The Georgetown news., 1856-03-13
The Chinese.

We nave before us IAN Humble i IeI'
addressed to the Legislature of the State Of
California, in behalf of the immigrants from
China to this State, for which we are In
debted to the author, Rev. VIM. Speer of
San Francisco. We have examined the
plea attentiveIy, and find therein much
valuable statistical and historical informa-
ton concerning the oppressed people, to OBJ
tain an ameioration of whose condition is
its avowed object. 1t is plain and candid
in the facts which are presented; its deduc-
tions therefrom logical and clear; its argu-
ments earnest and well timed, ad all its as
sumptions founded upon actual truth and
conceived in spirit of real philanthropy.
The questions at issue are stated to be:
first. the terms, and second, the extent. ac-
cording to which mining by tie Chinese
should be permitted. The first is involved
in petitions that the rate of license for Chi
nese miners shall be again reduced to the
sum of 81 per month, the same as for other
foreigners; the second, in petitions that the
capitatiOn tax of $50 each on landing be
diminished to IS each. A simple repeal of
two separate acts of the last Legislature is
asked, and the restoration of the laws pre-
viously existing on these points"
"Who are the Chinese" 1t has hereto
fore been very prevalent opinion, especial
ly among miners, that the Chinese coming
to this country, were brought by capital
lists, to whom large proportion of their
earnings were paid; or, were serfs or slaves
IN their own country, and working here sub
ject to the will of masters. In relation to
this matter, the author says:
"Their emigrants here are just what anv
other people are: laborers, cooks, boatmen,
farmers, carpenters, stone masoLs brick
layers, ShOp-keeperS, bOok-binders, weavers.
tea-packers, gardeners, and just what an
equal number from any other land might be
expected to present in the variety of their
their occupations. Some, that speak Eng
llsh best, have been scholars in missionary
schools, or employees about foreign hongS.
Here and there is a literary man, though
rarely seen, and his accomplishments unap-
preciated. Then, there is an abundance of
the vilest classes-the gambler, the infa-
nous female, and others, who prey upon the
fortunate, the unwary, or the wanton of
their own countrymen. Again, they were
not brought here by capitalists, either Chi
neSe or others. The very mistaken notions
Of our own people on this subject arose from
not understanding, as was natural enough,
the nature of their Companies
The beneficial effects which liberal law
towards the Chinese would have upon the
shipping, agricultural, manufacturing and
transporting interests, are presented
Upon the question Of the mining license
exacted, aud in which the people of the mi
ming counties are more directly interested,
the book goes on to say:
"'The income from the Chinese, about
which most has been said in our newspa-
pers, is that from foreign miners licenses.
The report Of the Comptroller of State. for
the fiscal year ending June 30, 1855, esti-
mated the half coming to the State treasury
during the next year. at Sl50OOO. The
last report estimates that for the wear end
ing June, 1856, at Sl60.00O. The Hon.
Messrs. Crenshaw and Norman, in a COM
miittee report to the last Legislature, stated
that the whole number of foreign miners
licenses issued to the mining counties in
this State, for the year 1894, was l03.140.
worth $4l2.560.' And vet the actual re-
ceiptS acknowledged tall below even these
estimates. The question is, what have the
Chinese probably paid! | confess myself
dissatisfied with the apparent result. The
irregularities in official report. and the ar
knowledged deficits Of several of the CoI!ec-
tors, still do not come up to the estimates
of merchants, miners, the Chinese them
selves, and the presumption in the case
Allowing full ten thousand, which seems Il
liberal OpOrtiOn-one-fourth of the Chit
nese-to be engaged i'll other enployments;
then granting that but two out of three are
at work, that is, One-third of the miners
sick, travelling, or unemployed; and we still
have twenty thousand subject to the tax
Grant but the half of the miners employed.
and there are still fifteen thousand. And
yet at four dollars month for the license.
Though it was six dollars the last quarter.
the sum OF three hundred thousand dollars
would show collections to have been made
last year from but six thousand two hun
dred and iltty. One cannot conceive how
The labor oil SIX thousand working miners
can support twenty-four thousand men in
this costly State. Most certainly it is
within the power of the State. without op-
preston, and at the rate of four dollars per
month, at least to double its present income
from this source; and the counties OF course
share proportion ably with any reform there
may be in this department. 1t is needless
to attempt an estimate of the aggregate in
come to the various treasures from II vari-
ETY. of taxes, licenses and assessments, the
sum Of which is considerable, and helps to