The New York herald., 1877-10-21
THE CHINESE.
A Defence OF THE MoNooL1AN IN CALI.

FoRNIA
To THE EDITOR THE HgRALD:-
In tho HERALD of September there appeared pa
per on "The Chinese Question: which had been read
the previous day before the Social Science Association
at Saratoga, by Mr.. Meade, NJ c., TO which beg the
privilege of replying through your columns.
do not contend that tho Chinese are above others
free from faults. but II is my aim to protect them
from injustice and thereby preserve the honor OF our
own people. Tho exhibition OF their bemishcs-
which merely differ in kind from own-may well
bc left to those who manifest such energy enjoy
such satisfaction in magnifvng them the exclusion
OF their virtues That abored rcprese ntation of
sucn nature should have been made by one OF a
court OF inquiry who claims to have enjoyed ''an
usually favorable opportunity for the investigation Of
this subject in California" unsuccecded by any
exposure Of It's conflict with well determ ned
facts, would indicate indifference TO the subject
writer that the OF truth and charity has be-
come silent. am tree TO admit that Mr.. Meade, as
one OF the committee which. at the national charge,
went TO California to study the Chinese question: had
II IN his power to enjoy all he claims OF "oppor-
tunity," while 1t Is to bo regretted the record
shows he made but small avail OF his facilities. Tho
report of the committee shows Mr.. Meade to have be-
troduccd by the prosecutors Of John Chnaman from
tho 23d to the 2sth OF October 1876, during which
time thrty-seven witnesses were heard, whiio at
every subsequent session of the committee
to tho 18th OF November. when II adj
journed, there is the invarable daily entry,
'Absent-Representative Meade" during period
within which no less than eighty three witnesses
examined whose testimony occupies 7G0 pages OF the
report ana including that OF the Rev. Msssrs GIBSON
Looms Shearcr, Deal and Francis, and Mr Coolidge,
secretary OF the Merchants Exchange; Judgc Hcyden
cldt Messrs. Peckham and Sneathe. Colonel HOLSTER
others OF like high character who being heard and
believed, would have rendered tho high wrought de-
nuncations Of Mr. Meade quite impossible 1t is
credablc TO Mr.. Morton that he Is reported to have
becn present and presided at all the meetings Of the
committee but one; and such being the fact 1t is
surprising he announced TO the Senate his intention
to prepare a minority report, which, owing TO
his physical condition, 1t is 20 be appre-
hondod will never DO made. regret that Mr.
Meade Introduces but two authorities for any and all
Of his statements, Of which grossly msrcprescnts
tho known sentiments of "Rev. Otis Gibson" who is
quoted as authority for that which cannot ind in his
book "The Chinese In America" nor in his testi-
mony, while the other from the "Circular OF the Arch.
bisaop'' rather implies compliment to the energy
and capacity Of John Chinaman in ''supplementng"
to a diminution OF the Church revenues In way not
agreeable spirit for exaggeraton pervades the on.
trc paper.
NUMBER OF THE CHfNESk
Commencing with tho .extent OF tho immi igration,o
he boldly ignores reliable statistics and that
tho 'Chneso population ol California is fairly esti-
mated at from ono hundred and fifty thousand TO two
hundred Lhou3and.n
All who have formed opinions from authentic stats-
tca data givo the number OF these people ut about
half oil that stated by Mr. Meade who quito copious
In his igureS of arrivals while he omits equally
accessible statistics OF returns and deaths and there
Is not any we'll informed In the State oil California
or elsewhere who not appreciate his exaggera-
tons The census Tor 1870 gives 63 254 us the whole
ttp11n q Ifatta
rescnis the Chinaman TO be ga mere animal machine
utterly incapable OF any iinprovement," wnIlo
admitting HIM "atapted TO all kinds Of manual work.
except that requiring unusual strength. and their
service bears favorable comparison with white labor"
VALUE OF CHINESE LABOR
IL these apparently irreconcilaDle qualities do exist
in the character oil John Chnaman they so vcry fur
TO account tor the testimony OF fruit cuurist Rev.
