Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 2, 1902

Mr. Wu to Mr. Hay.

Chinese Legation,
Washington, February 7, 1902.

No. 229.]

Sir: I have the honor to inform you that I have just received a telegram from the Chinese consul-general at San Francisco, forwarding a petition of the Chinese Merchants’ Association of California to the Committee on Immigration of the Senate and Committee on Foreign Relations of the House of Representatives, which have now under consideration a bill to prohibit the coming into and to regulate the residence within the United States, its Territories, and all possessions and all territory under its jurisdiction, and the District of Columbia, of Chinese persons and persons of Chinese descent.

I beg to inclose the original and two copies of the telegram referred to, and to request that you will kindly transmit the same to the respective committees of the Senate and House of Representatives for their favorable consideration.

Accept, etc.,

Wu Ting-fang.

[Inclosure.]

Chinese consul-general at San Francisco to Mr. Wu.

[Telegram.]

San Francisco, Cal., February 6, 1902.

The Chinese merchants here have requested me to forward to you the following petition and ask you to transmit same to Senate and House committee, now in session on Chinese exclusion.

Ho Yow, Consul-General.

[Subinclosure.]

Petition of Chinese Merchants’ Association to committees of the Senate and House of Representatives.

We respectfully draw your attention to the fact, which can be proven, that the recent convention convened in San Francisco to petition Congress to exclude Chinese did not represent the true sentiments of the large majority of the people of the State of California. The great majority of delegates were labor unionists and politicians. Farmers, manufacturers, capitalists, etc., had no chance to register their general opinions. The convention was not sincere, as many of its delegates were actual employers of Chinese. The convention was instigated by a few for political purposes, as the sentiment against the Chinese has changed, and conditions are not what they were years ago.

We respectfully pray that Congress send an impartial commission to investigate the whole matter and ascertain the true feeling of the country. If necessary, the exclusion act can be extended temporarily until completion of investigation. If friends of exclusion are so confident of the needs and justice of their cause, they certainly need not fear this proposed honest commission. This general investigation must result to the benefit of both countries, and would pave the way for a clear and useful treaty, as the present one expires in 1904.

We further pray that this, our prayer, be brought before the full House and Senate for consideration.

Chinese Merchants’ Association.