Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 December 1892 — COST OF ENFORCING THE CHINESE ACT. [ARTICLE]

COST OF ENFORCING THE CHINESE ACT.

Variously Estimated at from *10,000,000 to *200,000 or Less. Representative Geary doos not believe the coat of deporting the Chinese of the United States will reach $lO,000,000. The census shows a Chinese population of 107,000, and under the law those who do not register and sit for their photographs must be sent home at Government expense. Upon this basis it Is calculated that more lhan 100,000 of them will have to be deported as soon as the year of grace expires on May 6 next. The cost of sending them back to China is estimated at SIOO apiece. According to Representative Geary’s reckoning, the cost of deportation need not be more than S2O a head. That is more than it cost these same Chinamen to come to the United States, and the California member says they might as well be sent back in the same style in which they came. Again, he thinks the Chinese residents of this country are only waiting to see whether the Government authorities are 1b earnest If they find that the law is to be i igidly enforced, they will nearly all march up and be registered and photographed before the year of grace expires. Already

between 400 and 500 hare availed them* selves of the privilege accorded them bv the law and are preparing to stay. *1 do not believe there will be 10,000 Chinamen left unregistered on the Cth of May," says Mr. tieary. “Even if we had to send that many back at a cost of S2O apiece or $200,000, it would be getting rid of them very cheaply." Mr. Geary suggests that the United States naval vessels might carry them back to China. This would it ssen the cost of deportation to the Government and at the same time give the navy something to do.