The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-18
CANADA ALARMED by CHINESE
The Mongoiinn 60 be Investigated by = sPe-
ciai Committee OF the PARLIAMENT.

OTTAWA. Ont. April H. Mr.. Decosmos, In
moving in the House OF Commons that the pc
ttlon Of Noah Shakespeare and others be re-
ferred to n committee to report generally on
Chinese labor and immigration as affecting tho
Dominion. said the question OF Chinese labor
was the most important affecting the Pacific
coast The petition stated that In British Co.
lumbia there were 5000 Chinese. whose occu-
pations were as follows: 5000 domestic ser
wants. $50 shoemakers. 800 laborers. 100 taiors.
1000 gold miners. 90 pedders. 500 gardeners.
and 100 employed on the fisheries. The total
population OF British Columbia, exclusive OF
nese formed one-fourth Of that popula-
ton. In tho whole province there ,wero
tate. tho total value OF which was $4,000.
That was n statement of the case as made IN the
petition before the House Since that had been
made. however. petition had been sent into
the Provincial Legislature setting forth that the
Mongqlinns not only monopolized labor but
sent almost every dollar they made out OF the
country; that their presence was impoverish-
ing tho country; that they excluded a good
class of immigrants and tended to bring down
the white man TO their own level: that they vio-
lated the Sabbath that they sacrificed female
virtue that they lived on rats and rice. paid only
n small portion OF their share OF taxation. and
contributed 10 no charitable institutions; that
they seldom marry In this country. and alltheir
earnings we're sent To- China Canada lost two
anu hall million dollars every year in this
way. The question now was: What could Can
ada do IN this matterY In his judgment he be-
lieved Canada could do something. The petit
TONERS asked that no Chinese should he en-
uloyed on the public WORKS. BY agreeing to
labor would be- prevented from taking the place
OF white labor. Whit. men would be induced
10 come into the country and IL would add to
tho country four or five persons where only one
Chinamun had been before. We had a large
unoccupied territory. and he took II that the
Government could amend the Dominion Land
act So IA to provide that no Chinaman could
nuy or lease Government lands. and that no
person buying or leasing such lands could
sell or lease them TO Cinnamon. Then Jur nat
uralzation laws should be- amended 30 that
the Chinese could not be naturHiizsd. In the
United States though the emancipnted African
could be naturaliZed. the Chinaman could
not. II should be the same in this country {:
and II any We're naturalized they should be-
DISTINGUISHED. Then our Shipping act should
prevent any Chinaman from working In our
ships as n sailor. stoker. cook. or waiter.
Our Immigration act should bs amended 50
that the Chinese could be put under such re-
straints and guarantees as would tend 10 pre-
vent them from coming here. Again. there
might be- an amendment to the treaty between
Great Britain aud China under which the
Chinese could not immigrate from Hong Kong
TO Canada. An arrangement might be- made
with the United States. having the same object
In view.
Sir John Macdonald said he had no obec-
tiOns 10 the appointment Of "A special committee
to inquire into this very important subject
which interested not only Canada but the whole
Of the continent, as well Hs our sister colonies
question should be ventilated and studied at an
early period before there was an overwhelming
population OF Chinese along our Pacific coast.
The motion was then carried