo Yin. Both Chinese ministers complain of the act of the Fiftieth Congress with reference to the exclusion of Chinese laborers who had gone away bearing certificates, claiming that this act was a violation of our treaty with China. They also complain of the action of the Secretary of the Treasury in requiring Chinese who desire to pass ' through this country to give a bond of S2OO as a guarantee that they will not violate their agreement not to remain in the United States after being landed on her shores. The former minister, in a communication to Secretary Bayard, claims that the Secretary in an interview vouched that President Cleveland would veto any legislation adverse to the treaty existMr. Bayard in reply denies having made such an agreement or promise, and says the understanding must have been the result of the fact that the conversation was held through an interpreter. The present minister inclosing says: “I have no disposition to prolong the discussion by repeating arguments made in my note of Nov. <5. The action of the Congress of the United States in passing the act of Oct. 1, 1888, in the opinion of my government, manifested an open disregard of treaty obligations on the part of the legislative department of the government of the United States. If anything should occur to make it appear that a similar spirit Influences the conduct of any of the executive departments of that government its effect would create upon my government, I fear, the most unfavorable impression.” It is understood that the action of Secretary Tracy In relieving Commander Coghlan from the command of the United States steamer Mohican and ordering him to report at Mare Island is for the purpose of court-martial-ing him for writing a letter to the Vallejo Chronicle attacking the navy, and especially the Chinese corps This is his second offense, he having been cOurtmartialed in 1876 for writing abusive letters to a clprk in the navy department. For this he was suspended for a year. The postmaster general’s attention has been called to the condition of about 100 women employed in the mail bag repair shop. They are compelled to mend forty bags daily at S3O a month. The work is hard and the building unhealthy, and it is claimed that the minimum number of bags to be repaired by each woman is too much and that in consequence of overwork and the condition of the building many of them are sick and their lives imperilled.