prevent their coming into this country in such numbers.

In 1882 the question came up again, and a bill was passed by Congress,
forbidding Chinamen to enter this country for twenty years.

President Arthur vetoed this bill, on the ground that it did not agree
with our treaty with China. A new bill was then passed, stopping
immigration for ten years, and this Mr. Arthur signed.

By this bill it became a crime, for which people could be imprisoned, to
bring a Chinaman into the country.

In 1892, when the ten years covered by the bill had passed, a fresh bill
called "The Chinese Exclusion Bill" was put through Congress, and made a
law.

By this bill, the landing of any Chinese person was strictly forbidden,
and all Chinamen living in the country were forced to take out a
certificate, licensing them to remain. Any Chinaman found without such a
certificate was to be imprisoned, and sent back to his own country.

The Chinese were much annoyed at this. They protested, but the United
States Government remained firm. In the years that had passed since 1882,
the people had had time to find out that the Chinese did not make good
citizens.

One cause of complaint against them, is that they have brought with them
their horrible habit of smoking opium, introduced it among our citizens,
and in that way alone have done us more harm than they can ever repair.