The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1881-12-28
Chimes. Immigration.


"Chinese Immigration" by George F. Seward, late
United States Minister TO China.
In this book, lately issued from the press, Mr..
Seward deals with the social and economical feat
ures of Chinese Immigration, so far as It touches
the interest of the United States. His views viii
certainly not be acceptable 10 the people of the Pa
cifc SLOPE for he does not fear vast invasion of
Chinese On the other hand he brings up his
proofs to show that they have been OF great bene-
ct to California. He cites the railroad building,
the agricultural operations, the manufacturing
business as having been made possible only with
this labor.
Sharp competition from the Eastern States has
been met only by the cheap wages of these people,
and much of the prosperity of the State Is due TO
It. No one really denies this No reasonable man
disputes il. 1t IS the future which troubles the
thoughtful. Every man on the Western slope asks
himself the question, when shall be driven out OF
my occupation by these skillful, industrious
peopleI
Mr.. Seward answers in a most comfortable way.
He insists first that the Chinese are "hevers OF
wood and drawers of water He believes that
when brought in sharp conflict with thevhite race
they will fail in maintaining themselves. he cites
the opinions of many persons on this point. He
believes that If the Chinese remain long in any
country, they will contract expensive habits, and
refuse TO work for low wages. He believes their
morals are quite equal TO other peoples morals.
The complaint that they refuse 70 assimiate with
Americans, he meets by saying that the Americans
refuse to let them. Our own experience here is,
find themselves deprived of wives, and the young
women going to the Chinese in preference. Mr..
Seward rather intinates that John Chinaman will
not hesitate to marry American women, If they
will only consent. Many pages Of the book are
devoted to the subject Of Chinese overflow" BE
insists that they are not an emigrating race. II
they were, he says they would have overrun Coieai
Lew Chew, Anam, Siam and Burmah. They do
not even swamp Formosa. Inferior races, Mr.
Seward claims, never move into the territory of
superior races, with the idea of settlement. The
possessions of the Netherlands IN the Malay Archi-
pelago, he says, are not far distant from China
"They therefore very accessible to the Chinese
The Chinese described uniformly far suPe-
rior to the natives intellectually and physically.
They are enabled TO buy lands. In 1856, eighty per
cent of the lands belonging to private Individuals
were in the hands of Europeans, and eighteen per
cent. Chinese owned" There are not over lOO,OOO
Chinese in Java. In Singapore IN 1871, there were
81 Ill people. OF these, the Chinese numbered
54572. This indicates, Mr.. Seward thinks,
luctance ON the part of the Chinese to emigrate.
His comparison between the Malays and Chinese
is not very comforting to those who believe IN the
divine mission of the Malays to re-People this
Kingdom. Nine tenths of the traders now in
Singapore are Chinese" he adds. As only few
hundred thousand, from the several hundred mill
ions of Chinese have emigrated, II is correct IN
ference. Mr.. Seward says, that they are not an
emigrating people, and America has little to fear
from them, while Mr. Stewards arguments may be
comforting to Americans, ii can hardly be pleas
ant to us. If, he thinks the Chinese will at
tempt to crowd IN upon the inferior races only, We
may have something to fear. The rapid way IN
which they are supplanting the Hawaiians in rice
culture and taro planting, shows that their VIC
tories of peace" are by no means fruitless. Mr..
Stewards book is full of interesting statistics but
the literary execution is faulty. The style is loose,
and wordy 1t gives, however, presentation of
the case which will be interesting TO those who are
concerned in this subject. The Chinese question
with is different affair. If 5O,OOOOOO OF sturdy
Americans are startled at the advent of 100000
Cinnamon, it might be supposed that the 5000
European and natives would be in frightful scare
over the coming of 1900 Cinnamon. That they are
not So may be owing to the fact that they are ut
tery careless of the future of the country, feel
themselves perfectly able to cope with the question.
1t may be as well TO notice this aspect of the
that If we do not settle these domestic matters
hold the mastery or we can yield it. Which shall
we choose?