The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-06-15
The Chinese Puzzle.

The presidents of the six Chinese
companies and of the Chinese Young
Mems Christian Association have made
an appeal to the President of the United
States, and through him to Congress,
protesting against any interference with
Chinese immigration. The appeal clear
ly sets forth the case from the Chinese
point of view, and in it is denial that
the six companies are in any way instru-
mental in the traffic in women which
has been charged against them. The
officers make sweeping and emphatic
denial of all the charges broughtagains
them. 1t will be remembered that they
were charged with being the head and
front Of all the troubles that have come
upon the Californians through Chinese
immigration. 1t was said they fostered
the traffic in women for corrupt pur-
poses; that they had established secret
Judicial tribunals, in which all difficult
ties between the Chinese people were
adjudicated; that they encouraged the
people to live in opposition to the laws
OF California. etc., etc. 1t was further
moro asserted that the Chinese people
were of no benefit to the country; that
they bought no real estate, paid no
taxes; and that there was not o virtuous
Chinese woman in the country. In OPP
position to this the signers of the appeal
say that in California alone the Chinese
have purchased and own 100000 of
real estate; that they annually pay
50, 900, 600 duties in tho custom house;
that 5000, 900 poll tax is levied upon
them, and that hundreds of thousands
N Al nf tuy
property. The claim they have endeav-
ored to stop tho immigration of vile
women, but that their efforts have uni
formly been defeated by the Califor-
mans themselves, and that in one in
stance, where they had succeeded in
getting number of these women on u
steamer to ship them back to China,
lawyer of San Francisco got out q writ
of habeas corpus, and had them all
brought back. They claim the people
are now introduced to this country un-
der solemn treaty stipulations, and they
protest against any forcible interference
with them at this stage. If, however,
the Chinese care considered detrimen-
tai to the best interests of this country,
or If our presence here is considered
offensive to the American people," they
ask for modification of existing treaty
relations either prohibiting or limiting
Chinese immigration, and if desirable,
requiring also a gradual retirement of
the Chinese people now here. The
statement is clear and dignifed, and
puts quite q different face on tho sub
ject. The intimation that the excite
ment over the Chinese people is made
for political effect may have some slight
foundation; but there is no doubt but
their presence on the Pacific slope is
matter of grave anxiety to the people
there. There is no question but that
they have exerted baneful effect on
those sections where they have settled,
and that continuance of their past
mode of living will result some day in
great convulsion. The presidents of the
six companies have made what, in their
opinion, is an impartial, straightforward
statement of the condition of their peo-
pie, but they have not treated upon
those points that SO irritate the people
of California.