The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-03-31
THE CHINESE QUESTION.
From the Sacramento Union Record. !

From the Sacramento Union Record
Upon the suggestion OF Mayor Bryant, the citizens
OF San Francisco about take such steps in
their power procure Congressional action regarding
the Chinese nuisance, which, the Mayor rightly OBJ
serves is becoming intolerable. committee has
been appointed, meeting is to be held and the
Legislature to be asked to deiray tho expenses of
deputation to Washington There is, unquestIonaby,
abundant cause for complaint this score. The Chi
nese in San Francisco already form separate and
powerful colony governed by their own laws defymg
the police practising and abeting crime and profit
cacy and at the same time cutting down white labor
III every direction below living rates. faithful and
graphic narrative OF the effects OF Chinese labor upon
trade and industry on this coast would, perhaps, 20
lar convince even the average Congressman that
the evils the competition Is establishing never
be comp nsated by the benefits OF trade with
China and that II would be better for the Pacific
coast and ultimately, for the whole Union. II every
treaty arrangement between the countries should
be abrogated, than the present condition should DO
allowed exist aud 10 expand. For 1t is here that
the great question OF the future labor OF the United
States Will be determined, and here that
an issue the full as important aud lar reaching
that of slavery Will have 10 be settled IL is necessary
to face the situation as II is. II the Importation OF
Chinese proceeds steadily, there must come a t'mo
when they will have monopOliZcd manufacturing n
dusry on this coast; when white white
woman or white boy eau procure employment at any
trade; when the sewing grl wal! be driven from her
machine, the mechanic from his lathe the carpenter
from tools the cobbler from his last the
from his loom, mason from his trowe the lnbOrcr
from his work; when Chinese cheap labor, pursuing
tho nvariabie rule which governs an labor through
out the world, shall have acquired the entire ncd
of California industry And when that time has
arrived the people OF other states viii find themselves
confronted by the same problem and mcnacud by the
dangers. As for US, shall then have converted
the State into second Louisiana in slavery times.
W. shall have lost the bone and sncw OF nopula-
tiouthe intelligent mechanic, the thinking cilizens
who alone secure and establish sclgoycrnmcnt,
aud should have gained the equivalent ct slave popu-
/ laton The old slave state conditions would inevitably
follow upon this Chinese cheap labor great masses
means farming on gigantic scale; the rapid reduction
the small farmers the state OF the poor whites
OF the south; the aggregation OF agriculture the
hands OF pOtocracy, corresponding TO the old planters
ac the entire revolution OF society us u AT present
exists. Since, moreover, the tendency would surely
be establish KIND OF pSonagc among the Chinese
We should ind ourselves face TO face with all tho
evils which slavery brings In It's train within u
few years. IL would longer be possible To regard
such society a. democracy for the demos-the peo
ule-would have been I'll minated aud 10 would rather
resemble the l.aconian system, with its Helois for
work and its little ohgarchy OF citizens Tor counsel and
government But It Is hardly conceivable that this
position should be realized for II is not possible TO be-
licvc that changes ruipous would be submitted TO
/ by those most threatened by them without ultimate
/ desperate resistance Ana here a danger looms up
I which Congress will do w,ll to ponder II may argue
gravcy and lcarncdy about treaty rights and internal
tOnal obligations, and so forth, but what VIII do "
American citizens, who arc being even crowded TO
the wall by these unassimiativc foreigners, should
some day rise their desperation do deed that
would sckon the civilized worldY such things have
occurred IN history ana like causes will produce like
results Nothing y more certain, moreover than that
viii cXpe the Chinese, tight them succOmb TO them;
for there question that tho Chinese are through
their sobrcty temperance industry and lrugalty des-
tined to conquer wherever they SGT thor ce allowed
I 10 compete with races possessing WIDER wants and
more generous habits. Broadly speaking. the human
I being that live upon ten cents day Will always
subduo the human beng whose needs require twenty
i've cents day 10 satisfy them IL ~ possible that Ia
time the Chnaman's wants may increase and his
irugality dmuish but perceive few Indications OF
such change present and, therefore, the TACT must
be laced that he Is saving machine OF the most
approved pattern Nor Will do TO talk about FREQ
trade ia labor though the question OF not
a factor the problem. Free trade IN labor operates
we'll where men OF European ancestry question,
but the saxon aud Cclt ana the Monaghan do not
assimiate, have neither habits OF thought, past his
tories governmental Vows. domestic usagcs religious
bellos, traditions nor languages IN common, and u IL
hardly possible 10 doubt thai The rst elect Of MOngol-
iauixng this continent would be TO extnsuish the
Republic. These some Of the ISSUES involved IN
the Chinese question and, the whole the Leg stature
may deem u ol sufficient gravity 90 warrant the send
ing 10 Washington OF such dcputation as has been
! proposed