File No. 819.55/70.

Minister Price to the Secretary of State.

No. 491.]

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.]

Wm. Jennings Price.
[Page 1273]
[Inclosure 1.]

The Chinese Consul General to Minister Price.

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.]

Fong Tsiang Kwang.
[Subinclosure.]

The Chinese Consul General to the Secretary of Foreign Relations.

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.]

Fong Tsiang Kwang.
[Inclosure 2.]

The Chinese Consul General to Minister Price.

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.]

Fong Tsiang Kwang.
[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.]