Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-03-10
Monday Evening, March 10, 1879.
BEECHER VS.. BLAINE.
The Plymouth Orator Refutes the State
ments Of the Maine Statesman
on tfe Chinese.

vi Tue OHihtSCs
PHILADELPHIA. March 3, 1879
While Miss Bessie Turner was play
ing "Nannette," in The Celebrated
Case, on one side of Broad street, this
evening, Mr.. Beecher, directly oppo-
site, was addressing three thousand
people in the Academy of Music, as
one Of the lecturers in Pugh's Star
Course" New Men of the New
Nation" was the title of his lecture,
which had never before been deliver
ed. Ittreated Of the emigration ques-
ton solely, and had much to say Of the
Chinese problem. Upon the latter
point Mr., Beecher differs radically
from Senator Blaine, and all that he
had 10 say about the Chinese was to
refute the arguments of the Maine
statesman. Last week, he said, we held
u breath to see if a great disgrace
was to be cast upon the nation, but,
thanks to our President, the struggle
was ayerted. Mr.. Beecher read a
great many extracts from Blaine's
speech and denied and refuted them.
He spoke of the bad treatment and
oppression the Chinese were subjected
to in California. Mr.. Blaine said
there was no assimilation between the
Chinese and our own people. This
was false. They had been mobbed
and stoned as a first step Of assimi-
lation. They had been heavily taxed
to support schools which they we're
not allowed to attend, as a second
step Of assimilation. They had not
been allowed to vote, another step
toward assimilation. Laughter.
They had been prescribed and hunted
down as still another step toward
assimilation.
DEFENCE OF THE PIGTAILs.
Since the Jews had been expelled
from Spain there had not been so wild
a-schism as the driving out of the
Chinese from California. He de-
Tended the Chinese against the charges
of flthiness, physically and morally,
and said that the cheap rates at which
they work has been q great blessing to
the country. The Chinese had built
the great Pacific railroads. White
men would not work at meHial labor
In California for low. wages, and the
economy and thrift OF the Chinaman
had alone made the construction of
those great works possible. They are
found all over California and, al
though they may send back a portion
of their earnings to China, they can
not send back the result Of the.s labor.
Glass legislation is odious all over the
world. heprinciples that have made
our country glorious are to be violated
to strike a blow at the Chinese. The
great secret Of all this opposition TO
tue Chinese is that they have no vote.
Mr.. Blaine says that this generations
must settle the question whether the
religion of Christ or COnfaeius should
prevail in the West. Confucius never
had any religion, never taught aug.
said Mr.. BeechcK He taught domes-
tic, moral philosophy. under a pater
nal goyernment-domestie political
economy. If he were compslled &c
choose between Confucius and the ".
Iigion represented By the hoodlums he
should choose Confucius. Applause.
MUST HAVE CHEAP LABOR.
He quoted Blaine's paragraph about
the Chinese influence on labor and
said it was a very speciOus statement.
But we need cheap labor, because
there is cheap aud low grade of work
to be done-labOr which white msg in
California will not do. If there (,
anything California wants it is cheaI
labor. 1t is suicide in har dominion.
in political economy to drive qHt tn,
men who'd work that white men MI
net. He spoke Of the high wages paiC
before the Chinese came, instanclnl
the prices cooks and ehambeFmRid.
used TO get, from SIS TO $l00 pei
month. 1t was a good thing for tn
fmonopolists in this case, but IL wa,
unquestionably bad for the commu
nifty. We need cur under-class TO b,
hewers of wood and drawers of water
Our people will not do the work. j
will be the greatest mistake Isat wa.
ever committed in California if thes,
busy, humble lab0rers arc driven out
He believed that il there was a fair
bipartisan vote in California Their
would not be this war on the Cbsgs
men, which had been instigated b.
Irishmen. Tue Irish blood is rich,
is cervid, it is potential, but it is lik
some wine-it is bettes diluted.
Mr. Bcecher said that ChiSq is no
a barbaroug country. 1t is a civ1iiLol
nation, and be ridiculed the dea Q
there being a food Of Cinnamon Z
America. They arc Is much al
tackled TO their country as gs N 9gri
We are Just as likely all &c % 1
China a. they are to come herr
There is Only Que Chinaman in tn
United States to every 800 white mel
Nj. Beecher concluded VIII q yigoi
aus denunciation OF tbe ChlReSe bl
al haging been inspired bg polilass
for base political purposes, apd sa|
that we should be thankful that /
the peril and disgrace which thrca'
ened our county by its passage "
had found q deliyeref.