The New York herald., 1869-07-05
The Mistake Of San Francisco--Opening Tor
Chinese City on the Pacific.

There is one dark blot upon the fair
escutcheon of California, a narrow and bgoted
policy among her people on one point, which,
in view of their general broad intelligence and
large grasp of mind, we are surprised as well
as panied TO see. The Golden Gate, as the
representative city of our Pacific empire, has
in general exhibited liberal policy and an en-
terprising spirit in grasping the early indica-
tions of coming greatness, which has been
adequate to its mission and its portentous
future. But in the one great duty which falls
upon it as the pioneer in the movement
of the mingling of the nations in the
Western world il has been wanting in
comprehension of the future, in catho-
licity of feeling and in proper appreciation
Of its own vast interests The persecution
which the intelligent portion of the commu-
nifty have permitted to be exercised towards
the incoming millions from China and Japan
is wrong which, if not remedied at an early
day, will be equal to turning the imperial posi-
ton of the Queen of the Pacific into the lap of
some more wise and just community.
The advent of millions Of Industrious, fru-
gal, intelligent and docile laborers from the
teemng populations of China and Japan to Our
Pacific and Central regions is the coming
event of the close OF the nineteenth century,
With its development we are to enter upon an
era of production, trade and material and intel
lectual dev lopment such as has never before
been witnessed by the world, and beside which
the past growth of our own interests, now
looked upon as 80 vast will shrink into pigmy
proportions. The great experiment OF the
mingling of nations under free institutions,
and with the largest liberty for the labor and
mind of man, is to be developed upon our Pa
cifc slope, and its swelling waves will speedily
overrun the plains of our Central and Southern
regions The Pacific Railroad will be but a
ril for the sweep of its broad waters. Lying
as it does at the very threshold of this mighty
movement, the city of San Francisco can, If it
chooses, guide the incoming tide and rise to
greatness upon it.
But to do this it must stop all the spirit of
persecution which it has hitherto permitted to
be exercised toward the Chinese immigrant by
laws and the sauctity of our treaties. 1t is but
few days since we saw announced the arrival
of twelve hundred Chinese at San Francisco
by sailing vessel, and already body of men
calling themselves the Miners Union call upon
the white workmen to assemble and begin
anew the work of persecution. If these things
continue the best course to be taken will be
the building of Chinese city at San Diego
and the establishment of a rival to the Golden
Gate We are not sure that this result will
not come anyhow. Our Chinese and Japanese
could establish there new centre under many
advantages They would obtain control of the
western terminus Of the Southern Pacific road,
which, after all, promises to be the shortest
and best route between the two oceans. A
Chinese city as rival to San Francisco,
to the constitution, would soon become for
midable rival, and, animated with more en-
larged just and intelligent spirit than that
now exhibited in the Golden Gate, would in
ten years dispute the empire of the Pacific.
There are not wanting intelligent minds in
San Francisco who see the evil that will ac-
crue to their city from this unwise and unjust
persecution, and they already propose to take
action by calling public meeting Of the cti-
zens to consider the subject. The evil is in-
creased by the old party hacks among the
democrats there, who are pandering to the
ragamuffiDs that get up the outcry, thinking to
make political capital out of it. Both the law
and our treaty obligations are clear on the sub
iect, and the Chinese who come to this country
have all the rights that the Irish or German
emigrant can claim and that our own citizens
are entitled to. 1t will be well for San Fran
cisco If the authorities there see the error of
their ways and mend it before the evil compels
a remedy.