The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-11-21
The Chinese Question.

THE 'nigger" question is not yet settled, and
there appears to be no prospect that it will
be very shortly. We may expect to hear
comparisons made between the sizs, shape,
and proportions of Caucasian and African
skulls and shiD-bones until the negroes are
allowed TO vote, and then these edifying
Psychological discussions will cease, and soon
people will begin to wonder why there was
ever so much fuss aud fury about "a white
mans government, and the other olap-trap
of Democratic orators. The most difficult
part of the "nigger" question, however, has
been settled definitely aad conolusively By
the abolition of slavery, and the granting of
all the rights of citizens to men of African
blood is only question of time. As a supple
ment to this, we are likely to have Chinese
question on our hands which promises to
give us no little trouble and annoyance.
There are already thousands of Chinese
in California, and large acoessions to their
numbers are being made every year, until, ere
long, at the present rate of increase, they will
much outnumber this white population in al
the States and Territories of the Pacific coast.
The dislike of the native population for the
Chinese is even more bitter than that which
has been exhibited towards the African racs
Oh the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains,
and in San Francisco and other cities they are
not unfrequently maltreated in the most
shameful manner. AS the Chinese immigra-
top increases, it is not likely that this antago-
nism Of races will cease but, on the contrary
we may expect to have trouble from it. The
Chinese are said to be patient, industrious,
and peaceabIe, but they sre pagans in religion,
and their manners and customs are so entirely
different from ours, that the prospect of their
being soon absorbed into the great American
nation is not very assuring. The CalifornianS
look upon them as interlOpers, aud treat them
as if they were no better than vermin but
still they come, and increase with unexampled
rapidity, and the question suggests itself for
serious consideration, What is to be done
with them? We know SO little in this part OF
the country about the Chinese, that We are not
in position to judge whether they are really
the nuisances that they are asserted to be by
many Californians. Ii they are well behaved
they are entitled to the same protection as
other residents in the country, whether
Pagans or Christians; aud as we are likely to
have them on our hands, the best policy, and
only policy by which future trouble can be
avoided, would certainly seem to be to pro-
tect them ehectually from ill-treatment, aud
to encourage them to study the English Ian
guage and the institutions OF the country, so
that they May be fitted fer the exercise OF ali
the duties and the enjoyment of all the rights
of citizens.
The American nation is, to great extent,
heterogeneous at present, and whether it wilt
ever assume distinctive character by the en-.
tire absorption of all its elements, is aquestion
which will not be answered in one day, and
how far the Mongolan and Caucasian races
can be merged into one homogeneous mass is
the next great political problem Hith which
we ale likely to be vexed.