The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-07-12
THE oHL.NIEoE AND CHEKNEEs.

TIE disposition to agitate the Chinese ques-
tion in Congress increases with the growing
necessity of politicians to make up records
that will help carry them safely through the
coming elections. The scholastic Sumner,
who advocates the abolition of all forms of
caste speaks of the Orientals kindly as the
Ohi-nteco, while the Pacific Senators, in
difference to the prejudices of portion of
their constituents, thunder forth denuncia-
tions against the Chi-knees. Mr.. Cake, of
this State, who represents q portion of the
coal region in the House of Representatives,
also belongs to the Chi-bnees party. The
gentle miners of Schuylkill county have
on amiable habit of forming COM
binations which are vivifed by ter
rorism and violence, and they are not
without apprehensions that the almond
eyed Celestials may grapple with the mys-
teriea of anthracite some of these fine days,
and thereby stop the business of burning coal
breakers and shooting refractory superinten-
dents. To avert 30 dreadful calamity,
Mr.. Cake proposes to prohibit the ''introduc-
tion of bondmen from China" and he is dis
posed to be severe upon all emigrants who
will not "as speedily as possible adopt the
+ SO far as the resolutions he recently offered
in the House, or similar propositions, pro-
vide for the prohibition of involuntary bond
age, they will be cordially endorsed by the
great body of the American people. Nothing
is palmer than that slavery of every form
should be, is, and must be prohibited by
the laws of this country. 1t was said of Eng
land years ago that the moment slave
touched English soil he was free, and this is
the ruling doctrine of America to-day. If
there is anything wrong about the contracts
undor which the Cinnamon are
brought to this country, It should
be righted, but, whetherft is righted or not.
we cannot understand how any contract
formed in another continent can, in the alb
seuce Of positive legislation, legally enslave
an immigrant after he lands upon our shores.
The Chinese naturally band together here as
small knots of American workmen would
band together if they went to China for mu-
tual convenience, protection, and congenial
intercourse, but no bond can be forged
on the other side of the Pacific
strong enough to hold them in in
voluntary servitude on our soil; and after
they once become familiarized with our
language and customs, they will be as ready
to seek new affiliations as the Irish or Ger
man immigrants. 1t is said that the Chinese
shoemakers of North Adams are already
attracting the favorable notice of the Yankee
factory-girls and we shall not be at all asto-
nished if in due season they learn to make
love as well as money in as orthodox an
American fashion as the conservative heart of
Mr.. Cake could establish.
Emigration, above all other things, has
built up this country, and now that new
mine of this species of wealth has been
opened, why should we refuse to avail our
selves of its offered treasures? The object of
thu Chinese in coming here is to perform a
share ofSthe mighty mass of work which, for
the common good of all, should be performed
al the earliest possible moment. The South
ern States alone could, by the proper applica-
tion of intelligent labor, be made to sustain
more than hundred millions of people, aud
at the present moment nine-tenths of their
natural resources are dormant and un-
productive. The bulk of the west
ern half of our territory is
still in condition of primitive wildness. and
on it, exclusively. millions of Chinese could
find, under proper industrial conditions, en-
ployment profitable to them and to us. There
is not State, city or town, even in the most
thickly settled portions of the Union, where
remunerative work is not awaiting skilful
and industrious workmen. And it will be
time enough after million of industrial
yoids in agriculture, manufactures, and CON-
msrce have been filed, to close our ports to
any peaceable aud orderly body of industrious
WQrkmen. a.-.
RECKLESS LEGISLATION.