File No. 819.55/70.
Minister Price to the
Secretary of State.
No. 491.]
American Legation,
Panama
May 3, 1915.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge
instruction No. 107 of March 2 last, transmitting a copy of a note from
the Chinese Minister in Washington expressing appreciation of the
services of the Department and of this Legation in preventing the
passage by the last National Assembly of Panama of additional and severe
anti-Chinese legislation.
For the information of the Department I enclose herewith a copy of a note
dated March 2 from the Chinese Consul General here, expressing his
gratefulness for the efforts of the Legation in said matter, and
enclosing a copy of a note he had filed with the Secretary of Foreign
Affairs of Panama along the line of my note to the last named, a copy of
which went to the Department with my despatch No. 422 of February 25,
the Department’s approval of which in its instruction No. 115 of March
17th is gratifying.
I also enclose a copy of another note from said Consul General of date of
March 24, conveying, pursuant to cable instruction, the thanks of the
Government of Peking in the same matter.
A few days since a delegation of Chinese merchants called at the Legation
and in addition to expressing their gratitude verbally for the extension
of good offices and its successful result in said matter, presented to
me a handsome silver loving-cup, bearing the following inscription: “To
the Honorable William Jennings Price, presented by the Chinese Colony,
Panama, R. P., 27th March, 1915.” (Same in Chinese characters.) A note
in Chinese and English, a copy of the latter text of which I enclose
(enclosure No. 3), accompanied the presentation of the gift. The gift
came as a complete surprise. Having no official character, but being the
bestowal of individual Chinese—and the above details, including a copy
of the inscription, are given that the Department may be fully
acquainted with the facts—I perceived no impropriety in accepting
it.
I did not fail, of course, properly to acknowledge the above
communications.
I have [etc.]
[Page 1273]
[Inclosure 1.]
The Chinese Consul
General to Minister Price.
Chinese Consulate General,
Panama,
March 2, 1915.
Excellency: I have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of your note as well as the copy of the
communication which your excellency had written and conveyed to
Señor Ernesto T. Lefevre, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of
Panama, dated February 25, 1915, pertaining to the anti-Chinese
legislation [etc.]
It was apparent that a severe law would have been enacted if the good
offices of the United States had not arrived in time, and words
cannot express my gratitude for the effect of the skillful and
amicable intervention of your excellency. And I hereby have the
honor, in the name of the whole Chinese Colony, to manifest profound
gratefulness to your excellency. I had also informed my Government
at Peking in reference to the great service done by your excellency
in protecting the Chinese citizens domiciled in the territory of the
Republic of Panama.
As the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Señor Ernesto T. Lefevre, had
verbally promised me emphatically during my visit with your
excellency in the Secretary’s office, that certain severe provisions
of Law 50 of 1913 would continue unenforced as in the past, I have
delivered to Señor Lefevre a note a few days ago in order to verify
his words. I have not the pleasure to get an answer to it yet. Copy
of my note is herewith enclosed.
I avail [etc.]
[Subinclosure.]
The Chinese Consul
General to the Secretary of Foreign
Relations.
Chinese Consulate General,
Panama,
February 27, 1915.
Excellency: I have the honor to thank your
excellency heartily for your action in regard to the anti-Chinese
legislation before the National Assembly.
Through the medium of Mr. William J. Price, the American Minister,
who extended his good offices in the matter, your excellency said
emphatically to us that the Chinese shall be no more molested, and
assured us that while your excellency was Secretary of Foreign
Relations the Chinese would enjoy entire liberty and rights.
There is no doubt, in view of your kind speech, that the provisions
of Law 50 requiring the deposit of five hundred pesos of silver by
those who have no “cédulas” and re-registration every six months,
will be held in abeyance. I should be glad, nevertheless, if your
excellency would kindly communicate to me your attitude upon the two
above important points in a note with which, translated into
Chinese, I may show the goodness of your excellency to the Chinese
Government at Peking and to every Chinese here who may be in
doubt.
With my highest consideration [etc.]
[Inclosure 2.]
The Chinese Consul
General to Minister Price.
Chinese Consulate General,
Panama,
March 24, 1915.
Excellency: I have the honor to inform
your excellency that I am instructed, by a cablegram recently
received from my Government, to express deep gratefulness to your
excellency for the good offices which your excellency used with an
entirely satisfactory result in behalf of the whole Chinese colony
domiciled in the territory of the Republic of Panama, in regard to
the anti-Chinese legislation by the National Assembly of Panama, of
which I had informed my Government.
In reference to the passports of those Chinese who might enter the
United States, I am instructed by our Minister in Washington that my
Government had already arranged with that of the United States that
any Chinese who might
[Page 1274]
have the right to go into the territory of the United States, and
possessing a certificate issued by the Chinese Consul General in
Panama, should have the visé of the American Minister or similar
officials.
I avail [etc.]
[Inclosure 3.]
Certain Chinese residents to Minister
Price.
Sir: We the undersigned, Chinese citizens,
and members of the Chinese Colony residing in the Republic of
Panama, have the honor hereby, through our representatives, to
tender our deep and inexhaustible gratitude to your excellency for
the good offices near the Panaman Government in regard to
anti-Chinese legislation, used by your excellency, whose amicable
attitude, diplomatic ability, and just influence assisted our Consul
General, Mr. Fong Tsiang Kwang, to obtain the suspension of the
anti-Chinese law in the last National Assembly of Panama.
In remembrance of the above fact, let us have the honor cordially to
present to your excellency the insignificant gift herewith; and
please accept, Sir, the assurances of our highest consideration and
esteem.
We have [etc.]
[Signatures.]
