within these limitations, at his discretion, to afford temporary refuge where such is necessary to preserve innocent human life.” I am [etc.] P. C. KNOX. PROTECTION OF CHINESE SUBJECTS IN MEXICO BY AMERICAN DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR OFFICERS.-TEMPORARY REFUGE GRANTED WAIVER OF EXCLUSION ACT.1. File No. 151.07/4. The Chinese Minister to the Acting Secretary of State. No. 33.] 2 LEGATION OF CHINA, Washington, March 6, 1912. SIR: I have the honor to inform you that I have received many telegraphic reports from the Chinese residents in various parts of Mexico concerning the serious character of the present disturbances in that country, which may render it imperative for them to seek refuge in the United States. During a similar revolution in Mexico last year, the Department of Commerce and Labor issued timely instructions to the American immigration authorities on the Mexican border to allow Chinese residents in Mexico, whether of the merchant. class or not, to take refuge in the United States, as your Department was good enough to inform me in its note of the 13th of June last.3 If those instructions are no longer effective at the present time, I take liberty of requesting that they be revived and made applicable to the cases of the Chinese residents in Mexico seeking refuge in the United States during the present revolution. Thanking you in advance for your kind compliance with my request, I avail [etc.] CHANG YIN TANG. File No. 312.93/19. The American Consul at Mazatlan to the Secretary of State. No. 149.] AMERICAN CONSULATE, SIR: I have the honor to inclose confirmation copy of my telegram of even date. During the last week notices have been appearing in the papers, calling on the unions and clubs to attend a public meeting to be held on Saturday night in the Plaza de la Republica, for a conference on the Asiatic race, and on Friday programme was circulated, one of the speeches was to be on "He who protects the Chinese is a traitor to his country." All indication clearly indicated that the object of the meeting was to inflame the populace, cause an uprising, and compel the Chinese either by force or through fear to abandon the city. The Department instruction of Nov. 14, 1911, also that of the Embassy, placed me in the position of protecting the Chinese in case of necessity. I therefore called on the authorities and asked for the suppression of the meeting. Orders were issued for copies of the 1 See For. Rel. 1911, pp. 615-618. See For. Rel. 1911, p. 616. Not printed. intended speeches to be submitted to me-I found same to be obscene and inflammatory-and again requested that the meeting should be prohibited. My request was granted. I am aware that I may have gone further than my instructions warranted, but considered that it would be far easier to prevent an uprising than it would be to protect the Chinese once the outbreak had taken place; hence my action, which I submit for approval or otherwise. Had the meeting taken place and an uprising resulted the authorities could not have coped with same, and the consequences would have been serious. I have [etc.] File No. 151.07/5. WM. E. ALGER. The Acting Secretary of State to the Chinese Minister. No. 235.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, March 19, 1912. SIR: Referring to your note of the 6th instant requesting a renewal of the arrangement made last summer whereby Chinese residents in Mexico were allowed to take refuge in the United States during the continuance of disturbances in Mexico, I have the honor to inform you that the Department is now in receipt of a letter from the Department of Commerce and Labor, to which Department the matter was referred, stating that there is little doubt that the previous arrangement is still being adhered to, but that, as a precautionary measure, the matter has again been brought to the attention of the proper immigration authorities on the Mexican border. In this connection you will be interested to learn that in a letter to the Governor of Texas, dated March 9, 1912, communicated by him to the Department, Capt. John R. Hughes, of the Texas State Rangers, reported that on the night of the mutiny in Juárez 70 Chinese presented themselves at the detention station and asked for refuge, which was accorded them, the immigration authorities having refused refuge to no foreigners applying for protection. Accept [etc.], File No. 312.93/19. HUNTINGTON WILSON, The Acting Secretary of State to the American Consul at Mazatlan. No. 68.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, April 1, 1912. SIR: The Department has received your dispatch No. 149 of the 17th ultimo reporting your action in connection with a meeting which it was proposed to hold Saturday evening the 16th of March for the purpose of arousing an anti-Chinese demonstration. Your action in requesting that the meeting be prohibited has the approval of the Department. I am [etc.] For Mr. Huntington Wilson: File No. 312.93/20. The American Ambassador to the Secretary of State. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] AMERICAN EMBASSY, Mexico, April 29, 1912-9 p. m. Some 2,000 Chinese at Cananea are likely to be attacked at any moment. Chinese Chargé d'Affaires requests me to instruct our consular agent there to afford protection. I told him that I could not act without instruction. Will the Department instruct the consular agent and advise me in the sense of its instruction? File No. 312.93/20. WILSON. The Acting Secretary of State to the American Ambassador. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, May 2, 1912-11 a. m. Protection of Chinese, your April 29, 9 p. m. If the Mexican Government makes no objection, the consular agent at Cananea may exert his unofficial good offices in every proper way to secure protection of the Chinese in that district. You will so inform him. HUNTINGTON WILSON. File No. 151.07/7. The American Consul at Nogales to the Secretary of State. