The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-02-14
THE MONGOLIANS.
Checking the Evils of Chinese Tmmigra-
ton

ton.
The Committee on Immigration and
Labor in the lower house of Congress
have agreed unanimously upon a policy
that will check the evils of Chinese i'm
migration upon the Pacific coast. The
committee has prepared joint resolu-
ton, requesting the President to see
what can be done by corresponding with
China and Great Britain, with view of
abrogating the treaty stipulations per-
hitting unlimited Chinese immigration.
The report supporting the resolution,
prepared by Mr. Willis and approved by
the whole committee, makes the follow
ing suggestions:
l. The statistics of the custom-house
for the past twenty years show that,
dividing said twenty years into periods
of five years each, the average increase
OF said periods is so per cent. Estimat-
ing the present number of Chinese on
the Pacific slope at $50, 1000, which is the
lowest estimate from any source, if the
above rate of increase should continue,
by 1880 the number of Chinese would
exceed the native voting population, to-
gether with immigration from other
sources, over $4,000. The question,
therefore, is not one of prospective, but
of present, Importance, and demanding
immediate legislation, if these immi-
grants are Objectionable.
2. The lowest class of immigrants are
from the fourth, or lowest class of Chi
nese, aclass among whom when in China
the marriage relation is ignored, and
polygamy and prostitution and concu-
binage are recognized if not legalized.
Children and wives are sold into slavery;
the sanctity Of oaths is disregarded; in
fanticide, and especially of females, is
common and unrebuked; cleanliness
almost unknown, and paganism the only
religion.
3. They are mostly brought here un-
der contracts by which they agree to pay
to certain brokers or to the six Chinese
companies large percentage upon their
passage money. When these Chinese
attempt to return home they are unable
to do SO unless these six companies give
them permit. The companies exercise
control over them greater than that of
the civil government. The women who
come are without exception immoral,
and are bought and sold like sheep in
the shambles.
4. Viewing the subject from the labor
standpoint, the report says these China
men live fifty in one room twenty by
twenty. They have no wives, no chill
dren, and no home in the sense in which
the word is known in America. Their
food is rice. Packed like sardines, and
enjoying none Of the comforts Of abome,
they live upon 10 or 20 cents per day.
5. The report argues that they are
unfit to be American citizens, that they
disregard oaths, keep up pagan customs,
and that it is impossible to execute the
laws over them, or to make them regard
sanitary regulations.
6. The chief objection to the Chinese
is their utter failure to assimilate with
our people and institutions. In this
respect they are unlike all European i'm
migrants. They have been in the coun-
try for twenty-seven years, and they are
the same to-day as when they first came
the same in dress, religion, social
habits and political views. The Chinese
disdain and refuse to assimilate in the
body polite of America.
The committee are also considering
the form of law to prevent further
Chinese immigration. They hold that
Congress has already power to deal with
the subject and apply remedy.