The New York herald., 1870-01-12
SOAP apd Winter LeaisIaton-A Curious
ChIncno BflI.

| SOAP and watsr LesisIaae.--A Curious
ChIncss Bill.
| A democratic member Of Congress from Cali
fornia, named Johnson, has introduced in the
House bill providing that "any State suffer-
ing from filthy habits or degrading vices or
customs practised by Chinese residents"-
against whom the bill is especially directed
''may, il such habits, vices or customs become
| nuisance, protect itself by Stale legislation,
Notwithstanding the existence Of any treaty
between the United States and the Chinese
government"
State should permitted to protect itself against
nuisances that may prove detrimental to good
health, dangerous to the peace or order, or
damaging to the sound morality Of any COM
munity. But suppose the member from Cali
fornia--whose instincts as democrat well
qualify him to judge on the subject-should
take broader view Of the question, and
not confne his observations and olfactories
to the poor Chinese alone. There are more
extensive and more putrid fields for the opera
tions of law against the accumulation of
filthy and bad habits and other nuisances than
exist in California. Therefore let Mr.. Johnson
give the law universal application, and see
what he shall see.
For example, there is the noble Capitol Of
the nation in the great city of Washington.
Why should it be obliged to endure the intolera-
BILE ef1Iuyia of the heaps Of official corruption
A N a. :..s "a.
its committee rooms, in its political caucuses,
in its diplomatic cabals, ay, even upon the
very floors Of Congress itself? Where were
Mr.. Johnson's moral olfactories when he pre-
sented this bill to exterminate the Chinese--to
exterminate them as if they were 30 many rats
while he knew so many viler and more vicious
rats were gnawing at the public cribS Then,
there is the shocking social atmosphere of
Washington. Why did he not bethink himself
of some disinfecting agent-some patent puri-
fier-to smoke out the bad habits that prevail
to such devouring extent in the well-styled
''City of Magnificent Dead Beats z" We pause
for an echo.
Moreover, besides the sittings of Congress
there are some fifteen State Legislatures now
in full operation. Here is domain upon
which the California member could exercise
his nuisance exterminating ingenuity with
marvellous effect. No doubt putrescent legis-
lation was going on by wholesale in many Of
these Legislatures at the very moment he was
Illuminating his rattail wrath against the in
offensive pigtails in California.
-
are permitted to exist in our own splendily
commissioned city of New York. If the men,
ber from California don't believe it let him ask
Bergh, or Oakley Hall, or Horace Greeley.
Bergh will give him data on the swill milk
business, our excellent and piquant Mayor on
the Albany radical commissions nuisance, and
Horace Greeley on the nuisance Of soap and
water in general. Then he can consult our
worthy Street Commissioner upon the positive
nuisance of keeping the streets clean, which
Hercules would find more laborious task than
cleaning the Augean stables. Then there is
the filthy tobacco chewing nuisance in the
ladies' cabins on our ferryboats, the cigar.
smoking nuisance In our street cars, the tread
ing upon ladies' trails in public places nuisance,
the peddling on Broadway nuisance, the side
walk blockade nuisance, the degrading sham
religious nuisance, the bogus giant nuisance,
the pneumatic boring nuisance, and 80 on and
SO on, like the endless chain of the Greenwich
street elevated railway nuisance. Nuisance,
nuisance everywhere
Briefly, let the gentleman from California,
for the good Of mankind, make his nuisance
bill apply universally, and not confne its opera
tions to the miserable pigtails wallowing in
the filth Of the golden and glorious State he
represents.