American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1869-07-17
The Chinese Immigrant.

Ths Chinese Immigrant.
That the Chinaman is the coming
man we do not doubt. lie has his
virtues aud he has his faults. Whe.
Their these are greater than those
of other men, be they whittier or
blacker than he, is subject matter
for discussion. But will he crowd
out either negro or white man? If.
we had country as densely inhabit-
ed MS France or England or even
New England, this might be feared
for the third generation from the
present one, but it is not now a prac-
teal question.
We eau only have a prosperous
Mississippi when it has vastly more
than its present population,and when
the addition is Industrious and fru-
gal. These are part of the good
qualities of the German and China
man. The former is preferable to
the latter. The Englsbman and
Scotchman would be the best for az
ricultural, and the Swiss and French
for mech anical arts, but for all pui-
poses united the German is best, and
next to him the Chinaman.
But what will become OF our white
mechanic then He will certainly
do as well as now. If this becomes
mechanically productive centre all
mechanics will have more work, and
the best mechanics the best pay. Let
our white mechanic prove himself
the best, and he will! be correspond
ingly rewarded. The more mechan-
res we have, the better will mechanic
arts pay.
We have never believed in a pro-
lection against home competition in
any department oflabor. We do not
believe that individual interests,
which are just ones, are hurt by com
petition, aud the general interest is
certainly enhanced Ivy it. But there
will be no injurious competition until
we are so deusely people as is Ma :
sachusetts, nor can there he such
even then, for our soil will give en-
plOyment to ten souls where that OF
Massachusetts, will to one.
To the incompetent and lazy all
competition is odious. But to the
legislator and the publicist, and to
the industrious and skillful this is nc
objection.
Similar reply we would make tc
the demagogue who fears that his
present " masses will be overmass
ed by immigration. He breads alik,
taIe European and the Asiatic. Tn,
negro is credulous or vindctive, a.
the one mood or the other may sui
bis purpose, and he is content will
the negro alone. He looks to mel
only as voters, to put him in oflic,
or to enable him to get his hands
into the public pocket and an i'm
migrant who may not prove to b,
manageable is his dreal. Thus h,
breads both the European aud tn,
The gregariousness of the China
man is not popularity except in it
mode of manifestation. All peOpl
are gregarious but the Chinamap il
never willing to work under a maj
Of another race. He will cOntrlc
with steamboat captain or othe
person to do certain work, aftc
the style appointed but he will a.
low no interference with him, AM
will have none others working witt
him, except of his own selection
among bis own countrymen.
The Chinaman makes good ser
want. He is silent, sober, quiet
punctilIously correct, and does al
he engages to do and can do. II
is usually COOL cook, and 500
learns whatever he needs 20 know
But he will tie down to no one, an,
specially not to any one who pre-
sumes upon his quietude IA subscry
iency. He does his duty and expect
to be paid for it, and then let alon,
Having fulfilled his engagement Ii
will do no more.
As to bis moral defects or those {
his weaker half, let those who al
sinless cast the first stone. IT til
Chinese are less moral than the n
groes of our cities and villages. it
because they are more intelligent
so. Nor. with the existing malarI
OF our moral atmosphere in genera
need we have much to say in col
dcmuation of the Chinaman.