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ality and require all Chinese laborers to be registered, we cannot protest against the Panama Government's likewise applying the provisions of its registration law to all persons of the Chinese race, irrespective of their nationality. See Moore, International Law Digest, volume 4, chapter 7.

BRYAN.

PROTECTION OF CHINESE INTERESTS IN PANAMA; GOOD OFFICES OF THE AMERICAN SECRETARY OF LEGATION.

File No. 704.9319.

The Legation of China to the Secretary of State.

MEMORANDUM.

This Legation is in receipt of cabled advices to the effect that the federal Legislature of the Republic of Panama has passed on its first reading a bill, consisting of thirty-eight articles, dealing with the right of residence of Chinese citizens domiciled in that Republic. Among the most unjust features are:

(1) Chinese residents shall be required to renew their registrations. Those who can not produce evidence of having previously registered shall be liable to a fine of two hundred and ten dollars; and those who have duly registered shall nevertheless be required to pay an additional fee of twenty-five dollars each, under penalty of deportation.

(2) Papers of registration shall be presented every six months to local authorities for examination, each time at a fee of seventy-five cents, under penalty of a fine of ten dollars.

(3) A monthly tax of one thousand dollars shall be levied on each of the Chinese societies or clubs, payment of which shall be for three months in advance. A monthly tax of fifty dollars shall also be levied on each of the Chinese benevolent or protective associations.

The Government of the United States has in the past, at the request of this Legation, permitted its diplomatic officers on the Isthmus to use their good offices for the protection of Chinese interests in that quarter, and this Legation has had several occasions to express to the Department of State its appreciation for these courtesies. In view of the discriminatory nature of the measure above referred to, the enforcement of which can not fail to inflict serious injury on Chinese interests and work great hardship on all classes of Chinese domiciled in that Republic, prompt and energetic action is called for. Therefore, a renewal of the Department's instructions to those officials in this regard will be highly gratifying to the Chinese Government. LEGATION OF CHINA,

Washington, March 13, 1913.

File No. 819.55/2.

The American Minister to the Secretary of State.

[Telegram-Extract.]

AMERICAN LEGATION,
Panama, March 15, 1913.

A bill has been presented to the Legislature modifying the laws relating to prohibition of immigration of Chinese, Turks, Syrians

[blocks in formation]

and North Africans, but authorizing entry of Chinese under contract. Immigration is prohibited by this bill notwithstanding naturalization in another country. Severe restrictions and heavy licenses are imposed on associations of the foreigners mentioned.

DODGE

File No. 819.55/3.

The American Minister to the Secretary of State.
No. 359.]
AMERICAN LEGATION,

Panama, March 16, 1913.

SIR: Referring to my telegram of March 15, I have the honor to enclose the text of this bill as presented to the Assembly by the Administration. I also enclose a translation of this bill which I have made.1

This bill modifies the former laws on the subject of the immigration of persons of these races, except North Africans, that is, Arabs. Egyptians and Moors, whose immigration has not previously been regulated; these former laws are Laws 6 of 1904 and 28 of 1909, Its provisions will be noted to be extremely severe although it is probable that they will be made less so before its passage. It is also very probable that the provision in it as to permitting the introduction of Chinese coolies under contract to labor on plantations will be struck out. Meanwhile there is of course very considerable excitement among the Chinese colony here who are extremely prosperous and number about three thousand in Panama and Colon alone, many of whom have been introduced into the country through the fraudulent complicity of Panaman officials. The Chinese Consul General called upon me lately in this connection and advised me that he had reported on the bill to the Chinese Minister at Washington from whom however he had as yet received no instructions. No doubt that there is a wide-spread feeling among the Panamans that the Chinese, in spite of the present laws, are becoming too numerous here and are absorbing too much of the business.

I have [etc.]

H. PERCIVAL DODGE,

File No. 704.9319.

The Acting Secretary of State to the American Minister.

[Telegram-Paraphrase.]

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, March 21, 1913.

The Department is requested by the Chinese Minister to renew its instructions to its officers in Panama to use their good offices in behalf of Chinese subjects affected by the bill pending before the Legislature and dealing with the right of residence of Chinese subjects domiciled in Panama, certain provisions of which the Chinese Minister points out as discriminatory and unjust.

1 Not printed.

With the consent of the Government of Panama, and guided by Department's No. 66 of December 4, 1907, you will use your good offices for the protection of Chinese interests as indicated in the request.

ADEE,

File No. 704.9319/3a.

No. 242.]

The Secretary of State to the Chinese Minister.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, March 24, 1913.

SIR: Referring to your memorandum of March 13, requesting the Department to renew its instructions to its diplomatic officers in Panama to use their good offices in behalf of Chinese subjects affected by the bill pending before the Legislature and dealing with the right of residence of Chinese subjects domiciled in Panama, I have the honor to inform you that the American Minister at Panama has been instructed to use his good offices, with the consent of the Government of Panama, for the protection of Chinese interests along the lines indicated.

Accept [etc.]

File No. 704.9319/2.

ALVEY A. ADEE.

The Chinese Minister to the Secretary of State.

LEGATION OF CHINA, Washington, March 27, 1913.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note, No. 242, of the 24th instant, informing me that the American Minister at Panama has been instructed to use his good offices, with the consent of the Government of Panama, for the protection of Chinese interests along the lines indicated in my memorandum of March 13 to your Department.

