Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1876-09-15
For the Sendnel
THE M0NG0LIAN ELEMENT.


the astounding intelligence Of the discov-
cry of a new world, the dcnizcns Of ev-
cry region upon earth have set their
wistful eyes upon the tabled wealth of
the "Laud of tho Setting Sun, and the
"course Of empire has steadily ma1a it,
way westward But now the tidal-wave
of empire that has flowed westward 80
long seems about to change its course,
or to be met by another more powerful
from the east While we of the East
are looking obviously toward the hordes
that are surging westward from Europe.
10 old China opens the foodgates -or
emigration and pours an overwheln
stream of humanity, dark and stye
upon the fai:est and most coveted
in America
For while the people of c.
stood the ingress of Chinese
markable coolness Indeed
had a good deal of railroadin,
great many greasy aoorir
John Chinaman was for
tended a cordial welcome,
found to be Il faithful scsJ
having helped to dig ar
canals in his own country,
acquired thorough knowI,
art of ldirt-heaving Best
proved to be an industric
worker and willing to work
everywhere, making him
ure to the capitalist. But
must have an end for the tidal
emigration from the Celestial
becoming overpowering, and the s.
bing and dirt-hcaving having in
measure been finished up, our prospero
neighbors Of the Pacific have at length
peremptorily ordered China to shut off
the food of emigration from their State.
The question naturally arises, Have
Colltornians the constitutional right to
oppose Chinese importation p Under
late treaty between the United States
and China the Burlingame treaty-.it
is probable that the Chinese have tho
same right to enter the United States
as Americans have to settle in China.
If such is the stipulation of this treaty,
no State has the power to set it aside,
for it is contract between the govern
ments Of the United States aud China,
and the constitution declares that no
State shall pass any law itnparing the
obligation Of contracts Although tho
United States may have 'ho constitution
al right to adopt my measure, oven
though it should prove the destruction
q sjtete, would it be just ? would it be
polite 70 do so And vet, when We
consider the causes that have brought
the Chinese to California, we cannot
help thinking that it would be unjust to
deny them any rights in the United
States, as long as VIC claim 50 many in
China
Californians object to the importation
Of Chinese into their State on several
grounds, the force Of which all must adj
nit 1t tends to check emigration from
Europe, because white laborcrs cannot
compete with those from China. As la
borers, the Chinese Gil positions former-
ly held by educated white men, and, at
the same time, they are willing to accept
places in which the labor and exposure
would kill an ordinary negro, and at
limited wages, too This has greatly
reduced the wages of laborers in Califor-
MIA, and would be wholly Agreeable to
the capitalists Of the State. had it not its
attendant evils one II which is, that it
drives out Caucasian white labor
which is sore desirable because il Is
more permanent and 81 ed and because
white laborers settle permanently ii tho
State and invest their savings there.
The Chnaman, on tho contrary, goes to
California with the fixed understanding
that at the expiration Of a certain period
all that is his is to be sent back to the
land of his fathers and this includes
even his dead body As for Johns
ashes, no Californian cares for that il
is his money that lo has ralscd together
that they would prefer to have remain.
As it is not possible for them to hold the
money without keeping John, they ac-
cept the least Of two great evils and send
John on his wy home rejoicing, to make
himself nabob among his friends and
to send others Of bis countrymen 10
'workee for Mclean man"
Under the present rule Of returning
to their native country at stipulated
time, it would seem that there is no dan
ger OF California eyer being overrun by
Chinese. But this custom may not con-
tinue. They only need the encourage
ment Of our government to start them
toward our country by millions, and af-
Ter they are once here, it will be easy
enough for some political party, in order
% OBTAIN their support, to grant them
he rights Of citizenship-iho surest way
n the world to make them love 'sMeli-
can man" and hate China and Confuciug.
fhe Republican party have, by treaty,
encouraged them to come to this country,
and they have openly told Californians
hat they will have to outstrip the Chinese
Or suffer them to oyerrun their State
ind as they have given more ignorant
and degraded people than the Chinese all
the rights aud privileges Of citizens in or
Ter to catch their votes, might not tho
same means be used with tue Chinese
10 order to uphold this sinking power Of
heir party If the Republicans wau1
1oters. China is the place 10 yet them,
or she can send over few million abl.
bodied voters and not miss them.
But the people Of the United sfses
ave decided against this, the ropaea-
aiiscs Of tho Democratic party the pa.
2 that will soon have control OF t9is