The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-07-15
pleasure of tickling his palate, has entailed
this curse upon its victim, have we any word
of reprobation. God will judge him.
OUR CHINESE IMMIGRANTS.


From the NJ Y. Times.
Although the vexed question of Chinese
immigration is at present attracting much
attention. there appears to be marked ten
dency on the part of both writers and speak
ers to ignore its consideration from that point
of view which must, after all, be the one
which can alone affect our official action in
the matter. The Government of the United
States has solemnly recognized China as a
treaty power, firstly by the treaty of the 18th
June, 1868, and more recently by the 'Addi
tional Articles, signed by Mr.. Burlingame on
behalf of the Chinese Emperor, in July,
1868, and promulgated by the United States
Charge d'Affaires at Pekin in November last.
While, therefore, the pressure of
public opinion may effect the modification
or abrogation of agreements which tend to
the injury of Anne rican interests, we
bound, so long as they remain in force, to
act up to their provisions. Much useless
defamation has been expended in the at
tempt to prove that Chinese immigration
should be resisted on the score of certain de-
praved characteristics of the coolie. But
these do not in the least affect his political
status, guaranteed as it is, under certain con-
ditions by treaty agreement. AS regards the
allegations put forth, it would rather seem
that the balance of proof hes in favor of the
much abused immigrant. He is reported by
those who have had the opportunity of OBJ
serving his class in China, to be sober, hard
working, and fully up to the average of
laboring populations In other countries as
regards morality and freedom from the COM
mission of violent crimes; while he has
proved, in this country, a docile and
peaceable resident. The primary question
at issue, apart from that of wages, is, there
fore, how far the laws of the United States,
as affected by our agreements with the
Chinese Government, compel us to receive
a.a.
zen. Upon this point few remarks may tend
to clear up widespread misunderstanding
The fifth article of the Burlingame CON
vention explicitly recognizes the right of
both Chinese and Americans to change their
homes and allegiance, and also the mutual
advantage of the free migration of their
subjects and citizens from the one country to
the other" The contracting parties repro
bate ''any other than an entirely voluntary
emigration, and make it penal offense for
an American citizen 'to take Chinese sab
iects to the United States or to any other
foreign country, without their free and voluu-
tary consent" No provision whatever is made
regarding contracts or engagements Our
law does not recognize any contract made in
China, and that probably was held to be
sufficient But on the other hand, there is
nothing to prohibit such contracts being
signed; and all residents in China are aware
that owing to the peculiar social organizations
of the people, the emigrant coolle will hold
himself bound by these agreements.
To engage contract coolies is, therefore,
neither absolutely nor constructively illegal,
and provided they leave China with their
| own ''free and voluntary consent" we are
bound, by the article quoted, to admit them
as residents in the United States. The sue
oeeding article of the convention, however,
contains a clause which, if enforced, may be
used to forbid Chinese immigration alto.
gether, or to deny them the rights of citizen
ship. 1t is therein provided that ''citizens
of the United States in China shall enjoy the
same privileges, immunities, or exemptions
in respect to travel or residence as may there
| be enjoyed by the citizens or sub jects of the
most favored nation Now it is notorious
in China that while Americans and British
subjects are stringently prohibited from
residing in the interior, a large number of
| Russian traders reside not merely at KaigOn,
on the great highway between China and
| Russia, but at inland cities in the vicinity Of
the Upper Yangtzu river. The well-known
fear entertained by China of Russian aggres-
| sion is, of course, the reason which insures
them this privilege, though the British Min
| lister recently endeavored to show that Ame-
ricans or British subjects were as much at
| liberty to reside there as were the Russians.
But what are the facts? Passports granting
permission of residence have invariably been
|
representatives., notably on the ground that the
Chinese authorities would refuse to wise
them. 1t cannot, therefore, be held that
| China performs her part of the reciprocal
agreement, and the United States Govern
ment is consequently, at liberty to exercise
a similar discretion in withholding from
| Chinese immigrants a certain portion of
the rights or immunities granted to other
| aliens.
This being the case, it becomes a grave
question as to how far this power, conferred
upon us by Chinese bad faith, should be ex-
ercised. To oppose free immigration would
be as futile as ungenerous But there are
some points which demand consideration.
The two great issues raised by Chinese immi-
grafton are: the danger of the immigrants
acquiring political influence which they are
incompetent to WELD with discretion, and
their effect upon the labor market 1t is
much easier to deal with the former than
the latter question. But it must be remem-
bered that similar questions have already
arisen, and have settled themselves accord
ing to the inevitable laws which regu-
late demand and supply. When Irish
immigration became a grand fact much
grumbling arose on the part of native-born
artisans and laborers, who saw in the influx a
certain reduction of their wages. In like
manner the Irish workmen opposed the tide
of German immigration-less vigorously, it
is true, than they now oppose the Chinese,
because the newcomers were able to take
care of themselves but none the less cor
dially-and yet there is room for more. The
alarm with regard to an overwhelming influx
of Chinese is wholly unnecessary, and we
very much doubt whether native American
working men are taking any part in the