National Republican., 1880-07-07
THE CHINESE QUESTION
a Lcttor from The Pacific Coast.

SIR notice with great satisfaction oven
tho small plank in the Chicago platform re-.
lating TO tho Chinese question. Aside from
their convictions OF the right and wrong in
tho case, the periinncity with which tho Pa.
cifc delegations insisted upon action on the
subject by the convention was because they
realized what every resident OF this coast
knows, that without some recognition by the
republican party of the necessity of q new
line Of policy regulating our intercourse with
China no Pacific state could be carried for the
republican nominee. Tho Chinese question
is the vital ono in politics here, and our dele.
cations in Chicago would havo Withdrawn
from tho convention rather than face their
constituents without having something said
about 10 in tho republican platform. Whotler
this sop to Ccrherus will be satisfactory to the
people is yet 10 be seen. II was tho wise and
patriotic stand which Senator Blaine took
upon this subject in the senate which made
him tho idol Of tho great majority here and
placed his name above all other names as their
choice for standard.bearcr Of tho republican
party in 1880. lie could have carried every
Pacific state but with him they will all
wheel into line for Garfield If they can have
any assurance that he will! not fail them on
this question. Without this assurance the day
will surely be lost in November TO the repub.
licans of the Pacific coast.
If labor was scarce and tho demand ex.
coeded the supply, as was the case in the early
days Of California, the coming Of the Chinese
would not appear so great an evil as it does
now TO tho grOat mass Of the people of this
coast Various causes have operated to in
tonsify tho feeling against the Chinese, strong
est among the laboring classes. The mines are
yielding but scant supply Of tho precious
metals, property of all kinds has greatly do.
pcCiRtcd IN value, capital is ido Whether
justly or not, the Chinese arc held responsible
for this unfortunate condition Of affairs. II
is asserted that nearly "a million Of dollars Il
month from this city alone is paid 10 tho
Chinese and that tho greater part of ID finds
the country. OF the many thousands OF
Chinese here, the majority are still house-ser.
wants, but they are gradually monopoizing all
the other avoCatiOns of life TO the exclusion
Of the Anglo.SaXon race While their capac-
ity ms workers must be conceded, their en-.
ploymont is II luxury which our people can III
afford. They add littlo to our national pros.
perity and fill the places which are needed
by the working classes Of our own race. Ii
the money paid to these wanderers from
tho west could go TO those Of our own
race and religion, ID would all be spent in our
country by consumers aS well AS producers,
and would help 10 build up trade and make
the nation prosperous. But these Chinese arc
aliens to MS and our institutions in ovory
sense Of the word. Expendng little for food
aud less for clothing, all they can earn or save
finds its way TO China aud helps to build up
the old civilization at the expense of tho new.
While we should be true to The sacred tradi.
tiOns which have made our country great
| (that IL should DO the asylum for the oppressed
of all nutions). it is necessary for our own
safety and for tho success OF this great
| experiment of government of the people,
| by the people, aud for the people" that the
4 Hoo, L Il 4
nounce their iealty to the dospotsm which
! they had left aud become citizens Of our cOun.
| try; under no othor'CirCumstance should they
| he permitted TO enjoy tho advantages of oui
! institutions. The Chinese can never CONT
| here on these terms. They arc different from
us in overy possible respect. They cannot
will not adopt our habits or our institutions.
While, of course, the presence of the Chi
| nese is not the sole cause of the evils whicl
threaten our prosperity, it furnishes a read.
text for the sand.lot orators which dema
gogues like Kearnoy and Kalloch use /,
stir up discomfort among their followers
, and point with dramatic effect to th
"Chincse cancer slowly but surely sappin
the fountains Of our natiOna! lifo," It's effect
SOON evident to all in the poverty aud deslitu
ton everywhere, in the depreciation OF prop
orty, and in the full ranks of the idle aud un
employed. "Selfpresorvation is natures ir,
law" aud nations can more disregard il than
can individuals. II is this instinct OF sell
preservation, and not hostility to the Chimes
themselves, which governs this country in IL
attitude toward them, II our country wa
worth the sacrifices made ior its prcsev
vation, we must guard with Jealous car
our priceless inheritance. Our pcopl
see hugo vampire from the ives
sucking away tho very life blood from th
heart OF California, and growing by what /
feeds on, threatening to Oyerwholm u an,
eventually reduce our civilization to that o
| China and our ldboring classes to the level o
| the coolies Oi that vast empire, who are trained
by centuries of slavery aud degradation T.
hapless lives of toll aud hardship. While W
yield to none in our admiration for the nOE
sentiments which plead for tho uniyuTSa
brotherhood Of mankind, and would open ou
doors wide to all the nations Of tho earth
giving them helping hand Onward Ru,
upward, yet the practical question
~ ises, Can we do It? Is this struggling
republic which We love and which is ye
scarcely recovered from the shock of tn,
mighty rebellion which threatened its over
throws II strong enough yet to Incorporate
! into our body polite the millions OF heather
coming from iountain.head Of four huudre,
millions TO lot them come in freely and GcCup,
our lands monopolizO cur industries and carry
of our wealth? No, Il thousand times no. w
! must take immediate steps to have the Bur
lingame treaty legally revised so as t.
restrict Chinese immi grafton. We havt
all the burdens we can carry. AnOthG
straw might break the camcls back. Tn
war made four millions Of slaves freedmen
aud civil rights bills and constitutional amend
ments have failed as yet to give them muc
OF status in our country, though their friend
! look forward 10 tho future for them with som
hope. They are still parahs, contemued b.
the superior race, many wandering from stat
to state in poverty, welcome nowhere. Beior
opening up our country to the M0ngola
raco it would be wiser for us to wait unit
we had disposed Of the African.
China can got along without Us, and stan,
as she has stood for these many Thousands O
years, possessing even now II vitality fa
exceeding ours. No amalgamatiou of tn
Anglo-SaXon with that race is possible with
out ruin and degGncracy
Let her people bs content with the owner
ship of tho fairest portion Of earth--thcir owl
"nowory celestial kingdom" vast extent o
which is still uncultivated. Their presenG
| here in any great numbers cannot add 10 gu
peace or our national prosperity.
| If tho vntprg nf tho Pacific stDlps orp guti I