I beg to express to you my sincere thanks for your kind compliance with my request. This friendly action, I assure you, is most gratifying to my Government and is deeply appreciated by it.

Accept [etc.]

CHANG YIN TANG.

File No. 704.9319/3.

No. 385.]

The American Minister to the Secretary of State.

AMERICAN LEGATION, Panama, March 27, 1913. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the Department's telegram of March 22,2 directing me to use my good offices in accordance with the indications in instruction No. 66 of December 4, 1907, for the protection of Chinese interests in connection with

1 For. Rel. 1907, part 2, p. 933.

Should read March 21.

the bill pending before the National Assembly dealing with the right of Chinese subjects domiciled in Panama to reside here, and to inform you that I again immediately saw the Chinese Consul General here, Mr. Ow Yang King, advising him of my instructions and requesting him to enumerate his objections to the bill in question. Mr. King did so and I subsequently accompanied him to the Foreign Office where we had two conferences with Señor Lefevre, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Dr. Morales, Minister of Finance, both of whom stated that my good offices would be entirely acceptable in accordance with the consent thereto of the Panaman Government in its note addressed to this Legation on April 12, 1905 (Despatch No. 131 of April 17, 1905).1

After some conversation Señor Lefevre and Dr. Morales stated that the stamp tax payable under Article 7 of the bill by Chinese domiciled in Panama prior to the promulgation of Law 6 of 1904 had already been reduced during the debates in the Assembly from two fourth-class stamps ($25, United States currency) to four thirdclass stamps ($3, United States currency); they stated that it was unlikely that this reduction would be again increased. They further stated that they would endeavor to have Article 23, paragraph 2, of the bill re-drafted so as clearly to exempt the Chinese Chamber of Commerce from the payment of the tax on associations. In the bill as passed on the 24th instant the stamp tax on the Chinese above mentioned remains at $3 and the Chamber of Commerce is specifically exempted from the association tax.

Señor Lefevre and Dr. Morales also agreed that in accordance with the desires of the Consul General the regulations which were to be issued by the Executive under Article 37 of the bill would provide for the following:

Article 1. It would be made clear in the regulations that this article was to be understood as not excluding the wife and minor children of Chinese duly registered in accordance with Article 7 who might not be in Panama and also as not preventing the return to Panama of Chinese now absent in accordance with the provisions of Article 3 of Law 28 of 1909;

Article 7. It would be provided that the certificate now held by Chinese would be sufficient for the new registration required by this article in the absence of suspicious circumstances; an endeavor would be made to provide in the regulations so that Chinese who were obliged to pay a stamp tax of twenty fourth-class stamps ($250, United States currency) and who were not financially able to do so might be allowed to pay for these stamps or furnish them by installments;

Articles 7 and 14. The registration and inspection of Chinese would take place before the alcaldes of the districts where the Chinese resided instead of before the governors of the provinces, according to a modification made during the debates in the Assembly, except in Panama and the provincial capitals. This would be done by providing in the regulations that the governors should deputise the alcades to perform these functions in these cases. Mr. King greatly desired this provision as many Chinese would be greatly burdened by having to come so often to the capitals.

For. Rel. 1905, pp. 708-709.

Article 14. The regulation applying this article, relative to the inspection every six months of Chinese certificates would be drawn with every endeavor to cause as little annoyance to Chinese as possible.

Finally Señor Lefevre assured Mr. King that he would be allowed to see the regulations before they were signed and given an opportunity for suggesting modifications in them.

During the interview Mr. King stated to Señor Lefevre and Dr. Morales that he considered that both the special tax applicable to Chinese, Turks, Syrians and North Africans and the restrictions which the law placed upon the right of public meeting and association were unconstitutional (Constitution of Panama, Articles 42 and 20). Señor Lefevre admitted that many Panamans had also expressed this opinion but added that probably little satisfaction could be obtained by bringing these questions before the courts. Mr. King has now expressed himself as greatly gratified at the results obtained through my good offices which he considers will, if the regulations actually conform to the assurances given to me, render the law much less harsh for his people. He stated that he believed (and Señor Lefevre has since confirmed this to me) that the Government were not in favor of this law but that it had been in a way forced upon them by the Assembly which was at present strongly anti-Chinese and desired an even more drastic law.

I have requested Mr. King to inform me if he desired any further good offices from me and I have requested him to give me a statement of his objections to this law which he has now sent me and a copy of which I enclose.1

I have [etc.].

File No. 704.9319/3.

H. PERCIVAL DODGE.

The Secretary of State to the American Minister. No. 124.]

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, April 15, 1913. SIR: The Department has received your No. 385, of March 27 last, in which you report your action for the protection of Chinese interests in connection with the bill pending before the National Panaman Assembly dealing with the rights of Chinese citizens domiciled in Panama.

Your action is approved.

I am [etc.]

For Mr. Bryan:
ALVEY A. ADEE.

File No. 819.55/4.

No. 417.]

The American Minister to the Secretary of State.

AMERICAN LEGATION,
Panama, April 18, 1913.

SIR: Referring to my despatch No. 359 of March 16, and to my despatch No. 385 of March 27, I have the honor to enclose here

1 Not printed.

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