The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1882-04-12
THE CHINESE.
An Able Discussion OF the Chinese
Question.
Speech of william t. Coleman, of San
Francisco.

|
1s49. and familiar with the entire growth
and development of that State. He has
been the President of the Society of 1S49
and has great influence in that organization
He is a gentleman of large wealth and great
enterprise, and his interests would probably
be promoted by the selfish scheme of re
ducing and degrading labor by the importa
ton of Chinese laborers. The speech wa.
delivered at the great anti-Chinese meeting
| in San Francisco, on the 4th of last month
Mr.. Coleman is a generous and able man
and is incapable OF intending TO mlsrepre
sent the question:
| will treat the Chinese question in different
aspects. probably, from Others, and as we are linn
tied TO ten minutes will come directly To the sub
ject There are three things that can he said in
favor of the Chinese that have aItra Ted many
people and given them a status where, perhaps,
fuller acquaIn lance with them and fuller con
sideration of all questions involved would not
have been so favorable to them, viz: That phis
cally, mentally and politically they equal, ii
not superior, TO the average of mankind. Be
yond that the comparison is against them. Physi
caly, laborers, In the field, on the farm, heavy
work and light, in many departments, aud as OPP
eratives and artisans they show quickness,
strength, spnghtliness, endurance, accuracy and
quick acute and correct in their perceptions apt
| strong and tenacious in memory, and rarely fail
/ In the lessons that nave been Taught Lnem. In
the higher walks we know that scholars, states
men and diplomats they are astute and far-reach-
| ing, and held in great respect Politically land
by politically | give that meaning which en-
ness) they are shrewd and circumspect and full of
resources and adaptability.
| II we could continue these favorable comparf-
sons there would be need for this meeting to-
| day, nor the excitement and active opposition
/ that has been made. and we are now making,
| and must make against their continued immigra-
| unfortunately.
We find that in their habits, customs,
thoughts, impulses education, actions: in their
ethics morals and religion Tor lack of religion) in
their social and political views, they are so diff
ferent from us so radically and essentially diver
gent. and In all so liked, as 10 make IL undesirable
for them TO be with us or near US; and impossible
| for them to become citizens. or part and parcel
| with us Nor do they wish TO become part with
us. They come to this country merely as adven-
turers and cleaners, in their estimation, con-
| querors of fortune. They come for a term. a
cruise campaign, leaving behind their families
and all they love, and cherish, aud respect-come
purely seeking the Golden Fleece, TO carry it
back with them, or to remit 1t to their homes and
TO follow it; never dreaming of permanently quit
ting their own country, OF severing their allie
glance, adherence ana submission 10 the laws and
| will of China. They bring with them and man
tain all their habits and customs. BY their dress,
garb and every vesture. disdain and sPurn the
idea of a1liiating or assimiating with the Ameri-
cans or other "outside Darbarians." They don't
want-at least the larger part of them don't want
| tor think of ever becoming permanent resi-
dents, certainly OF not becoming citizens, unless
| it be as cOnquerOTs and masters holding their
home allegiance firm. and looking down us
with quiet contempt. They feel that there they
have a Nation and a history far superior, far
higher. and far beyond all others on the earth.
