The prince and ministers say, "but it would be necessary for the foreign travelers to show their passports to the subordinate officials (village headmen and elders) in order that they would have some authority for making a report to the magistrates." The treaties provide that "passports, if demanded, must be produced for examination in the localities passed through." How or by what official this demand shall be made is not distinctly stated. It seems to the foreign representatives that the power or duty of demanding the exhibition of passports for examination should not be given to "village headmen and elders" or other numerous bodies of men. Such a practice would, or might, lead to abuses and perhaps to disturbances. It can serve no good purpose for foreigners to exhibit their passports to the headmen of every village through which they pass. On the other hand, it may be advantageous to exhibit passports to the principal authorities on demand in district or prefectural cities. If it pleases the prince and ministers to adopt some regulation on the subject, the foreign representatives will consider it carefully, and, if it is approved, they will make it known to travelers through the consuls and will enjoin compliance therewith. The minister of the United States avails, etc. Mr. Uhl to Mr. Denby. CHAS. DENBY. No. 865.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: I have received your No. 1775, of the 30th December last, and the copy which you inclosed of your reply to the Yamên on the subject of travelers reporting en route to the local authorities. The views of the Department, which accord with your own, were contained in an instruction (No. 852* of 27th December last) sent you at or near the date of your dispatch. Washington, March 12, 1894. (Received March 12.) SIR: I have the honor to inform you that I am in receipt of a communication from the Chinese consul-general at San Francisco, upon the subject of the progress of registration under the McCreary law and the status of Chinese persons who are entitled to invoke its provisions, from which it appears that many of these persons are required to travel with their witnesses long distances to the registration office at great expense, and upon their arrival additional expenses are incurred by the unavoidable delay at the office in consequence of the numerous applicants for certificates. I am likewise reliably informed that upon *Printed in Foreign Relations, 1893, p. 244. estimates already made it will be impossible for all Chinese persons entitled to the privileges of the law to be registered before the 3d day of May next. From the above it appears that great readiness is manifested by my people in this country to comply with the provisions of the registration laws, and that the number of applications for registration so far exceeds the progress of the work of the registration office that much delay and extra expense are caused to the applicants. Should the six months' extension of time expire before the work of registration be completed, it would be reasonable to conclude that the fault, if any, would not be due to any disinclination on the part of my people to comply with the laws. I have the honor, therefore, to request that you would give the matter due consideration and take timely steps to devise a suitable remedy, thus removing any uneasiness felt by my people and further manifesting the friendliness between the two nations. Accept, etc., YANG YU. Mr. Gresham to Mr. Yang Yü. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, March 15, 1894. SIR: In reply to your note of the 12th instant, I have the honor to inclose for your information copy of a letter which I addressed to the Secretary of the Treasury on the same date, and a copy of his reply thereto, transmitting copy of a report upon the subject of registration of Chinese laborers by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue. W. Q. GRESHAM. [Inclosure 1.] Mr. Gresham to Mr. Carlisle. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, March 12, 1894. SIR: I have the honor to send you for your information copy of a note just received from the Chinese minister at this capital relative to difficulties encountered by his countrymen in registering under the Geary law. If the statements in this note are correct, and I have no knowledge tending to show that they are not, would it not be well to increase the facilities for registering? I venture to suggest further the propriety of sending officers to the Chinese camps in the mountains that they need not be required to incur the heavy expense of traveling to some distant point and remaining there indefinitely for an opportunity to register. You will oblige me by replying to this letter at your early convenience, in order that I may make proper acknowledgment of the communication just received. I have, etc., FR 94 -11 W. Q. GRESHAM. [Inclosure 2.] Mr. Carlisle to Mr. Gresham. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 12th instant, inclosing a letter from His Excellency Yang Yü, minister of China, upon the subject of Chinese registration, and in response, I beg leave to transmit herewith a letter from the honorable Commissioner of Internal Revenue, which explains the situation. This Department is anxious to afford every possible facility for the registration of the Chinese under the recent act of Congress, and I have caused communications to be addressed to the collectors, who have charge of that work, for the purpose of ascertaining whether additional official force is necessary, and whether or not any other measures than those heretofore taken can be adopted which will afford better accommodations for those who desire to register. Very respectfully, J. G. CARLISLE, Secretary. [Inclosure A.] Mr. Miller to Mr. Carlisle. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, SIR: Referring to letter of the Chinese minister of the 12th instant, on the subject of Chinese registration at San Francisco, transmitted to you by Hon. Walter Q. Gresham, Secretary of State, in letter of even date, which you handed me this morning for reply, I have the honor to state in reference to the complaint that many of the applicants are compelled to travel a long distance to register and are delayed at the registry station because of the number of applicants being greater than the facilities furnished for serving applicants, thus incurring great expense, that it is believed the facilities furnished for registration will prove to be ample to accomplish the purpose by the time the law expires, namely, May 3, 1894. In addition to the regular field and office force employed in the internal revenue service throughout the United States, ninety-six special deputies for Chinese registration have been provided for in the first and fourth districts of California, and the districts of Oregon and Montana. Sixty-four of the number are employed in the first district of California, embracing the city of San Francisco. It will be seen, therefore, that two-thirds of the force have been assigned to territory which is estimated to contain much less than one-half of the whole number of Chinese to be registered in the United States. Facilities and accommodations were provided for registering and made available on the 1st of January last, but for some reason, unknown to this office, but little attention was paid