The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-01-24
Morton on the Chinese Question.

"AoA WI VII tuO OhlHOSO SuOSUiOhs
AS a member of the Senate Invest
igating Committee to visit California
and inquire into the Chinese question,
the late Senator Morton, sometime
before his death, prepared volum-
nous report wherein he takes the
side of the cinnamon. The distin-
guished Senator was altogether too
much of a statesman for his views on
this or any other question to be re-
garded lightly by the people. He
was not the man to take a narrow
view of any subject, much less to
cater to popular clamor that he might
attain that noisy notoriety sought af-
ter by the political demagogue. He
was a humanitarian as we'll as a
statesman, and his heart was large
enough to shed abundant sympathy
for the oppressed and down trodden
of all races and colors. The follow
ing is telegraphic extract from his
report:
WASHINGTON, Jan. 1S.-The report
of the late Senator Morton on the sub
ject of Chinese immigration, has been
placed in the hands of the chairman of
the committee on Privileges and Elec-
tons. Introductory section ga" is
missing, so also is section 3D." The
report is strongly pro Chinese. 1t az
CUES that to make distinction as to
the rights of foreigners coming to our
shores would be great innovation on
the policy and traditions of the govern
ment. 1t admits that adequate pro-
lection to Chinese on the Pacific coast
cannot be given by the laws, and in
Inmates it is only by admitting them
to the rights of citizenship that they
can be fully protected; discusses at
length the complications likely to arise
with Great Britain on account of Chi
nese immigration mainly coming from
the British port of Hongkong; gives
the Chinese good character for in
dustry, frugality, temperance and hon
esty; argues that without Chinese la
Dor the production of grapes and wheat
would be impossible; the railroads of
California would not have been built;
that the prosperity of the State has
been greatly advanced by the advent
of the Chinese; that it is doubtful if
they have interfered to any extent with
white men in the skilled arts; that the
field in California is so varied and ex
tensive that the presence of the Chi
nese works no injury to white laborers;
that the successful establishment of
manufactures was due to the employ
ment of Chinese labor. As to Chinese
preventing white immigration, the re-
port argues if such be the case, which
is not admitted, it springs from per-
secution visited on Cinnamon and ex-
aggeration, in the declaration made in
excuse that Chinese interfere with
white labor. The intellectual capacity
of the Chinese is deliberately discussed,
and it is argued that they are in many
respects fully the equals of our race.
The intellectual stagnation of China it
is claimed is the result of their institu-
tons. Emancipated from the infu-
ences which have surrounded them in
their own country they will undoubt-
eddy develop rapidly. The report
strongly insists that Chinese labor is
as free in California as any other. A
greater portion of them are opposed to
the importation of prostitutes, and have
made vigorous efforts to break up the
practice. 1t claims that they are less
addicted to gambling than the early
white settlers of California. Does not
see how there can be any special legis
lation against Chinese prostitutson or
gambling. The Chinese are sober,
thrifty, frugal people, and instead of
setting bad example to white people,
afford the latter an opportunity to adj
vantageously immitate their habits