Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-03-26
TIE NEW CHINESE EXPERIMENT.

experiment in connection with the Chinese
question. He has appointed a Commission
consisting of John F. Swift of San Fran
cisco, and W. H. PRESCOTT, of South Caro- |
lima, to assist James Fl. Angel, OF Mlehl- |
gan, who is named Envoy to replace Sew
ard, in negotiating an amended treaty with
the Pekin Government. The capacity OF
the new Minister appears to be conceded,
though it does not appear that he has had
any diplomatic training, or that he has
given any attention to the Chinese qees-
ton. Mr.. Prescott is spoken of as a
diplomatist of proved ability, and his
services are therefore likely to be very
valuable to the Commission. The Pacific
Coast delegation is not particularly pleased
with the arrangement, having desired that
John f. Swift should be appointed Minis
ter to China, and that the whole business
should be placed in his hands. The OBJ
lection raised against this proposition,
namely, that Mr.. Swift, as specially repre-
senting community VIGOROUSLY hostile
to the Chinese, might be regarded with
disfavor and suspicion by the Pekin
Government, was one which prob
ably could not be overcome, and
we are inclined to think that the
Pacific Coast has in this matter obtained
all that could reasonably have been ex-
pecsed under the circumstances. Some
members of our Congressional delegation
predict the failure of the Commissioners,
and no doubt it would be rash to prophecy
the success of the mission. The really
serious obstacle to the only form of ar
rangement which would effectually solve
the Chinese problem, however. is not to
be sought in the composition of this Com
mission, but in the position of the Eastern
people upon the whole question. The truth
is that all the delays which have occurred
up to the present time have really been
due to the absence ola profound convic-
ton of the dangers of unrestricted Chinese
immigration. The commercial considera-
tions have throughout overbalanced the
tendencies of broad craftsmanship. The
intemperance of much of the Cali
fornia sentiment on the question has
| been availed of to reinforce the as
sertion that the whole opposition
to the Chinese is irrational and narrow,
and consequently undeserving of recogni-
| r
theologians has come in aid of this posi-
ton, and the general result is an indispo-
sition to make any proposition to the
/ Chinese Government calculated to inter-
fere with mercantile relations. 1t is said
that one motive for appointing this Com
mission is to take the Chinese question out
of politics, and it is quite possible that
there may be, truth in this conjecture.
Whether there would have been any mon
hope of a satisfactory adjustment had Mr..
Swift alone been sent on the mission, is,
however, a question which could only be
answered intelligently if we knew how
far the United States Government is really
disposed to go, in facilitating the settle
ment of the issue.
We have long been convinced that the
main difficulty lay at Washington and not
at PekiD, and the best evidence of this is
to be found in the conspicuous inequali-
ties of the present relations between the
United States and China The treaty I'M
der which the Chinese come and reside
here has no counterpart in their own coun-
try. The United States have been thrown
open to China, but China has not been
thrown open to the United States. Ameri-
can citizens cannot travel there beyond
the treaty ports without express permits
sion. They cannot introduce American
manufactures or machinery or railroads
there. They are lied down to rigidly lin
tied programme of barter and sale. 1t fol
lows from this that we could give the Chi
nese all the commercial facilities they ex-
tend to US, without allowing them any
more privileges of residence and travel
than they allow us. Against such
proposition the Chinese diplomat
lists could have nothing to object,
and if it has never yet been
brought forward the reason probably is
that there has never been sincere desire
on the part of our Government to meet
the wishes Of the people Of the Pacific
coast. We do not expect great deal
from the new Commission, because we see
no ground for the belief that our Govern
ment is much more in earnest than it has
been previously. The presence on the
Commission of man 50 thoroughly COD
versant with the needs of this coast as is
Mr.. Swift, however, will probably prevent
the collapse of the experiment as other
tentative efforts have collapsed He will
be in position to hold his colleagues up
to their work, and he may be enabled to
convince them so efectually of the
need for radical treaty amendment
as TO secure the advance of more
effective propositions than the Admin
istration would be likely to suggest
Certainly it viii be in his power to render
any fast-and-loose play on the part of the
other members of the Commission imprac-
ticable, and we may rely upon obtaining
from him clear and trustworthy account
of the views of the Chinese Government
upon the question. If, therefore, the ar
rangement is not the best that could have
been made, it is not without some hopeful
elements but whatever is or is not to be
expected from it, the Pacific coast delega-
ton will be perfectly justified in pressing
the legislation now before Congress with
the same energy as though no other re-
course was in contemplation.
NOT AN ENCOURAGING OUTLOOK.
To outside observers it appears that the
recent arrangements made in San Fran
cisco regarding the charter election and
that for State Senator have been OF a