St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-04-04

men who come to this country do so
under contract 2"
eyes. but it is voluntary contract.
They are paid a great deal more than
thew get at home, and they are glad'to
come. They have no money to pay
their massage or to live on when they
oct here. so they bind themselves to
work for SI6 month for certain tine
until they repay the passage money adj
vanced by the Six Companies. There is
no slavery about it. The Chinese Gov
eminent will not allow any Ch1naman
to be brought here except he comes
voluntarily. If any come In any other
way it is through English ports and not
Chinese. / came here to be educated,
and not under contract, and nave
relatives and friends who came here IN
a similar manner"
y ssIs it true, as charged, that most of
those who come to this country are OF
the very lowest classes Y"
"There are three classes in China, all
of whom have different ancestors. Ihey
are the Chinese, the Tartars and the
Coolies. Most of those who come here
are Coolies and Tartars. Out OF the
1900 Cinnamon in this city, not more
than twenty are Cinnamon, properly
called. The better class do not come
here, because they do not get that kind
treatment that the treaty guarantees
them; and more particularly because
thew cannot bring their wives with them
and settle here as the Irish and others
are allowed to do. They would gladly
settle here and live as Americans do, if
they were granted rights which are al
lowed the lowest Irishman or other for
eigper. | would like to cut off my cue,
bring my wife here, now living in Can
ton, if could acquire property and be
protected in its use, and transmit it to
my family. Chin Lou, famous Chinese
mel chant in San francisco, who died
about twelve years ago, owned houses
and lots and mining property, and was
worth great deal of money. He had a
wife and nine children with him but
when he died his property was all taken
by the city, and his family was left des-
titute. That was great lesson to Chi
namen; and that is why they are obliged
to take their savings, if they have any,
back to China. If they could acquire
homesteads, they would settle on the
wild lands and become farmers-an Oc-
cupation they are fitted for and like"
'.What about the assertion that the
Chinese women in this country are
nearly all brought here for improper
purposes 7"
THAT is in great measure true, but
it is the fault of the treatment the Chi
nese have received in this country. The
better classes of women do not come
here because they are subject to insults
and all the other hardships we have to
undergo here. | could not bring my
wife here. Two friends of mine, whose
wives live in this city, had to bring them
here in mems clothes to save them from
the insults of hoodlums and Others. As
a Chinaman is not allowed to become a
citizen he is obliged to go back to Chi
ma, so they do not bring their wives
with them.
We are charged with all offences be-
cause we have no vote, and because we
have to work for our living. We are
clean, don't get drunk, mind our own
affairs and do our duty. Can you say
so much for the Irish, German, or any
other foreigners ? We are prescribed in
California, and when the contract under
which the Chinamah works runs out, he
is unable to get work. They live cheap
ly because they are forced to do so.
They work cheaply rather than strike
or starve. If they succeed in any occu-
patton they are Immediately set upon
by the hoodlums and driven out of it.
They are taxed to death, but pay with
out grumbling. One learns business
like that of the laundrymen, and he
teaches it free to the others, and they
follow it for want of anything else, and
that is why there are SO many Chinese
laundrieSn