The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1870-01-07
PROBING THE WOUND, AND
WHO IT HURTS.

1nefe are TWO DlllS De1ofe the 0alf-
fornia Legislature looking to a solu-
luton of the Chinese Immigration
question. One proposes the establish
ment of a Bureau of Chinese Immigra-
ton, and n police system, and to i'm
pose a license tax upon those Chinese
who work within the States From
comments of Republican papers which
are, of course, hostile to any measures
like this, that shall protect our own
wolkingmen from a ruinous compe-
tition with Cinnamon, it seems that
the bill also imposes some tax orpe-
nal restraint upon the ship-owners
who bring the Cinnamon to the State.
The other bill proposes to make those
who employ Chinese laborers pay
license for doing SO. 1t is only
short time since that there was tre-
mendous outbreak in Republican col
umns against the California Legisla-
ture, which manifested itself in the
usual way of bad names and stigma
tizing epithets. Now we have just
learned the extent Of the Legislatures
offending. The Chinese bills account
for the milk in the cocoanut. If the
National Legislature places the mill
tary yoke upon the white citizens of a
half-dozen States, these gentlemen call
it patriotism. If it impose its unequal
tax laws upon the people who have not
bonds, and whose hands must per-
form the labor upon which the Reve
nue. system fastens itself. they call 1t
"sound financial policy" II by sweep
ing enactments, like that proposed by
Trumbull, it suspends the privileges
of the habeas corpus, and denies the in
estimable right of the writ to eight
millions of white people, why that is
said, with fine enthusiasm, to be "guar-
anteeing a republican form of govern
ment. But, mark this: when, in or
der to preserve to the workingman in
California the reasonable wages that
are demanded by the necessities of the
laborer and his family, the finger Of
the law IS laid, ever so lightly, upon
the yellow pagan, the almost entire
Republican party groans in anguish
beneath the pressure.
A little Democratic surgery upon
this most foul and putrid China sore
is needed, and wherever the Demo
Gratis get control of q State Legisla-
ture they are having it, as witness
Tennessee and California. We do not
know the precise character in detail Of
the proposed law in California, but We
are certain that it goes directly at the
evil. The Legislature of Oregon should
do the same thing, and If we carry the
Assembly in June, it certainly will
The statement has been constantly
dinned into the public ear, that Demo
Gratis were the ones to most generally
give employment to Cinnamon. The
Democrats OF the California Legislature
propose now to tax the employer, let
him be who he may, and the country
may derive very attractive lesson by
observing from which side the howl
goes up. Here is crucible in which
to test the sincerity of the parties.
This bill, when it becomes a law, will
show within the limit of It's operations
who is for the whole country and
who IS for the property-holding por-
ton of it. It will show who is upon
the side of the man who labors, and
who is to be brought into competition
with China hborers, and who is upon
the side of the man who employs labor
and who is to become enriched by the
cheap labor that competition with
Chinese laborers will give him.