New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-06-23
WHAT SHALL We DO NTH JOHNF

WHAT SHALL NE DO NTH JOHNP
We have a growing Chinese population on
the Pacific Coast, which is already sufficiently
unpopular We have scattered attempts at the
introduction of Chinese labor on Southern
plantations and railroads. And now we have
the Chinese shoemakers brought IN to
conquer q strike of the Crlsplns at
North Adams, Massachusetts. There Is
already the bitterest opposition to the almond
eyed, mild-mannered creatures; hostility to
them has become test of political orthodoxy
in California, and the antagonism here makes
an even bitterer beginning than there. What
is to come of it all
a. We may be sure the immigration Is
hardly begun. 1t is an enormous fact that, 10y
the change from sail to steam transportation,
Hong Kong is to-day as near New-YOrk as
Liverpool was twenty years ago. The Irish
famine gave an impulse to an emigration to
this, country already fairly begun; and see
to what, in twenty years, 1t has grown.
Yet for every Irishman able and
ready to emigrate, there is score OF China
men great famines sweep over China by the
side of which the Irish famine can hardly be
mentioned, and there are not wanting other
causes TO stimulate the growing move
| ment towards Nthe United States Within
two years more, than five thousand China
! men have returned from San Francisco as
our Canton correspondent lately informed us,
every one telling wonderful tales of wealth in
this golden Lend and of the marvellous liberty
here enjoyed. The workman IL the nec-mlll
listens to the tabe of a. hundred cents q day
wages, and onsrasts st with his own beggaT1y
five or six, The five hundred dollars brought
back by one or another of these men returned
from Fairy Land, seerrs to his neighbors an
enormous fortune, and becomes the talk OF
whole provfnce. Throughout the Empire they
are thus looking with longing eyes to the land
of the Gold Mountains. ANY slight propelling
force may Suddenly ,preciQitate them upon us
by thousands for every score now coming.
(2.) We cannot escape the food if we would
We have too long extended hospltable well
come to the immigrants from every cline toe
reverse now the policy that has led to National
greatness. We can absolutely prohibit their:
coming only by resort to Nativism pure and
simple; and we take it, the day is far distant
when that win be thing so near possibility
ga to require serious. con sidsration.
(3.) We can undoubtedly discourage the i'm
migraton,-a-e doing it already, in fact, by
law which prevents their bang brought over
under contract to work out their passage
money after their arrival Yet so great is the
desire to come that in hundreds of cases whole
families mortgage themse elves to be sold into
slavery if the head of the house docs not
return within q specified time to repay the
massage money loaned by native dealers
on this security. How long will any discour-
apements keep back an immigration thus
determineGi
az After all, can we afford to discourage
them (? These men are most patient, faithful,
and valuable labOrers. We have an enormous
demand Tor labor throughout continent not
vet half subdued to the asses of man. Our re-
cuperation froIa the depletion of the late war,
our success Ia peOpling and cultivating the
vast tracts partially opened by the con-
tinental railroads, the development of
the country, the growth of its agriculture and
mauufactures-all depend ON an abundant
snnply of an intelligent labsE. This is all the
South needs to double its present cotton crop.
1t is all the West needs to carry the frontier
! line across boundless plains now untoached
| No Nation, so situated, has ever yet prospered
by the rejection of such labor when it was Of
| fered. Should wei
| (5) And yet we confess that we by no means
contemplate the present aspect of this immi-
grafton with unmixed satisfaction. If these
! Coolies are to be thrust upon us, merely be-
cause they have fewer wants than most civ
ilized beings, and can therefore be hired for less
if they are to remain among us uneducated,
| unassimilated, mere excrescences upon our
communities, and never taking root in our
soil.-then will their cheap labor prove in the
end to have been purchased at a rate far dearer
than we can afford to pay. We have lately
taken into the body polite four millions OF
recent slaves. We are receiving steadily in
creasing accession from many parts OF Europe
of people unaccustOmed to liberty and ill
trained for democratic institutions. We are
, threatened with tropical accessions, with more
of Mexico, with Canada. What further
| strain this elastic Republican Govern
r ment may bear we know not; but
! il is certainly prudent to apply the strain "a
r gradually as possible. Above all, we should
\ avoid degrading our suffrage. A Government
5 of the people Can only rest safely on popular
I education and National morality. If we can
Y not assmiate the Chinese, they had bette
not come at ALL if we can, we ought at leas
: to have a better opportunity for 1t than now
r Co. Some of these are dangers from which
: no present escape is apparent,-oyer which
o some way or other, to good or ill-fortune, w
v must make our way. But there Is a remed
$ for the conflict between the COohe
f and CrsDins in North Adams. !