St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-03-15
Letter from California.
SANTA CRUZ, Feb. %, 1877

EU6JOf CUC6uOn1UH:
1.-The Heather Chinee is peculiar
1t is unnecessary to preface my letter
with the statement that the Chinese
are in California to the number of near
ly one hundred and fifty thousand.
The whole country is supposed to know
this !; though from the views prOmul-
gated by some Eastern journals, Cal
ifornian would judge that the Eastern
idea of practical "John" is rather vague
and chimerical. The views entertained
by Californians on this question are
quite diversified, while the East gener-
ally fails to comprehend the problem
at all.
The presence of the Chinese in Cali
fornia with all the attendant evils, is
undoubtedly due to the cupidity of the
people. California has been peculiarly
the land of riches and risks. PhilosO-
ply has engaged her attention only to
a very limited extent. The readiest
means for the accumulation of wealth
has been eagerly grasped regardless OF
the consequences. Her petitions to
Congress for treaties, subsidies and
cheap lands, have generally been heed
ed out of motives of pure philanthropy.
1t is interesting to observe the speedy
harvest of the legitimate fruits of such
reckless sowing. The people of this
state are already groaning under bur-
dens, which few years ago were insig-
nificant, but which could not be averted
until they were actually experienced.
With California as an example, a
provident East may take warning and
avoid a calamity which will surely visit
her unless she helps stay the tide of the
incoming flood.
When by treaty, privileges were ex-
changed between China and America,
nothing perniciOus need have followed ;
but when companies were formed to
traffic in Coolies, it was altogether a
different matter.
When the Central Pacific R. r. Co.
entered upon its plodigious scheme of
building a railroad with a most lavish
subsidy and "Chinese cheap labor" no
one questioned that Huntington, Hop
kins and CTocker were sacrificing their
all in.the construction of an EleemOsy-
nary institution-of course not. The
pure benevOlence of their scheme has
since been evinced by their relations
with the government and the expendi-
ture of millions upon residences on
"Nob HILL"
Spectators and monopOlists are un-
doubtedly responsible for the supera-
bundance of Chinese in this state. Sen
atOr Morton, in his posthumOus report,
claims that the development of the Pa
cific coast has been due to the presence
of the Chinese. This is simply re-
production of the trite utterances of
of California mOnOpOlists and land grab
bers. Better that a country never be
developed than that it develop anarchy
and crime; a mushroom growth of i'll
stitutions is nothing to glory in.
Then, people who are actuated by
the best of motives, really believe that
the Lord has taken this way to Chris
tianize the Chinese. 1t is quite as prob
able that the opposite power has taken
this way to heathenize the Americans
and IedOuble the bonds of degradation
upon the Chinese.
We have the testimony of missiona-
ries in China that the heather who have
been to America are more averse to
Christianity than those who have new
er come in contact with the American
people. In fact, it is a common saying
in California, when a Chinaman de-
frauds the government or appropriates
trust funds and fees to China, that che
has become Americanized." There is
altogether too much sentiment and the
DRY in the religious world with regard
to the Chinese on the Pacific slope.
The home missionary societies have
several mountains to remove and cast
into the sea ERE evangelizing the hea-
then by the contact process will prove
success.
Suppose that several millions of these
mOngOls should come to our country,
lis they might do to the great relief of
China, and should pervade the whole
land as they do California; what would
be the result They work for compar-
atively low wages. They can do it.
They, like some Americans, get rich by
what they don't spend. Their expenses
may average twenty cents per day.
not over one-feurth of their wages
Thus One-fourth of their earnings goes
into circulation in this country the Ie-
manning three-fourths goes back to Chi
ma. They bring no families with them !;
consequently they expend nothing be-
yOnd what is necessary for their own
support.
Suppose, then, that a large part of
the labor of the whole country were
performed by these people, what would
be the effect upon business in general
1t is evident that manufacturers would,
in a great degree, cease and every
branch of trade would languish. These
heather would readily adapt themselves
to the work in cotton mills and all kinds
of factories, and would undoubtedly
perform the labor satisfactorily at re-
duced wages; but where would the