Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-01-21
The Heafhen Chinee.


The publication of a fragmentary report by
the late Senator Morton on the Chinese aues-
ton, brings with renewed interest before the
public mind a matter that will call for the
early attention of our legislators. Whatever
Side one concludes to take in the present con-
trOyerSy. he will be sustained by an imposing
mass of sworn testimony. The leading citi-
Zens" of California, according to the report of
a committee from the state senate. on the Gne
hand, and the memorial of the six Chinese
companies on the other, testify in direct OppO-
SitiOn TO one another in regard to the facts of
the case. The witnesses on one side 1--WE do
not know which) could not periure themselves
more completely. or with more Indifference, if
they were Chinese, and had that supreme con-
tempt for our barbarian Oaths which is ascrib-
ed to the Acknowledged, pig-tailed Oriental We
discover from sworn testimony that the Chi
neSe in California are the very scum of the
race, living like rats rather than like men, and
by their filthy habits diminishing the value of
property i'll whatever direction they spread :;
that numbering One-sixth of the entire popula-
ton, they pay only about one four
hundredth of the taxes, and the cost
of supporting their cOnyictS in the state prison
Is $4,000 more than the whole amount derived
from them by taxation; that they aSSimiate
in no respect with the inha btants of this
females are mostly depraved and spread ter
rible diseases through the state; that of the
nearly two hundred million dollars earned by
them while in this country almost every dollar
has been sent to China, thus draining the state
OF its wealth: that living each on a few cents
day. they cause great distress among the
wOrkingmen whom they drive out of employ
ment; that, to sum up, they are frightful evils
economically, socially, politically and NOR
ally. We discover, also, from sworn testi-
mOny that all the foregoing charges are ut
terly false. either in the matter of fact or con-
cluSiOn; that the cheap labor of the Chinese
has been an immense advantage to the state
developing its agricultural. manufacturing.
and mineral resources, and covering it with a
network of railroads; that the money they
have received for these labOrs in no way rep
reSentS their importance, and that the money
paid by the Chinese in taxes is no indication
of their economic value; that the immigration
Is largely composed of respectable Chinese
citizens, and that the character of their habits
is miSrepresented, and that where fault may
justly be fOnnd the evil has been exagge-
rated. OF course no adequate statement
of the position of either side can be given in
this column, but enough has perhaps been pre-
scented to show the difficulty of arriving at
proper conclusion in the case. Two questions
of John Chinaman as a labor-saving machine
sufficient to outweigh his moral and political
evils? Second, has the United States reached
that point in its national life when its interests
require that its traditional policy in regard to
immigration shall be changed? An affrma-
tive answer TO the second question would indi-
cate an important epoch in our history. 1t
would show that the nation no longer cOnsid-
ers itself in formative state, welcoming in
discriminatory all kinds of nOurishment, but
has reached stage of maturity which gives it
the right to modify the system of diet pre-
Scribed for it by those who presided over it's
infancy, whenever it finds that the food thus
forced upon it is indigestible.
Gold is down to-day to l0llH At the same
time the report comes from England that gold
to the extent of two million dollars has or will
be shipped to this country as consequence of
the balance of trade being in our favor. This
influx of gold, if kept up, will be apt to bring
gold down yet further.
The action of Secretary Schurz in the Freed
mans hospital matter i'll putting aside the re-
port OF commission is objected to in some
quarters as out of the line of precedent at
least OF late years The fact is that from
esprit du corps, good nature. or personal con-
SlderatiOnS, commissions appointed to ex-
anime into charges against friends or profess
siOnal brethren are rather apt TO give the ac-
cused the benefit of the doubt and to report
fayOrably. In the case of the Freedman's hos
pital it may turn out that the commission,
which was certainly composed of men of char
acter, gave the full weight TO the evidence
against the accused, but the public will give
Secretary Schurz the credit for good inten-
tons and strong sense of justice in recurring
that the protest against the report of the com
mission shall be heard.
The members of the Right in the French
Chamber of Deputies appear to be growing
FESTIVE under the annOyanceS and mortifca-