New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-07
THAT DREADFUL JOHN CHINAMAM


THAT DREADFUL JOHN CHINAMAN
There are few moral spoctacles more in
structiye than the virtuous Indignation OF the
Californian Christian Caucasian at the Pagan
iniquities of his Monaghan brother we oil
know how exalting is the influence Oh Cha'
wonderful Pacific climate upon the pure eau
casian. and how exemplary IL his attitude
toward his own religion and code OF morals
under a benefcent California sky. But even
this fact does not entirely explain his intoer-
ance of the Pagan. Whether he clears out a
Chinese gambling hell because his honest
soul revolts at the unlawful spectacle,
whether under the exhilaration of alco-
bol he breaks into an opium den from
pure sanitary motives, whether he stones
a nassine Chinaman from Christian Objec-
ton to Boodh there is always slight SUI
pererogation in his acts. 1t Is possible that
politics may have something to do with it. 1t
is only within the past ten years that the
prophetic vision of the partisan politician saw
the temples of Boodh rising all over the land
and Christianity threatened in its own strong
hold-saw polygamy invade society and the
edible rodent exposed in the stalls OF the
epoch, "Do you want your daughter to marry
"a niggerT which most readers will
remember as completely estOpping all
further political argument, has changed
to the more appalling and exhaustive petit
ton, "Do you want to be forced to eat rats
"and support three wives I" An appeal that
touched so closely the nobest instincts of the
Caucasian was not made in vain. California
was thrilled to its center. The inhabitants of
Red Dog, to man, refused to pay their
Chinese laundry bills. Gentlemen from Yreka
and Siskyou arose in their might and leaving
their favorite squaws unprotected in the lonely
wigwam, struck fierce blow at pOygamy
over the shaven crowns of the Celestials. AT
| Los Angeles, q half tropical community shook
off the eneryating habits Of lynching and in
discriminate assassination to make, solely in
favor of Christianity, a special feature OF
Chinese determination.
We were, therefore not surprised to hear
the other day that the Heather was at his old
tricks again. He had been kidnapping Chi
nese girls for Caucasian market. Worse
than that, he had defed the laws of the State
of California by terrifying and imprisoning
its witnesses. Such at least was the substance
of the Geographic repOrt-borrowed, probably,
from some San Francisco journal. Since that
report we have heard nothing in detail or cor
robOratior. 1t is not likely that we shall hear
anything more of it. The political purpose
| for which it was reported has probably been
effected.
If there is any foundation in the story, and
it is not wholly fabrication, it probably
arises from ignorance and miscOnception of
the powers of the Chinese Companies-whOse
methods and government are more or less
mysterious to the average Californian. The
fact of the kidnapping may remain; it is not
a novel crime, iunfortunately-if we mistake
not, we have read quite "a sad story in the
San Francisco journals where the parties
Caucasian-but even here we must remember
that we are dealing with pOlygamOus people,
and that the experience of the unfortunate
Chinese girls was not unlike that of the fool
ish victims of the matrimonial agents and
advertisers in New-York. As to the imprison-
ment and punishment of the witnesses, we must
remember that the Chinese are law-abiding
people in their own land, and that judi cial
powers are given to the Commercial Compa-
MES in their charter, and fully accepted by
the employees. A glance at the statute book
of the State of California for the past fifteen
years will readily explain why the Chinaman
should prefer to have his rights or wrongs
adjudcated by his own cOuntrymen. The heads
of the various Commercial Companies in Cali
fornia are known and respected as intelligent
and upright men by the merchants of San
Francisco, and the burden of complaint has
been generally the other way. One fact
alone should make the reader examine
these dismal stories of mysterious crimes and
secret tribunals with the greatest caution.
| The Chinese in San Francisco are completely
| under the surveillance of the authorities
| They are with few exceptions confined to q
single quarter of the city. They are allowed
hardly the privaces of domestic life-the door
is always swinging to the policeman's baton ;
even their temples are not sacred from Cauca
sian intrusion. Their coming and going is
officially scrutinzed they are yised by the
police at every stopping place; they are
suspect" from the hour when they are put
| ashore from the steamer between a file of
policemen; .tax-collectors, and Custom-house
officers, until the oblong box that contains
their bones is legally stamped and reshipped
to China. To believe this last sSts2ry probable
is to suppose change in the condition OF tio
Chinaman in California that, however desira-
BILE, does not seem to have been yet effected
An IDLE QUARREL.
II H. - a.,