, 1882-06-16
The Chinese on the Pacific Coast.
AS THE EDITOR SAW THEM IN SAN FRAN
CISCO CHINATOWN.


To have foreign population set
tling in such vast numbers upon
American soil, without becoming
Americanized to any any considera-
bic extent, is without doubt the most
Objectionable feature of the whole
Chinese question. From the very
nature of things their assimilation
with Americans is an impossibility
and must remain so. As remarked
before, it would be strange if a peo-
pie, who as a nation were matured
centuries before Europe had any
history, did not cling to the forms
and customs that have come down un-
changed through ages of time.
The Chinese immigrant, with
rare exceptions, has no money. His
ability as a laborer in his native coun-
try is barely more than equal to his
support. 1t would take him years to
acquire wealth enough even to pay
his passage to this country. And in
deed he has personally but little am
bition about the matter. He has
learned to be supremely content if
he gets enough rice to sustain life
comfortably, and has the assurance
that his bones will repose after death
in his native land-from which place
his religious belief tells him he must
start if he would gain the celestiars
heaven. 1t is the capitalist, the mon
opolist who brings him here for the
purpose of making money out of
him, to whom we are indebted for
such unprecedented Mongolian inn
migration. No capitalist would lend
the Cinnamon money to come to
America with unless he got security
for its repayment. This security the
six companies previously referred to
furnish. Whether they advance the
money themselves or not, they under
take to look after the Chinaman and
to collect his Indebtedness. They as
sumo no actual responsibility; but as
their business depends upon their eff
tciency in collecting these debts,
they will expend large sums rather
than suffer single unfaithful coolie
to evade payment. In fact they as
sume powers over the coolies which
render evasion well nigh impossible.
They rule their subjects through the
latter. In doing this they follow GUS
toms in China, by employing profes-
sional highbinders from among the
very Chinaman themselves who, for
money, will undertake to harrass and
punish offenders even to the taking
OF life, In fact Chinaman finds it
well nigh impossible to live in this
country unless he fulhls his contract.
Capital in China as we'll as in Amer
lea has advantages over labor. This
Is heightened by the ignorance of
the average coolie. No matter how
much greater the contract sum is
than the sum received, the coolie can
not return to China till he has paid
MS debts to the companies. This is
prolonged in many cases, on account
OF monies advanced in cases of sick
ness or inability to procure employ
nsnt, until the poor victim is kept
Ioillng years to free himself. This
accounts in some degree, perhaps, for
tne stolid inertia with which the av-
99Tage Chinaman, performs his labor
11e Is mere machine with no encour-
aglng. prospect ahead, and his chief
ambition is to get his time disposed
or somehow. But the more indus
.rlous ones eventually become their
own masters. A contract such as is
made between the six companies and
:ne coolies is not recognized as bind
ing by our laws, hence these compan-
% ms make laws to suit themselves.
hhese laws are administered, as said
oelore, without the aid of our courts
sne @ furnish the necessity for their PEE
cunaf mode of dealing with the Chi
nanen, The average Chinese re
E'srd these companies with great fear.
4 AlOWlng little Or nothing of Amari