w. W. Brier (Report, p 510). II regard the China
superior to any other nationality as iaborors
AT the present time the fruit business,
which think will soon be greater than our wheat
inning interests or botn combined, with tho present
price oil labor cannot be carried prohtabiy without
Chinese labor because they are more skiliui than
whto men, more reliable tnan white men,
That they not the miserable wretches painted by
Mr. Meade IS shown by the $1,000 600 tney repre-
customs dasss and $500 poll lax sG rne
exports from San Francisco to China 1876 to
the amount Of $2,9s2,590 Of merchandise and
So, 900 specie, while our imports from CHINA
over $ll, 900 per annum. William f. Babcock, of
Parrot Co Is, says the Chinese OF California expend
monthly 81, 100000 (p. 70S). They also contribute
their proportion TO tho public revenues That is
plicable 10 them generally which Is stated by the
Clcrk OF the Board Of Santa Barbara county as his OK
perlenco OF TWO years, that 'thcre is OF
any Chinese receiving and no Chinamah ever applied
Tor any public support or aid from the county such
Europeans and Americans are constantly recciv ving.n
(p. l203l. That Chinese bcggars ioaiers n
known IN California Is abundanty proven by all I'M
partial Witnesses whose testimony nils pages vi the
report
SOCIAL EVILS
"The complaint OF their prostitution Is a sham. The
rumshops Ut San Francisco number Chinese pros
ttutes, and American courtezans outnumbcr the rum
shops. That they arc sentimental people, respect
iul to their equals and grateful Tor civil reatmen is
well understood by all who have had relations with
them. They abhor the idea oil obligation. My htue
orphaned grandchildren are constantly receipt OF
not uncostly presents from humble laborers
ploycd by their father while living and ali around me
may be seen pretty souvenirs presented to different
members of my family, return for the ordinary cour
tcsics OF life. They are the people OF government
ten times popuous as ours the hatred OF when
may incur lrrcmediaoy by tne continued persecution
oil her children"
CHINESE DEPoRraESr AND HABITS
Having very briefly cited some testimony relative to
the numbers. the industry, tho integrity ana the
Incrcial Importance OF the Chinese IN America as
gwen before the commission, must notice some OF
Mr. Meaaes statements as TO their dccency OF deport-
mcnt. lie says .nelr personal habits arc dsguslingly
filthy" Mr. w. h. BaOcock, merchant, oil twenty
hvo years. residence says OF hc l2O Chinatnen
branch oil his servicc:-"Eyery Chnaman, each night
of his hfe bathcd himself from head TO loot.
Tbo most quiet. industrious and best people,
neat looking people you ever saw IN the
world. They arc different from tho lower whise
classcs.n ~ 7l5)
Dr. stout, physician, OF twenty eight years. prac-
tice In CalorLia and member OF the state Board
Health testified :'rho Chinese are witty, quick and
strong tor tnor development; have a capacity Tor
labor which IS reinarabke' (P. o4k "Ihey clean
In Their habits, drink no whiskey; never
drunk; they constantly wash themselves and keep
themselves clean; their clothes are clean the
are generally cleaner than those OF other races;
talily ~ less Win them tnan the whites; they pay
more rent and more promptly than whites (P G4I ]
There o people earth SO clean personally as
Chinamen their custom - to wash IRON head to foot
every day; look at them ana compare them with
every other aboring class and see who Is clean Mr
Brooks, y, 59.J
CHINESE CRIMINALS.
The reference oil Mr.. Meade ~ Chinese indifference
Imprisonment Tor crime is, II posslbc, more at va
rance with rutn than ome other of his msreprcsen-
tations IL is admitted all hands that the Chinese
population OF san Francisco numbers about onennth
OF the whole. BY tho statement of Els, Cncf OF Po
lice, before the comnittee (p l5o, tue total mum
Dor Of arrests during period OF fifteen months
reached y, 033 OF which Cinnamon ana women sup
phod 90, or loss than ono-eigntn Now, II
sidcr that the Chinese nearly all oi the ages
which arrests are do, while oil the extra wne pop
ulstion scarcely ono-ha oi those years. we shall
SEQ that the 10000 white adult popuation supplied
% 900 arrests, while one-fourth tuat number ol Chi
ADULTS produced less than 1000, less than
eighth the whole number. When We consider how