The New York herald., 1877-03-01
CHINESE IMMIGRATION.
1HE MINORITY REPORT OF REPRESENTATIVE
MEADE OF THE JOINT SELECT COMMITTEE.

wAsnlxGroS. Feb. 2s 1877
The report Of the joint select committee on the sub
jcct Of Chinese immigration was presented 10 ihe
House to-day by Representative Piper II Is the same
that presented yesterday in the Senate by Mr. ssr-
gent.
Representative Meade, OF New York, the other men,
Der OF the committee the par; OF the House, DIS
sentcd from OF the conclusions OF the report OF
the majority and presented his views on tho subject,
in which he says for several years the people OF the
Pacific coast and of California particularly, have en-
deavored by State and municipal regulation TO dis
courage or to IN nterdict this Chinese influx
To this end laws were passed which. for the
credit of tho country. had better never been
placed upon the statute book o any State; but It Is
only Just to say that their improprety Is now gen.
orally conceded explanation offered tor thcir enact
ment; that tho country was new. legislation OF any
kind not always tho wisest, the evil lfor
SO they regard Chinese immigration) was
= novel one, aud they Set TO work by
she expeditions and direct methods to attain the
desired end Happily for tho Jurisprudence Of tho
country all this species Of class discriminating and re-
srictve State legislation to which allude has boen
declared nvad in tho several cases recently decided
In tho Supreme Court Of the United satea These de-
cisons have caused the people OF the Pacific coast
70 seek federal Interference for relief from the Ills
Immigration.
HABITS CHINESE.
After nlludug to the failacy OF uDrcstricod I'm
migration Mr. Meade says the personal habits OF our
visitors formed important feature of tho invcstga
tion and that the Chinese-at least large proportion
Of those who TO this country-are neither vir-
tuous nor clcany abundantly proven In
fact, less evidence on that head would
have been quite MS conclusive and more
what Will never DO disputed that coolio is any
thing but desirable neighbor STILL 1t goes but little
way to prove that he Is uuht for residence among
us whc In San Francisco aud other considerable towns
ON the PaciNc Slope hrs condition and treatment so
long way to prove defects In those municipal govern
,uents and their regulations. Indeed tho disclosures
favorable to tho city govcrnment OF San Fran
cisco. No complaint be justly found with the oi
cias, but the laws which are provided at sacramento
are inadequate, and suggest the necessity OF a
thorough revision For illustration The entire po-
Ice force patrol and harbor duty being l20
her, and detective IN discipline, IN town OF nearly
popu aion. up OF elements from all parts
oi the world would seem TO offer serious mped;-
mcnt u conflict of races ana the testimony jusiAes
the charge that this police contributes to rather than
prevents tho corrosive feeling which Is fust bong.
not already. permanently epsendcred between them.
iNPOPrArfoN oY woMEN
Respecting the importation OF women for immoral
purposes tho iacts disclose that whe the practice Is
ny the oettcT pOrbOu ol tte CuIneSe
resident in California, yet exists and is encouraged
IN most revolving phases which credible testimony
indicates even fails short OF full exposure OF the
degradation OF morals At homo among tho lower order
OF Chinese
THE LABOR QUESTION.
The aspect OF Chinese nm grafton, Mr. Meade says,
II considered by the public IN its relations 10
labor anu il not Improbable that something OF tho
provertial hostility between labor and capital has
served heretofore 10 magnify its Importance The
timony did not show surplus Of labor, but II is
safe 10 conclude that the present liberal wages
bacfip In Mn
with any considerable increase OF the labor eiement.
Employed 10 limited extent in mines everywhere, as
u servant and IN all sorts Of meual work, AS farm
hand as worker IN tue lands. in building railroads.
al work in lighter branches OF manufacturing
and and r,,1M multitude OF ha other occupations no
faction. while working for less wages than his
white competitor. In this instance the conditions
which usually apply to regulate supply ana demand
inopcrave The want OF mobility in labor always
makes exceptional bat in The case OF the Chinese
more properly coolies, Is yet notable Coolic imm-
grafton as labor question in this country would alone
lmpart to II political complexion, and IN this
respect has lost OF its importance by rcuson Of
the action Of both political parties that conspicuously
have entered y race TO demonstrate which shall go
iarthest ana tarry longest in opposition to tho
political character is, With what political rights and
privileges this class Is in tho future to be invested?
DANGERS FROM THE COOLIES.
But whether endowed with citizenship other
wise. large population OF Chinese IN our midst mist
be fraught with the greatest concern TO our future
welfare. With the charactcrisiics described II
pnIy invites the natural and rrcpressibe conflict
Of races, but threatens, by the very weight
and force of numbers, crowd out and
pverwhelm our own race The generous wages, q lib
eral and the presence here already Of
mauy Of his counlrymen combine 10 encourage tho
cooiie to immgra and TO establish himself among us,
with his peculiar IDEAS and CUSTOMS anu
should the white MAINTAIN It's relative supremacy
In this country; yet tho Monaghan must exist
irritating cause, or be, as described by d. A. Wells,
"a stone IN the stomach OF the body polite, which
will neither digest nor assimiatc"
RELATIONS GOVERNMENTS.
While 1t Is obv'ous that measures should DO adopted
restricting tins growing coole immigration wise
policy suggests due consideration and regard Tor exist
ing treaty bgations with China The location OF tho
Two avors the moDopolizaton by the energy
and enterprise OF our citizens of tho large and
growing commerce with China England has
hitherto been the great Power with that
nasion but Is well understood that fast gain
Ing the asccndancy and that the Chinese government
ccs keener sympathy and higher consideration Tor
Ihs uation
capitalists should be encouraged and every
rnirs"dy n.h,y obstacle s rh the WAY. way Of their
has established pro!essorshp OF the Chinese Ian
ruagc. We need 10 undcratand that people more
thoroughly ana liberal endowment ior u similar pur-
pose this country would be u great benefit IN dc.
vcoping our business and political relations with them.
Entire justice due the Cnnese already on tho Pacific
coast according as Is guaranteed to them by existing
treaties new convention should be held, having Tor
liz object the strict regulation OF coolie labor.
BUREAU IMMIGRATION
The establishment by Congress of u bureau or de-
partment OF Immigration is requisite, not only to
pi"Pcr unucrsianuluR ana regulation OF the subject
with China, but also with European natone, and the
proper reception and treatment 0f immigrants their
arrival IN this country with such bureau, properly
organized III accord with the State Department and
It's BODY OF foreign officials, treaty stipulatious
specting imfneration may be made sufficiently flexible
10 ADMIT OF Congressional aud Executive CONTROL and
thus TO subscrve al all times the interests our pco-
pie, eliminate objectionable features and remove the
diMculiies which now exist respecting the subject
generally.
1n tue improbable contingency that tho Chinese
government wiiI rei.se TO cooperate with US in pro
per limitations respecting Immigration then Will DO
the Lroper time to consider what independent action
Tor ourselves necessary For the present the entire
business should remain with tile treaty-making
branch OF this government permanent Chinese
embassy to be established here and
Chinese consuIship In San Francisco will
be timely and greatly facilitate in arriving at an
Intelligent disposition o! the questions under
ntion. just and equable national poncy respecting
immigration Is present need, and great wisdom and
prudence should characterize it, especially In the in
fancy Of relations which bo nds of
common interest between The Oldest and the newest
nations OF tho globe.