The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-10-28
GARFIELD IN CONGRESS.

THE BILL TO RESTRICT CHINESE INIMIGRA'
TIoN-How THE REPUBLICANS VOTED
GARFIELD's STRONG OPPOSITION TO THE
BILL-HAYEs' VETO.
Garfield swore on oath that he never
had, or agreed to take any stock of the
Credit Mobilier Company. The Repub.
lican committee, Poland, Banks and Nc.
Crary, reported to the House that he
did, So we may disregard what General
Garfield says about the Morey letter
and argue from what he did on the Chi.
nese question in his official capacity as a
member of Congress.
The Democratic Congress desired tc
restrict Chinese immigration, whether
Coolies or not, because they degrade
American labor and are an insult to free
born workingmen. On the l4th of Jan
uary, 1878, Mr.. Wise, of Oregon, intro
duced bill to restrict the immigration
of Chinese to the United States, This
bill prohibited the master of any vessel
from taking on board at any port in
China, or other foreign port or place
whatever, more than ten Chinese passen-
gers, with intent to bring such passen-
gers to the United States, or from bring
ing on any one voyage more than ten
such passengers within the jurisdiction
of the United States, under penalty, on
conviction, of payment of 500 fine for
each such passenger in excess of ten.
\ 4 On the same date, in 1879, Mr..
Willis reported this bill back to the
House, which bill was ordered to be
printed.
WHAT THE COMMITTEE SAID.
The report on the bill among other
things said;
"This whole question is not one of
right, but of policy. There is no princi-
pie upon which we are compelled to re-
ceive into our midst the natives of Asia,
Africa or any other part of the world.
The character, sources and extent of i'm
migration should be regulated and con-
trolled with reference to our own wants
and welfare. The difficult problems,
economic and political, resulting from
the presence of the red and black races
would be renewed in a more aggravated
and dangerous form by the yellow race.
The Mongolian, unlike the Indian, is
brought in daily contact with our social
and political life, and, unlike the African,
does not surrender any of his marked
peculiarities by reason of that contact.
1t is neither possible nor desirable for
two races as distinct as the Caucasian
and Mongolian to live under the same
without assimilation. The
or slavery of one or the other
would be the inevitable result. Homo
geneity Of ideas, and of physical and So
cial habits, are essential to national har-
mony and progress. Equally grave OBJ
iections may be urged against the
Chinese from an industrial standpoint.
Our laboring people cannot and ought
not to be subjected to competition
which involves the surrender of the
sacred and elevating inhuenc, of home
and the sacrifice of the ordinary appli-
lnces of personal civilization. The ques-
ion, therefore, isnot one of competition,
put of substitution of one kind of labor
or another.
No self-governing country can afford to
diminish or destroy the dignity, welfare
md independence of its citizens. JUS
ice to the people of the Pacific Slope,
he dictates Of common humanity and
,enevolence, as well as the plainest sug-
,estions of practical statesmanship all
lemand that the problem of Chinese i'm
migration shall be solved while it is yet
within the legislative control.
Governed by these views, your COM
nittee present and recommend the pass
ge Of the bill accompanying this re-
,Ort."