San Andreas independent., 1857-09-26
Written for the San Andreas Independent
The Chinese---A View Of the Other Side

Messrs. Editors In one of your late issues
observe one of your correspondents is VERY
much down." to use a common expression.
on the Chinese, and advocates their expulsion
from the mines. | cannot but think that our
friend is little too fast | am one of those
who are always open to conviction but so far
must say his reasons have failed to carry con-
viction to my mind. 1t may be, however, if
the discussion should be continued. there
might be more cogent arguments used by him
which would have more weight than any
thing he has thus far urged: in the meantime
allow me to say few words on the opposite
side of the question. Il is almltted, believe.
on, all hands, that the Chinese should never
have been allowed To come into our mines and
take up mining claims; but us far as this goes.
] think the miners themselves are to blame.
inasmuch as they will sell the Cinnamon an
old claim that has been worked out as is sun
posed or one that is considered comparatively
worthless, or that will not pay an American
to work, and consequently, reasonable to sup
pose never will be worked unless Cinnamon
work them; and thus far it cannot be URGED
with any weight of argument that the Chi
nese are interfering with any rights of Amer
leans either immediate or prospective but
on the other hand, help to keep up the busi-
ness of the country? Do they not pay a license
towards sustaining our State Government, and
fhay bor Al.
would be left be obliged TO contribute some
thing to that end, who do not now contribute
anything, orif anything next to nothing? AS
our miners are not taxed at preSent-and more
particularly, as these same miners have but
recently come to the determination that the
people of this State shall pay that portion of
our State debt contracted by thieving officials,
and fastened upon us another set, who will no
doubt, throw as much more upon the State, if
in their power, and thus keep adding to the
burdens of the people, know it is an argu-
ment made use of by those who do not give
the subject much thought, that it is a matter
of no consequence how sooa our small camps
go in, and men are driven out of the country
who are now engaged in other pursuits than
those of mining; and that they, (the miners
can always sell their gold-dust and that is all
they care for Can they not see that when
business men are driven out as well as the
Chinese that somebody has to bear the bur- |
den of the State government, to which busl-
ness men and Chinese now contribute IN the
shape of licenses and taxes on fixed ana per-
sonal property? Do they for one moment
suppose that the rest of the people OF tue t
State are going to sit idly by and see them
take the dust from the mineral region ana
send it from the country without its being
made to contribute in some shape towards tht
support of the State, and the payment OF IT. /
debts7 IF il should not be rs direct taNl
unon the MINER to be collected from him iI1
the mines. it would no doubt be put upon tic
man who buys his dust, or upon his coin a.
Il comes from the mint, or upon his bars OIL
cold as they leave the assayer, or upon tM|iI
miner if he attempts to take it out offthtsI
country with him; these officials that he helps I
to elect and fasten upon the country, and til Sc +
legislators that he sends to make his LAWS, |.
would no doubt look after him little more s
closely than now. But the end of nv sheet
warns me that my limit is nearly reached; and
hope that whatever have said, If not pos Il
sessing much weight, may be tile means Of
eliciting some new ideas from other sources.
and from those better qualified 10 deal with
the subject. It's matter ffaught with ver,r4
great gravity, and should be handled with
considerable care and have 4 little more
Thought and considerations bestowed upon IL
than sbmes persons In certain quarters are in
<dined tolgivei II. 81 Hoping toshear from our
x-p,YED