The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1877-03-13
TUESDAY, MARCH Is, 1877.
JOHN CHIyAMAs.
What is Thought About Ills Wholesale
Importation to America.

The Chinese question is one which
has never shaken Cheyenne to the CEN
ter, but it is a fact that we have quite a
large number Celestials among us, and
that we are constantly receiving addi-
tions is also indisputable. They, so far,
have certainly been no great source of
evil and there are those who hold to the
opinion that they never would become
such here or elsewhere. Representa-
tive Meade, who the other day in Con-
gress made a minority report on the
Chinese question, holds an opinion
some what similar to this. He says for
years the people of the Pacific coast
have endeavored by state and munich
pal regulations, to discourage, OF to an
extent interdict Chinese influx to this
country, and laws were passed which
for the credit of the country had better
never be placed on the statute book of
any state, but it is only just to say that
their improperly is now generally con.
coded. Happily for its jurisprudence,
the Supreme Court has declared invalid
q class of discriminating legislation, and
these decisions have caused the people
of the Pacific coast to seek federal in
reference for relief from what they
consider the ills of the Chinese immi-
grafton.
Meade confesses that all that is claimed
of the personal habits of Chinese have
been abundantly proved, but this goes
but a little way to prove that they are
unfit for residence among us. While in
San Francisco, and other considerable
towns on the Pacific Slope, their condi-
tion and treatment go a long way to
prove defects in those municipal govern
ments and their regulations. Indeed,
the disclosures before the committee
were not favorable to the city govern
ment of San Francisco. Nc complaint
can be justly found with the officials,
but the laws which are provided at Sac
ramento are inadequate, and suggest
the necessity of thorough revision. For
instance: The entire police force, for
patrol and other duty, is 120 in number,
and defective in discipline. Ina town
of nearly 300, 600, with a population
made up of elements from all parts of
the world, there would seem to offer no
serious impeachment to a conflict of races,
and the testimony rather justifies the
charge that the police contribute to,
rather than proven, the corrosive feel
ing which is fast being, if not already
permanently engendered between them.
Respecting the importation of women
for immoral purposes, the fact is dis
closed that while the practice is dis
c%ountenanced by the better portion of
the Chinese residents in California, yet
it exists and is encouraged in its most
revolving phase. Meade thinks the pro-
verbal hostility between labor and capt.
tai has magniiied the Importance of the
Chinese question. The present liberal
wages on the Pacific coast cannot be
maintained with any great increase of
the labor element. The Chinese have
the most mental occupations but give
satisfaction, and work for less wages.
Meade deprecates Chinese immigration,
but suggests due consideration and re-
gard for existing treaty obligations with
China.
He hopes the immigration of mer-
chants, men of education, students and
capitalists will be encouraged, and OBJ
stacles to their residence re moved. He
suggests n liberal endow ment for a
professor of the Chinese language, say
people with whom our trade is constant
ly increasing. A new convention should
be had with China, and Congress should
establish a department of immigration.
For the present the business should
remain with the treaty-making branch
or the government. The permanent
Chinese Embassy is soon to be establish
ed here, and the Chinese Consulship in
San Francisco will be timely,
and will greatly facilitate in ar
irving at an intelligent disposition of
the questions under consideration. A
just and equitable national policy re-
specting immigration is at present need
ed, and wisdom and prudence should
characterize it, especially in the infancy
of relations which are to create 81 many
bonds of common interest between the
Oldest and newest nations of the globe.