The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-06-24
The Chinese In Politics.


The Chinaman is In American politics,
whether it is desirable that he be there
or not. In view of this fact there are two
questions interesting to ask and import
ant to answer. What ought to be done
concerning the Chinese? What are the
attitudes, respectively, of the two poEti-
cal parties toward the Chinese question:
Frequently during the last two or
three years the Enquirer has en-
deavored to answer the former question.
We have shown that in the interest Of
American civilization, American industry,
of American workingmen and American
decency, Chinese importation-it can not
correctly be called immigration Ought
to cease. On the Pacific Coast there is
but one view touching this question, and
that is the correct view. The Chinese
must not be brought For the most part
they do not come; they are brought, and
they must not come. We have suffi-
GENTLY shown this. with abundant proof.
heretofore
On the Pacific Coast this subject is the
overtopping political question. Thereare
fifteen Electoral votes ON the Pacific
Slope, and the Republican party has for
feited them all by its attitude toward
Chinese importation. Its conduct In this
matter has been constantly hostile to the
desires of all the Pacific people. It is
the Chinese party. Its course for years
consistently demonstrates this. -Four
years ago the National Republican Con-
vention reluctantly consented to insert q
plank in the platform saying that the
Chinese question ought to be inyesti-
gated. When the matter had been e1-
amined the Republicans in both branches
of Congress voted against bill moder-
ately restricting the importation Of
Cinnamon. They argued that the re-
striction was unkind to the Chinese. The
Democrats In Congress said that the i'm
portation of Chinese was unkind to
Americans, and passedthe bill The Re-
publican President promptly vetoed the
bill and the Republicans voted to sustain
the veto. These facts fixed the position
of the party touching this matter, till the
assembling OF the Chicago Convention.
The Chicago Convention adopted q
Chinese resolution that has disguised
the press of the Pacific Slope and satis-
fed no one interested in protecting the
American people from this pestilential
immigration. It reads as follows:
"6. Since the authority to regulate iInmigra-
ton and intercourse between the United States
and foreign nations rests with the Congress Of
the United States and its treaty-making powers,
| the Republican party, regarding the unre-
stricted immigration of Chinese as an evil Of
great magnitude, invokes the exercise Of that
power to restrain and limit that immigration by
the enactment Of such just, humane and rea-
sonable provisions as will produce that result. "
And
'tThe same with intent to deceive"
This says nothing satisfactory to the
people who are feeling the effects of this
Chinese curse. The Republican party
regards the unrestrtcted immigration Of
Chinese as an evil. Chinese importation
restricted in the slightest particular
would fall within the letter and spirit oi
this resolution. And the Republicans
| are on record as declaring that it is MOI
.'just, humane and reasonable" to even
limit Chinese importation. This resolu.
ton is trick; and, placed beside the
Republican acts, means continued op.
position to the anti Chinese legislation,
which decent respect for the rights oi
American people demand.
Four years ago the National Demo-
cratic Convention resolved: eve de
nounce the policy which thus discards
the Eberty-loving German and tolerates
! u ICN1fdi VI bl6 StOuC tIduc LII VuOuSO1ntt
women imported for immoral purposes
and Mongolian men held to perform ser
vile labor contracts;"s and the resolution
demanded ''such Legislation within con.
stitutional limitations as shall preuen,
! further importation or Immigration
| of the Monaghan race" This is posi-
| tive We trust that the resolution O
| the Cincinnati Convention will be NJ
/ less So 20 af
But if the platform of the Chicago
Convention is unsatisfactory, the candi
date is declaration of war upon the Pa
cifc Coast. Garfield opposed the Anti
Chinese Bill which the President vetoed
| and voted to osustain the veto whenit came
He did worse than this. When a Sun
dry Civil Appropriation Bill was undel
consideration in the House an amend
ment was offered in these words: "Pro
vided, that no Chinese or coolie ldbo,
| be so employed as to dispLace s0hitt
labor" And the Republican candidate
for the Presidency even opposed thil
proposition! This is one of his recon-
mendations to the laboring white men o
the Pacific Coast, and to laboring mer
everywhere In America. These are somt
of the reasons why we say that the Re
publican party, by its previous position
upon the Chinese question, by its presen
platform, and, above all, by its presen
candidate, has forfeited the Electora
vote of the Pacific Coast Cincinnati
Enquirer.