Chinese in the U.S. began organizing to resist enforcement of the law. Within months, the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association declared that those in the U.S shouldn’t register, but rather contribute to a fund for hiring lawyers to fight the law. In 1905, Chinese merchants responded to the humiliation of the Exclusion Acts by organizing an Anti-American boycott. Though the movement was not officially sanctioned by the Chinese government, President Theodore Roosevelt recognized the boycott as a direct response to unfair American treatment of Chinese immigrants. With American prestige at stake, he called for the Chinese government to suppress it. After five difficult months, Chinese merchants lost the motivation for the movement and the boycott ended quietly. In America, many Chinese responded by filing against the law.
Due to the abuses resulting from the exclusion of Chinese laborers, our Chinese have suffered inhuman treatment, establishing many harsh precedents. Among the 400 million Chinese, there may be at least 100,000 who have suffered in person. In Shanghai alone, many can describe the events that they endured or witnessed in the past. Even more have been told repeatedly by their relatives or friends to let the people of China, whether rich or poor, know about all the bitterness that Chinese laborers have endured. For these reasons, Chinese people's hatred and anger due to the bitterness caused by the Exclusion Treaty did not just begin today, nor is it limited to only a portion of our people. Since this act brings disgrace to our country and hurts business, it does only damage and brings no benefit. This really has filled the whole country with bitter hatred and [caused us to] plot a way to resist. This has been in the minds of the people for a long time. Now, taking advantage of the opportunity to change the treaty, the Chinese are compelled by their shared hatred of this act to plan a way to deal with it. This is a patriotic development of the Chinese people."
-Liang Qichao, 1905
The United States has extended the exclusion treaty in order to put an end to Chinese people's livelihood there. This is a national disgrace second to none. Everyone is furious and aggrieved.... Now, all the Chinese people in the United States are making every effort to achieve the goal of taking back the national rights [of the Chinese people] and saving Chinese people's livelihood. Noble-minded people in Shanghai and Hong Kong and the charitable organizations in Guangdong province have all responded enthusiastically. They have worked together in full cooperation. They held meetings to discuss protest and defense measures. They communicated with each other through letters and telegrams to encourage one another to do a citizen's duty.
-Boycott Handbill, Baohuang Hui, 1905
In the last month, everyone in Shanghai has been thinking about and talking about the Exclusion Treaty. From millionaires to poor workers, millions of people are of one mind, and we must not stop until we win back our rights. Oh! We [disciples of Kang Youwei] have been working on these matters for many years, but have never seen more success than this time. ... All the foreigners in Shanghai have become worried, saying that China, the sleeping lion, has awakened. Since the Treaty ports were established [1842], there has never been any activity like this. It shows that we Chinese are not easily bullied. |
"Chinese community leaders denounced the "Dog Tag Law" and urged Chinese living in the United States to resist it. "The Geary act is an unjust law," they declared, "and no Chinese should obey it.". Risking immediate deportation, Chinese by the thousands refused to resister for identity cards in what had been called the largest organized act of civil disobedience in U.S. history. They were supported by white citizens who considered the Geary Act an assault on civil liberties."
-"Angel Island: Gateway to Freedom", Russell Freedman, 2013