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] AMERICAN CONSULATE, The American Consul at Mazatlan telegraphs that the Chinese colony, consisting of four hundred residents, may be compelled to leave Mexico and asks whether permission could be granted for temporary residence, as an act of humanity, at San Francisco or San Diego. DYE. File No. 151.07/7. The Acting Secretary of State to the American Consul at Nogales. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, May 4, 1912. Forward following to Consul, Mazatlan: Department understands there is no objection to temporary admission of Chinese in the United States as an act of humanity. Inform Department if any seck refuge in this country. Make full report. HUNTINGTON WILSON. File No. 312.11/362. The American Consul at Mazatlan to the Secretary of State. [Telegram.-Extract.] AMERICAN CONSULATE, Your May 4. Chinese colony return thanks for generous act. Permission will not be availed of unless absolutely necessary. ALGER. CLAIMS OF AMERICAN CITIZENS AGAINST MEXICO FOR DAMAGES ARISING FROM REVOLUTIONARY DISTURBANCES.1 File No. 412.11/2. The American Ambassador to the Secretary of State. Serial No. 581.] AMERICAN EMBASSY, SIR: I have the honor to advise the Department that the Embassy is beginning to receive a number of claims for losses growing out of the present revolution. The Embassy is replying to all claimants that their claims have been placed on file for consideration at such time as the matter for the adjustment of claims is taken up. I trust that this action has the approval of the Department. I have [etc.] HENRY LANE WILSON. File No. 412.00. Serial 634.] AMERICAN EMBASSY, Mexico, June 7, 1911. SIR: With reference to the matter of the settlement of claims growing out of the damages to lives and property during the recent revolution, I have the honor to advise the Department of the existence of a strong desire on the part of all the diplomatic representatives accredited to this Government to take accordant action in bringing the claims of their respective nationals to the attention of the Mexican authorities. It is the general opinion that such procedure will cause prompt action and that all claims will then be settled upon the same basis, thus obviating any complaints of favoritism or special consideration on the part of those claimants who may think that they have not been adequately indemnified. It is also thought that such a method will be more acceptable to the Mexican Government, and will avoid any feelings of resentment which the urging of one nation or another on account of especially large losses might bring about. In this connection I beg to enclose to the Department, in translation, a copy of a letter from the Spanish Minister at this capital, in which it For other correspondence pertinent to this subject see Political Affairs, pp. 708, 720, 722, 724-725. 67106° -FR 1912 59 is suggested that identic action would be the best procedure in dealing with the adjustment of claims. The day after writing me this letter the Spanish Minister sent me a short informal note to indicate that he had trustworthy information to the effect that the Mexican Government has already come to some decision, which it is believed will satisfactorily dispose of this question. I have [etc.] [Inclosure. Translation.] HENRY LANE WILSON. The Spanish Minister to the American Ambassador. SPANISH LEGATION, MR. AMBASSADOR: As agreed in our conversation of this morning, I have the honor to address this letter to your excellency. I have considered it my duty to lay before your excellency the fact that from the moment that certain foreign representatives had addressed themselves to the Ministry of Foreign Relations in the matter of the sufferings and losses of their countrymen during the recent troubles and had received replies thereto more or less similar, it might be of advantage to us to study in common, as occasion arises, the principles to be defined. These could not but be harmonious and in agreement with one another, and likewise the solution and procedure to be followed would be in accord with the sincerely amicable sentiments and relations which we all endeavour to cultivate with the Government of the Republic. In the observance, therefore, of the development of this important question, so intimately connected with the definite realization of peace which is so much to be desired both by Mexico and ourselves, I have been of the opinion that we might be disposed and ready to enter upon an exchange of views if the circumstances should indicate the advisability of so doing, and it is with this in mind that I have had the honor of opening the subject with your excellency. Thanking your excellency for the kind reception given to my suggestion. I beg [etc.] B. J. DE COLOGán. File No. 412.00/1. The American Ambassador to the Secretary of State. No. 657.] AMERICAN EMBASSY, Mexico, June 15, 1911. SIR: I have the honor to inform the Department that the Sub-Secretary for Foreign Affairs called upon me yesterday and informed me of the appointment by the Mexican Government of a Court of Claims to deal with the claims for damages to life and property growing out of the late revolution. The personnel of the Court is as follows: Lic. José Diego Fernández, Lic. Pedro Lascurain, Ing. A. Roblez Domínguez, Gen. J. Gonzáles Salas, Gen. S. García Cuellar. There is not much comment to be made upon this personnel further than to say that it is about evenly made up of revolutionary and Government men. Mr. Fernández and Mr. Lascurain are considered to be lawyers of ability; Mr. Roblez Domínguez has been in charge of the revolutionary forces in this part of the country and has acquitted himself well; General Cuellar will be remembered as having been Chief of Staff of President Díaz, the leader of the Federal forces at the battle of Casas Grandes, and lately for short time Governor of the Federal District; concerning General Salas I have practically no information. |