Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1870-07-02
From the San Francisco Examfner.1
The Laboring Hen of Cslifornia-Why
Yd1A

[From the San Francisco Examiner.1
The Laboring Hen Of California Why
Idle. ..... r..
What means the gathering of laboriug
men in San Francisco, clamorins for work
to save themselves from starvation !?
Whence comes the cry of distress, and
why? Are We not the most prosperous
nation on the face of the globe {? And is
not our Stats the most prosperous portion
Of the nation? Then, why, in the name
Of all that's rational, are we met with the
spectacle, in our public streets and in front
Of our halls of justice, Of fifteen hundred
strong, able and willing men raising up
their voices aud demanding that they be
be given work, whereby they may be ena-
bled to ward off the demon of hunger from
their doors?
We put these questions to you, ye
lazy philanthropists and firesidc philoso-
pliers, who are uutiringly concocting
schemes of immigration and "putting up
jobs" to bring hither swarms of men to
starve, in a country which you have made
almost worthless to the white laboring
men by your encouragement and fostering
of coolieism. We put these questions to
you, because we believe your protestations
of friendship for the white emigrant are
insincere and hollow hearted, and have
their foundation in the selfish instincts of
your nature which prompt you to initiate
Immigration Bureaus aud Agencies, that
in the transportation of these poor people
you may gain few dollars, little rccking
what becomes Of the moncyless immigrant
after you have dumped him at his jump.
ing of place in California. We want im-
migrants, indeed while we have nearly
two thousand strong and healthy men pa
rading the streets, anxious to procure
work of any kind at almost any wages,
with care and want depicted on their
wan faces. It is sight to move the heart
of the coolest blooded mortal in the world,
to see these poor people, who have been
reduced to state Of penury by the pres.
ence here Of hostile race, who have, by
undcrbidding them, taken away the means
of their subsistence. To see them moving
along peaceably, yet earnestly, and with
keen anxiety, seeking word of cheer, Of
comfort ofhope.
These workingmen of San Francisco
have been basely slandered, and charged
with designs to injure the heathens who
have done their interests so much mis-.
chief, yet, by their actions the past few
days, they have given the lie to such asser.
tions. Under circumstances of the strong.
est provocation, with the consciousness
that their present deplorably destitute con.
dition is due entirely to the competition Of
the Chinese with them, not one of them
has done aughtio harm to the Mongolian
dcnizens of San Francisco 1t is fact
easily susceptible Of demonstration, that
there would not be single white laboring
man necessarily idle in San Francisco TO-
day, we're not the coolies here to compete
with them. Figures can prove this incon-
testably, and if any one chooses to deny our
statement we can prove it. The Chinese
are eating us out of house and home, they
are undermining our prosperity, driving
our workiugmen to desperation, and as
surely as they are heather, they will prove
the ruin Of the country if steps are not
taken BY legislation to prevent such a ca
lamiy. Is it any wonder, under this con-
dition of things, that mischievous thoughts
sometimes enter the minds of our laboring
men, who see before them SO probable =
fate as the poor house, or the pauper's
grave. Far be it from us to counsel or en-
courage violence towards these poor devils
Of coolies-but hungry man listens to no
logic that does not reach his stomach, and
if something is not done, and done speedi-
ly, too, to relieve the necessities Of our
own race, and to diminish, in some legal
manner, the incoming Of the Asiatics, then
the Radicals will have themselves to blame
for the short-sighted folly which led them
to believe, or act as if they believed, that
every man but white man was entitled
to sympathy, encouragement and protec'
ton, and that the white man must look
for himself as best he may.
We deprecate violent measures for the
relief Of wrongs Of our race; We counsel
patience aud perseverance, in peaceful agi-
tation until We shall have obtained the
Just measure Of our rights; but We warn
the Radicals, those who affect to believe