, 1873-08-14


a gentloman sent communication to The
TRIBUNE day or two ago, in which ho COM
plaincd that tho few Cinnamon who havc come
to Chicago aud quietly settled down in tho la,,n-
dry business are already tho objects Of ridiculo
for the strest-boys, Of abuse for tho car.drivers
and OF petty prosecutions by tho rabble, whon-
ovor thoy malto thoir appearance on tho streots.
a couple Of weeks ago another gontlemnn had to
Interfere to protect Chinaman from assault by
white competitor in business, though tho only
provocation which tho hlongoiian had given
WIS., that he had started another laundry
hs did better work ut fairor pricos. There is
roaBon to boliove that these Incidents aro san-
plos Of tho persecution of the Chinese In Cali
fornia aud somo Of tho Western Territories,
where thoy are found in greator numbers. A.
correspondent, writing from San Francisco to
tho Now York Tribune, takcs this view Of the
mattor, and giyea good roasons for it. Tho
Cinnamon aro porseoutod, not because "Wo aro
ruined by Chinese cheap labor," but because
they aro Ohnanlen. Tho abuse comes from
the mob caHsos Of Sun Francisco, to
whom both political parties pander. At eleo-
tion-timeB, tho politicians On oil sidcs raiso tho
banner Of Chinese expulsion" !" and tho Huccess-
fu party proscribes restrictions, imposes spocial
taxos, cuts of pig-tails, in obodionoo to pop
uiar clamor. Experience in other citios shows
that newspapers, LogiBlaturos, Common Coun-
ella, conventions, and other political institutions
will join In m unjust persecution for political
ouda. Tho Common Council OF sau Fran-
cisco havo passed Bono infamous ordi-
nancos in this interest. Tho present Mayor has
dono himself credit by Votoing aomo OF tho most
ovory incoming 0hinaman for vaccination (which
was intondod to aot as prohibitory tax), mud
the ordinance to deprive Cinnamon Of thoiT buck
hair. But there are oppressive local laws which
aro enforced against tho Chinese exclusively.
Ono ia that there shall bo 600 cubic foot Of air
In each room Of tenoment-houae tor eyory oc-
cupant, and fine Of 80 Is imposed for ovory
violation. But tho Chinese tenants alone aro
1nalo to comply with the ordinance, while tho
rich owners Of the tonetnents, and tho wlito ton-
ants, are not molestol.
Tile ploa that Chinese labor IL driving of
white labor il vory effoctually oxplodod by tho
samo correspondent. California has DO, 100000
acros Of a1able lands. and a population Of only
6G0247 pooplo. or those, 1a0,473 aro in Sun
Francisco. It is prepoBterous to assert that
stnto of tho extent mud RESOURCES OF California
cannot sustain hnlf million people without
ono clasa Interfering with tho other. It will
tako several timoB this population to develop ita
natural woalth. The real trouble is, TINT too
largo portion of tho white population
focba TO tho city, instead OF ayaillng
itself OF tho opportunities which tho coun-
try ofrera. II tho Chinese lnboyora taro
bottor than tho white laborors, 1t Ia uot beceuao
thoy work for loHa wages, which 10 by no meana
tho rll1o, but bocause thoy are moro industrious
apd frugal. Tic Clnaman tfoes not stay idlo.
II no cannot got ono olaAs Of work, ho taken
another, while tho whito laborer insists upon
having the kind Of work which suits him, or l.o
won't work at all. Ono gentleman who had o.
cnslon to employ 100 00labogors advertised and had
$50 applications within three days from tint
olass Of white mon who are constantly growing
about Chinese cheap labor. But only dozon
out Of all those applicants consented to
tako tho Job "a eoon aH they found out
Tint tlIoy wero required to 90 out OF tho city,
Several gentlonon who employ Cinnamon toatfy
that thcy would naturally profor to engage
white mon, but that they find tho Cinnamon moro
faithful. Another advantage OF employing
Chinese labor Is, that the men work iu gangs
with q foreman of their own aud cook OF their
own, Tho employer 1eala directly With tho fore