Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-12-17


Tie san Francisco Tapers contain accounts
Of a meeting lately held in that city to DIS
cuss the Chinese question. The audience,
which was large one. i represented as hay
ins assembled 3. to LISTEN from which We
infer that the debate was not a general one.
The principal speaker was Mr.. Thomas
Mooney What Mr. Thomas Moneys par
ticular qualifications for enlgh;ening his fell
low citizens on this subject may happen to
be. We are unable to inior our readers
and they will therefore be compelled to judge
his remarks on their intrinsic merits. The
exact tenor of Mr.. Moneys discourse may
be learned from the report printed in the
California papers and imperfectly condensed
for our columns.
Mr.. Mooney e" argued in strong language
that the Chinese when they compete with
white labor are Of no benefit TO the State in
any way. Cheap labor arguments are falla-
cious. 4 Government subsidy to promote
Chinese immigration would be an unlawful
waste Of money Congress should appro-
pirate one million dollars 70 encourage the
immigration Of white people from Europe to
America, TO ill up our country. Let the
- Chinese hordes So come in and drive away
the workingmen and what will become Of
our butchers, bakers, grocers, and other
tradesmen? Who will buy our real estate
The Burlingame treaty was no treaty at all.
Put Burlingame and Barnum in bag, shake
them up, and take either out and he will
prove humbug. - After repeating many
Of his propositions" ungraciousiy remarks
the reporter, Mr.. Mooney offered the fol-
lowing remedies: First, each Chinaman
should lie taxed $500 on his arrival in the
State second, they should be taxed $50 per
month On their salary; third, We tax people
for kcering dogs, why not tax them for keep
ing Cinnamon? 1t is said that God made
Cinnamon as well as other beings. Very
well, God also made the dog and rat, and he
would rather have dog than q rat near
him. The orator concluded by reading and
asking the audience to sign long anti-Chi-
nese pledge. Officer Supple then came for |
ward with a young man about nineteen years
old, sporting profuse quantity of good
clothes and bad jewelry, whom he repre-
scented TO De in a starving condition because |
the Chinese had driven him from employ !
ment After this little pantomime, which /
aptly enforced the speakers arguments, Mr..
Mooney adjourned the meeting.
We shall not attempt to refute Mr.. Moneys /.
reasoning. 1t is evidently adapted to the IN 4,
derstandings of a class of hearers with whom
serious arguments on the other side Of the
question would have but little weight His !
speech was seditious appeal to the selfish
prejudiees Of his audience; and the speaker
or journal that would combat such passions
must possess the perseverance of Sisyphus.
But if we cannot employ the argunentun
ad ko0uneU', VIC may at least argue CT hom-
inc. First, then, as to Mooney himself. The
name of this gentleman fortunately indicates
his nationality. The chronological student
will at once trace Mr.. MONEYS derivation
back to the Emerald Isle Of the Atlantic.
1t is probable that he himself once crossed
the wide ocean to seek home in this west
ern land of promise, and to obtain protection
under the broad wings Of the American