Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-03-03


80, $40 during the same period OF the
preceding year. This large increase viii
doubtless have the effect Of stirring up
the enemies of Chinese immigration to
greater activity than ever for its proven.
ton, and it is probable that the bill re-
Gently reported from the Senate Commit
tee on Foreign Relations, fsvoring such
legislation as may practically put an end
to this immigration for at least twenty
years to come, will be vigorously pushed
in Congress.
A bill to regulate Asiatic immigration,
so as to break up the coolie system and
correct many other abuses and evils con-
nected with the Monaghan influx into
the United States, would be proper
measure to which no objection could be
raised. But this bill before the Senate
is based upon no such consideration. 1t
principally aims at the exclusion OF
Chinese cheap labor" and this being
the case, no matter if it is, as is claimed,
in harmony with the recent modifca-
tons of our treaty with China, we can
not see how it can in strict justice be en-
acted into a law.
It is certainly at variance with the
spirit, if not the letter. of the United
States Constitution. In article /, sec
ton Kill, paragraph 4, of that instru-
ment Congress is given power only "to
establish an uniform rule of naluraliza-
ton" And again, in the 14th amend
ment to the Constitution it is distinctly
stated that "GH persons born or ndtu-
ralized in the United States and subject
to the jurisdiction thereof are citizens OF
the United States and of the State
wherein they reside, and shall be pro-
tected in all their rights. Now, it seems
to us that under these provisions Of the
Constitution immigrants from any ma
ton Of the globe have perfect right to
come to this country for the pur-
pose of becoming naturalized citizens,
should they desire to do so, unless indeed
our naturalization laws are so changed
as to place the same restrictions upon al
such immigrants no matter from what
country they hail General immigration
may, perhaps, be restricted in this whole
sale way, but, since the Constitution de-
clares that the naturalization laws shall
be uniform, how they can be altered so as
to prevent citizens of one country from
awaiting themselves Of them, while they
do not interfere at all with citizens of
another country, we fail to comprehend.
1t may be urged that the Chinese who
come to this country do not, as a general
rule, desire to become citizens. That
may be, but how is it possible to ascer-
tain that fact when they immigrate to our
territory2 If they believe it to their inter
est to come, they will hardly allow that
small obstacle to stand in their way, for
when they find out that naturalization is
condition precedent to immigration,
they Will doubtless be always ready to
declare their intention of swearing allegi-
ance to this republic before they leave
their Oriental homes.
We are aware that there is nothing in
the Constitution to prevent the matter Of
immigration from being settled by treaty
between this and other countries-just
as matters of general interest are fire.
quently specially arranged through reci-
procity treaties-but the tenor Of that in
strument is certainly in favor of encour-
aging immigration, and for this reason,
IN addition to those above gwen, we be-
lieve the anti Chinese bill to be contrary
to the spirit of our organic law. Its
passage, therefore, would establish
dangerous precedent Apart from
the fact that Chinese labor has
called into being a number of useful in
dustries in the West-which, if that labor
is excluded from the country for the
next twenty years, would either be forced
to suspend OF would pass under the con-
trOi of monOpolists-the course proposed
would certainly be nothing more nor
less than an attempt to apply the prin-
ciples of a prOhibitory tariff to manual
labor. This, it must be admitted, would
be dangerous in the extreme, for with
such a precedent once established what
would prevent similar action being
taken in the future to bar out ''the pau
per labor of Europe" which comes into
Castle Garden every year in swarms
There is no doubt that this proposed
bill should be discussed calmly and dis
passionately in all its bearings before tits
allowed to become incorporated among
the statutes of the country. A similar
measure was passed by the last Congress.
and, for reasons then considered wise,
was vetoed. The same reasons exist, with
as much wisdom now, and no final &C
ton should be taken upon the measure
until it has been subjected to the most
impartial and thorough investigation.