Arizona citizen. [volume] (Tucson, Pima County, A.T. [i.e. Ariz.]) 1870-1880, 1876-09-16
TIE CITIZEN.
Chinese and Chinese Immigration


THE CITIZEN is in receipt Of a small
book of 173 pages on these subjects
The contents are such questions anC
answers and general statements under
oath as were brought out by an inves
ugaring committee Of the California
legislature, appointed April 3, 1876
the committee being required to make
formal report on or before the first
Monday in next December We are
uncertain who sent the book, but pre-
sumo f. p Thompson, State superin-
tendent of Public printing, did if. On
receipt, it was treated like most public
documents-lai aside: but the other
day, we gave il ! look here and there and
found it more instructive and equally
as amusing as anything Bret Harte
ever wrote. The facts that both the
great political parties of the nation
have substantially agreed 10 make a
thorough investigation Of the China
man and his influence upon American
society and labor. and that in pursuance
thereof, committee Of the Senate and
House Of Representative Of Congress
will visit California in October 10 in
vestigate as well as the receipt Of the
California book, form our excuse for
this article.
Hon. F. F. Low of San Francisco
was the United States minister pleni-
potcntiary in China during 1S10-1-2
and part OF 1873. lie testified that the
Chinese immigrants come from Hong
Kong which is moi in China; that
Hong Kong is an Island coded to the
British government by China, and that
China has no more control over ii than
over Canada, and that as matter
Of fact, the stoppage OF the immigra
jion involves treating with another
nation rather mole than with China
When il is understood that the British
law forbids any but voluntary emil
grants embarking on ships and requires
Il compliance with the law to be Of I
ficially certified before a vessel leaves
port, it will be seen that so far as law
is concerned, any more Of II would
hardly further restrict the immigration
of Chinese into the United States. To-
a question as to the comparative con
dition OF the working class in China
and in the United States, Mr.. Low re
piled:
More average comfort according to
their ideas OF comfort. According toi
our ideas, 1t would be misery. There
are fewer abiect poor. That comes
partly Of the fact that labor Is hOnora-
bic and everybody works; everybody
is expected to work and a drUne has no
sympathy
There is much in Mr.. Lows testi-
mony, creditable to the Chinaman, and
for his offensive presence in the United
States, superior whites Of England,
France and the United States appear
blamable. He directly testIiies that
the Chinese "are opposed TO the eN-I
portation of coolic labor, more than
we are to the immigration" Here is
some more of his exact language: (,
Involuntary emigration has been
and is discouraged by the Chinesci
government They Che Chinese havci
obsiructcd in every way possible, emil
grafton other thm free emigration. II
In standing, the Chinese officials are {
first agricultural laborers, second, man
ufaciurcrs, tLird, u,.lers, fourth, and
professional men the lowest of all. He
testifies that "a lawyer in China is
pretty nearly as bad as actors and bar
beers, who are without the pale of So
cial life"
The book is full Of curious and
amusing information, and we'll cite.
one instance further AS a consolation
10 the smokers of the delicious San
Francisco ci@aritos. James r. Rogers
was detailed by the Chief of police in ,
San Francisco, to collect statistics re
garding the displacement Of American ,
bv Chinese laborcrs. Mr.. Rogers re
ports that many of the cigariJos arel
manufactured from the butts of CT
"gars picked up from the street in
front of cellars and bar-rooms" We r
have wondered why SO many genteel
people have recently substituted the
eigarite for the cigar, but it is no Ion
ger wonder. The book before Us cX-
plains the cause. Heretofore we have :,
been disposed to think harshly Of some =
elegant gentlemen fol giving up their
Topic, Key West, or other cigars for
the cigarite, but shall do so no longer.
They are rather entitled to commits d
seration-in our view of the case. )
which Mr. James r. Rogers strength d
ems. Whoever sent The CITIZEN the
book on Chinese affairs, has our thanks {
ADvICEs received here from the sew
eral prominent sections Of the Terri 3
tory, show that Hon. H. 5. Stevens Is
daily Uaininr ground and hardly sal