Smyrna times., 1877-04-25
The Chinese in California.


What are the effects of this immigration |
upon the Chinese themselves?
There is no doubt that many have been |
injured by it. Some, who have come to |
this country poor and become compare
lively rich, have contracted eXtravagant |
and prodigal habits and become poor again |
and gone to ruin, financially and morally
just like many of other nationalities. Many
lads also and young men have found them
selves here with their wages in their
pockets, and free from the restraints to
which they were subjected at home lin
that land where family government is much
better enforced than in the Unithd States);
they have been enticed into gambling
houses, theatres, brothels and opium shops,
and so have contracted dissolute and idle
habits, and gone rapidly to ruin, very much
as boys of other nations have done. Also a
| few, by contact with low and dissolute
people, have learned to swear and chew
tobacco and swagger like rowdies of our
own color; but this class is comparatively
very small. On the other hand, the
general effects of this immigration are
good. The mingling of so many young and
enterprising people from China with wide
awake nation must, and in fact has, pro-
duced powerful and very marked result.
They have been stimulated; they have
1
wherever they travel and wherever they
reside they keep their eyes wide open;
they contrast our speedy ways of travel
and communication with the slow and
clumsy methods of their own country, and
begin to inquire whether the same cannot
be introduced into China; and by and by,
when they have returned to their own
country, they will feel the need of all our
improved machinery and modes of travel
more than ever, and will call for these i'm
provements and when the cry reaches the
men in power in China las it has already,
these very men, who have been the wide
awake "lookers.on i'll this Venice will be
the persons whom the government can
make good use of to build railroads and
operate them with telegraphs and all man.
: ner Of machinery.
Have many been influenced religiously
by contact with us?
Bad treatment, oppression, unjust and
partial laws and prosecuting measures, as
we'll as ali exhibitions of wickedness, of
drunkenness, prostitution, profanity and
; Sabbath breaking, have prejudiced many
against the religion of the Bible, because
they have supposed that Americans
generally should afford examples OF the
I good effects of the teaching of the Bible.
; But, on the other hand, many have learned
to discriminate between true Christians
I and merely nominal Christians, and
, between these again and open infidels and
. scoifers; and these also have learned that
I the true Christians are not those who beat
, pelt them with stones in the streets, and
! set dogs on them. Nearly all Chinese in
p California become, to some extent, weaned
C from idolatry and superstitions. Most oi
the young men who attend the mission
I evening schools, the day and Sabbath
4 schools, learn something about Christianity
4 Many thousands, during these years ot
v coming and going to and fro, have become
# Christianized to some extent, so far, a
{. least, as to lose reverence for their gods
I From $50 to 300 have professed Chris
d tianity.
. Istherea probability that the immigration
e from China will increase from year K
e year?
I This immigration is regulated entirely b,
p the demand for laborers and the opening
s for business. So long as the railroad
ar prefer them, whether because they worl
d better or cheaper, so long railroad laborer
10 will come, and they will also return agail
ps when there is no more work for them, pre-
or viding they have saved enough to tax
IL them home; and the same in regard t.
N other departments of work, and tn
9. farmers, and road and railroad contractor;
n. and manufacturers, will continue to sem
a. for Chinese laborers just so long as, on III
q. DhOle, they see it will be for their pecuniar,
10 interest to send for them. Therefore, tn
I very fact of the Chinese continuing t
(. come, at any time, is an evidence tina
their presence is desired by the clas
" of men who employ them, and by tn
as larger interest which they represen
e. Notwithstanding the outcry which tn
4
q it. Should the country fill up with labo
bo ing men and women of other nationalitie
IN and that labor be cheap enough to warrar
NO the employing it, then the Chinese labore
,,y will cease to come.
Do the Chinese buy real estate?
To only very limited extent. The
has been so much opposition to them her
III so many threats to drive them away, tn
80 they have been afraid to buy. They rel
70 almost universally, and pay much heavi
~ ''h rent than any other people, and for tf
~, reason their landlords would be sorry
~ have them driven away from the countr
t Do Chinese desire to become Americi
n .n', citizens?
oJ5 Not at all. Only two or three, or fol
Gu perhaps, have ever applied for such
~ ~ privilege. They all expect to return
en- m China: that is their home; and even
China they never have troubled their hea
lEe[ E with State matters; such things they lea
guy to the emperor and his officers. They
Ioll not take much interest in our politi,
Sle affairs, further than to learn which pal
nS is most opposed to their people, and whi
oi of these parties is likely to come il
rn power; and then they watch the papers
'ou :. see what new laws are proposed or enact
!" against the Chinese,
RERoRTEn FAILURE.-A Washington {
,cn' patch to the Philadelphia North Ameri
ery states that Col. J. Cake, proprietor of
Ked ( e. Congress Hall at Cape May, and also p
! !. ~ prietor Of Wizards Hotel, Washing
rae city, has made an assignment for the benz
uen of his creditors. The liabilities are alb
out $500, 900, 100000 of which is a mortg
elng on Congress Hall, and 100000 mortg
nne on the furniture and lease of Willai
sisle Hotel. The rest is unsecured indebtedn
peo- Col. Cake has been appointed gene
70 manager of Wizards Hotel, as also of
sus, gress Hall. The latter cost Col. Cake o
ncel 100000, while the furniture, etc,
al Willard's Hotel cost him $250,0O0.
! on owns Congress Hall, grounds, buildii
end furniture, and lighthouses. There Is ab
y.