by the parties interested to the matter until about the 1st of February, since which date a very lively interest has been manifested with reference to the subject. This office is not fully advised as to the number of stations provided by Collector Welborn, of the first district of California, for receiving applications for certificates. The information will be called for by telegraph and transmitted as soon as received. It is proper to state, however, that it was not practicable to provide sufficient deputies to cover the territory so completely as to relieve applicants from all expense of travel and delay, but it is believed that the requirements of the law in this behalf have been met to a reasonable degree. It is suggested that possibly less complaint would have been found to, exist had those requiring certificates been prompt in making application when opportunity was offered them. While upon this subject, it may be well to observe that the collector at Chicago, where there are supposed to be between 3,000 and 4,000 Chinese subject to registration, reports that up to the 1st of March little or no interest was manifested by them, but since that date they have been coming forward for registry in such numbers and at such times as to embarrass the regular work of the office and cause the applicants considerable delay in waiting their turn to be registered by the restricted force assigned to that duty. It would seem, therefore, that if cause for complaint exists in this respect it is the applicants themselves who are somewhat to blame for delaying action. The fact referred to by the Chinese minister that applications for registry far exceed the progress of the work is due to the fact that the collector was instructed by this office not to delay the receipt of applications for the purpose of issuing. certificates, as the certificates could be transmitted by mail and through deputies at a later date. This action was taken with a view of furnishing applicants the promptest service possible with the means afforded this office for that purpose. Advices received by this office from the several collectors throughout the country, where any considerable number of Chinese are to be registered, are to the effect that in their opinion ample facilities have been provided for accomplishing the work within the time fixed by law, provided those interested will make prompt application, and as above stated it is believed the work will be done within that time, with the exception possibly that some of the certificates for which applications are received before that date will be sent after that date. A report has been called for from each collection district, showing the progress of the work up to the 15th instant, the estimated number to be registered, the number of applications received up to that date, the number of certificates issued, and the estimated number of applications yet to be received. As soon as this information is received it will be placed in proper shape and transmitted for your further advice and consideration. If upon investigation it is found that the facilities already furnished are inadequate to the completion of the work, further facilities and accommodations will be provided to that end. Very respectfully, Jos. S. MILLER, Commissioner. Mr. Yang Yü to Mr. Gresham. CHINESE LEGATION, Washington, April 11, 1894. (Received April 11.) SIR: I have the honor to inform you that communications have been received from the consul-general at San Francisco to the effect that he has received a petition from the Chinese residents of El Paso and San Antonio, Tex., stating that the registration officers in those districts refuse to admit Chinese testimony in behalf of Chinese applicants for registration, thereby rendering it difficult to obtain certificates; that there are persons of questionable character, it is alleged, who acting in collusion with certain registration clerks demand a payment of $7 for each certificate issued. Information has also been received that attempts are made by unprincipled men to extort money from the Chinese and to otherwise put obstacles in the way of registration. The places referred to are mentioned in the original dispatch inclosed herewith. It is learned that of the 70,000 Chinese residing in the State of California, only 24,000 or more have been registered and much anxiety is felt that the work of registration will not be completed within the short period remaining and that trouble may arise on that account. I have the honor therefore to request that the matter be communicated to the Secretary of the Treasury and that he may be requested to remove, as far as possible, all such obstacles to the progress of registration. Accept, etc., YANG YU. [Inclosure.-Telegram.] The Chinese Consul-General at San Francisco to Mr. Yang Yü. SAN FRANCISCO, April 10, 1894. The names mentioned in petition are Portland, Oreg.; El Paso and San Antonio, of Texas; Los Angeles, Stanford, Marysville, and Santa Rosa, of California; Denver, Colo., and Boston, Mass. Letters of complaint are still coming from El Paso and San Antonio, of Texas, saying that the collectors there still refuse to register Chinese unless they furnish at least one witness other than Chinese who has known applicant for at least twelve years. Besides the above, letters have been received from Marshfield, Oreg.; Rocky Bar, Elmore County, Idaho; Palmetto, Esmeralda County, Nev.; Hot Springs, Ark.; Mountain City, Nev.; Union City, Tenn.; Willcox, Ariz.; Burns, Harney County, Oreg.; and Eureka Mills, Cal., all complaining that there is no one at these places to register them. Mr. Gresham to Mr. Yang Yü. LI YUNG YEW. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 11th instant, reporting the difficulties that beset Chinese subjects in certain quarters in obtaining certificates of registration. I at once brought a copy of your note to the attention of the Secretary of the Treasury with a request that the same be given prompt consideration, and inclose for your information a copy of Mr. Carlisle's reply of the 13th instant, from which it will be observed that his Department is making extraordinary efforts to secure, within the time fixed by law, the registration of all Chinese laborers who are entitled to registration, and that he has no reason to believe that any considerable number will fail to procure certificates on account of the want of time. In the matter of the charge that persons of questionable character are acting in collusion with certain registering clerks and demanding payment of a fee of $7 for each certificate, I may add that the Treasury Department has no information tending to warrant the belief that any of its officers are engaged in such unlawful practices. The charges will, however, be fully investigated, and should it be found that registering officers have been guilty of any wrongdoing in this relation, the promise is made that they will be summarily dealt with and promptly dismissed from the service. Accept, etc., [Inclosure.] W. Q. GRESHAM. Mr. Carlisle to Mr. Gresham. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Washington, April 13, 1894. (Received April 14.) SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of the 11th instant, transmitting a copy of a note from the Chinese minister in relation to the alleged difficulties experienced in certain quarters |