The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1877-12-15
official Press or King County.
Sat urday, Dec. 10, 1877
CHIN ESE LABOR.


ton on the Pacific Coast;
Il regard it as the duty Of the State
to extend the same protection to the
Chinese within the State that is extend
cd to other residents. Tho fact that
the Chinese are universally deemed an
undesirable element of population does
not ia the smallest degree abridge their
right TO be protected to the full enjoy
ment Of ell rights aud privileges guar
antsed them by the treaty with their
government, or Of the laws of this conn.,
try. nor lessen the obligation OF the
State TO give them such protection. In
tho past, this department OF State gov
eminent has endenvored to secure the
equal protection of the laws TO all resi-
dents Of the State. II will pursue the
same policy in the future. In justice.
also, to the officers Of the several conn-
ties, judieisl and otherwise, who are
charged iR any manner with the duty
Of administering the laws, or Of arrest
ing. trying and furnishing those guilty
o. breaking them, desire to bear testi-
m0ny to the fidelity and impartinlity
with which they have discharged their
respective duties The Chinaman has
had his rights adjudicated in the courts
with the same fairness aud impartiality
that ihc immigrant from any other
country or the citizen has had
his; and the invader Of the rights Of tho
Chinamsn, whether Of person or pro-
perty, has been pursued with the same
vigor and punished with the same
severity a. the invader Of the rights OF
the white man. = An irrepres-
sible conflict between the Chinese and
ourselves between their civilization
and ours--has already been initiated.
Now, if the Unrestricted right Of immi-
grafton shall continue to be secured to
the Chinese, and they shall continue to
exercise the right, there is danger,
great danger, that this conflict will be-
como so sharp, bitter and determined.
that it will be difficult. OF even impossi-
bic, for the government. nation or state,
or both, TO secure to them the protec-
ton 10 which they would be entitled,
both by treaty aud the laws Of hui
mainly. We are in imminent danger
Of this contingency, and will continue
to DO as long rs the Chinese shall con.
tinue to exercise tho rights guaranteed
them by tho Burlingame treaty. What,
then. is the plain duty of tho United
States government II is to secure tho
abrogation OF the treaty provision
which permits unrestricted Chinese
Immigration 10 this country. If the
government Of China will not consent
To such modification of the treaty,
then Congress should forthwith pass
such laws in disregard of the treaty ms
will remedy the evil.
The real point in the case is the
slavery question. 1t is we'll known that
tho Constitution Of the United States
has been within the past fifteen years.
amended 30 as to read that "neither
slavery nor involuntary seryitude, save
rs punishment for the commission of
crime." shalt be allowed In the United
States. The condition OF the Chinese
men and women imported into Califor-
mia by the "Six Companies. is that of
slavery and nothing else. The men are
leased on labor contracts for terms Of
SIX or ten years. in the discretion Of the
lessons. while the women are sold out
right for the most hellish of all pur-
poses. The status of the Chinese in
California. Nevada, Oregon. Washing
ton and Idaho, is therefore in direct
conflict with tho fundamental law OF
the land. aud it is TO Congress alone
that the people Of the Western coast Of
America can look tor relief from the
competition of class Of laborers who
are non-assimilating in character, and
who have secret organizations and
separate tribunals OF their own. The
Governor treats the subject carefully
and calmly, pandering to no prejudice
nor embodying his ideas in high-hown
language, but speaking plainly so
NJ to he understood by all sorts and
conditions of men.
The evils Of Chinese labor hangs
like upss tree over the whole coast. fet
tering the progress Of the large towns
and impeding tho settlement OF those
counties which are more remote from
the ccnters Of civilization. There is
but one branch OF industry in which
they are positively advantageous aud
that il in the boilding of railroads and
digging of canals; and there is so little
OF that work now in progress in the
the Pacific States. that one-twentieth
part Of tho Chinese row in California
alone, could do the work for the whole
coast. There are woclen mills at Day.
ton. in this Territory. and at Ashland
and Brownsville. in Oregon. where NO
Chinese labor is employed. vet they all
make money. The work is dose By
white men and girls. and what is the
RESULT Instead Of Chinese opium dens
and houses Of ill-fame in those towns
we find good schools, churches. literary
societies and homes that are surrounded
by every element of virtue and de-