New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-06-11
John CHINAMAN AGAIN.

Mayor AlyOrd of San Francisco has done
manly and sensible thing in refusing to APP
prove two of the Infamous anti-Chinese ordi-
nances lately passed by the San Francisco
Supervisors. The Board seems to be organ
lied in the interest of the anti-Chlnese party
and it lately passed, by vote OF seven 10
three an ordinance requiring that the hair OF
all persons confined in the County Jail be
cropped close to the head. This was designed
solely to deprive the Chinese of their cherished
queues. A Chinaman, under most circumstances,
would sooner part with q limb than with his
pig-tail; it is his badge of nationality-the
sacred tie which binds him to his native land.
Very few Cinnamon, comparatively, are found
in the Jail the proud privilege of getting roy
ally drunk and disorderly is reserved for the
domestic and imported Caucasian, it would
appear. But the Supervisors first passed an
ordinance compelling each Cbinaman and other
person to have FIVE hundred cubic feet of air
for his sleeping atmosphere. AS sanitary
regulation, this was not open to objection; and,
though enforced against the Chinese exclusively,
it could hardly be called class legislation. John
Cbinaman laughed in his capacious sleeve at
the ordinance and, when arrested for its Vlo-
lation, went contentedly to jail, where he lived
comfortably at the expense of the dismayed
"Melican man." By refinement of cruelty
the prosecuted Asiatic, having been inveigled
into prison, was to be next curtaied or his
sacred queue. There is no State law, say the
California journals, under which the Board OF
Supervisors may impose any such penalty on
any class of offenders as that proposed. They
might as well set up o whipping-post
or stocks, and have done with It,
Another ordinance, passed at the same
time, and sharing the same fate at the
Mayors hands, imposed tax of fifteen dol
lars quarter on each laundry-keeper who
uses no horses in the prosecution of bis bust
ness. This petty piece of malice was de-
signed like the other ordinance, to strike the
industrious and hard-working Chinese, many
of whom are washermen, and carry their Gus
toners clothes about in huge baskets slung
over the shoulder. John Chinaman could no
more use a horse than he could q balloon;
therefore, he must pay tax of fifteen dollars
a quarter. To state such q case is to expose
its wicked absurdity.
1t is undenable that the influx of Chinese
into the Pacific States has lately caused
well-grounded alarm among all classes OF peO-
ole. Even some Of the most moderate jour
nails admit that the immigration, which has
increased from 10000 per annum to twice or
thrice that number, has become matter of
very grave difficulty. But we are glad to be
assured that the Mayors action in vetOing
these Infamous and oppressive ordinances Is
approved by great majority of the citizens
of San Francisco. The fundamental principle
Of our form of government, often affirmed and
reafirmed in the most solemn manner, is the
Equality of Man. 1t is too late to attempt
to stay any tide of immigration by special
legislation discriminating against race or
color. This, at least, is certain. What pos
sble remedy for the ills complained of yet
remains, we cannot say. Probably the San
Francisco Supervisors consider they have the
right to violate the plain principles of Repub-
licanism as well as the spirit of the treaty
between the United States and China. There
are twelve members Of their Board, eight Of
whom may override the Mayors veto of an
ordinance which seven voted to pass. But
this is not the way to cure the Chinese evil.
"