| The Chlnaman conceives he stands on higher
plane, and looks back through the grand vista of
ages in one unbrOken view the grand colorado OF
Emperers, statesmen, scholars, soldiers, reaching
i back in one glorious sweep TO the days of Con-
/ fucius now ? zoo years ago. Beyond that he
counts. or claims to count 300 years more of un-
broken history, and beyond that-but only in the
depths of tradition and song-he yet claims a
grand ancestry. He points to the fact that China
| was old and prosperous when Rome and Greece
were young; that she had attained great ad-
| vancement at the beginning of our Christian era :
| that COufuciuS had taught his philosophy nine
hundred years, and GOttama his doctrines five
hundred years, before that epoch. Coming down
| through the long period OF 1900 years. he shows
| that when America was discovered" China was
in her highest state of civilization and had tys-
i TEN OF internal improvements and other grand
| works superior to anything else on earth. He
| claims for all OF this superiority physically,
mentally, politically and otherwise, and asks
| where can be a comparison made to him? He
has much III this 70 be proud OF, and while our
advancement in civilization, arts sciences, ltera-
ture and wealth, under Christian dispensation,
are far beyond his yet he is blind TO them, and
| keeps his eye steadfast on the age and grandeur
and unifcatiOn of China, and with his mind al
ways on the past, he has not believed, or has
been Indifferent to the fact that the world moved
and improved, and that ne was centuries behind
the times and is positively retrogTading, yet he
asks: Why should he become. or want TO become,
an American citizen7 What is there in il for him
| except pelf and gain? No. the true Chinaman
the better of their class, dOnot will not, can
1t is none but the base and the insncere-thOse of
poor character or individuality-whOw will take on
citizenship as they do cloak, wear 1t for the OBJ
| jects of temporary promotion and gain, and then
| throw ii aside they would a wornout garment.
| Indeed the better and true Chinaman no more
thinks of becoming an American citizen than an
| American resident in Africa thinks of becoming
anegTo, or an American in China expects to be-
/ hnfr rnan ArrW,l frff
promptly eontradicts all their professions OF faith
| or fellowship.
Let not our philanthropic friends abroad think
| that the Chinaman is fleeing 70 America to seek
| the egis OF our protection. Let them bear in
mind that there no refugees from China, ex-
| cept criminals. There are no social political or
| religious migrations like the PuritanS to New
| England, the HuguenOts to the south: like the
| Irish patriots. or the Jews from Russia to-day,
fleeing for safety and seeking an asylum and a
| brain and tissue akin to us, but the Chinaman is
the antihesis in this as in everything else to
and while he may nominally affiliate, he can no
| more assimilate with us than iron wedge
assimiate with the wood into which it is driven.
| Applause And let me say here, this iron wedge
suggests danger OF disruption. OF sundering
| apart, on which you can all reflect. But beyond
| and above all this comes the great danger that
| seems to have been too much overlooked; for,
while the social, the economical. the industrial
/ dangers are at our door, in our face, plain and
patent 70 us, on which leave the fuller discus
sion to others, there is danger OF dire and more
|
| considered. China for thousands of years has
| pursued the policy of exclusiveness of compact
| ness and OF isolation. She has not only avoided
| foreign contact, but made limited cOnqueSts On
| the north the Steppes of Tartary were a dread
| rather than an inducement to her. On the east
and south she was limited by the ocean and the
| islands near by. On the west the great Hima-
| layan Mountains, barriers over which man has
| neveror rarely passed. She could well be con-
tent in her rich valleys plains and hllly regions.
| and only the last twenty years have opened up to
| her a new era in ambition: the barriers have
| been broken down. the hood-gates have been
| opened, and China has been tempted, by the
| taste Of foreign contact and commerce, 70 dream
| even of foreign conquest, that 10 her has been so
| foreign and repugnant- She has seen bow few
of her outlying. enterprising subjects have
made great gains in wealth and learn
ing, and a revolution is taking place
in her polity. foreign and domestic, that must
hazardous, unless prepared for and met promptly,
properly, and theoretically. Even today she has
| a navy that puts ours to shame. She lies within
thirty days of and could, If occasion require -.
place on our shores an army, the equal of which
modern times have not seen. This Is not likely
death of a single prominent Chinaman in this
country, a single American in that. or any mis-
hap might work a complication that would al
once puts US in arms.
1t Is said that in Great Britain there will be put
aoat this year at least coo of tons register oil
iron ships and steamers, more probably l,2OO,OOt
TONS or ], 200 vessels of thousand tons each. III
occasion required. China could buy one-half this
feet and with her own, and such as she could get
/ together, she could start a thousand vessels on
short notice, bringing 1000 men each. and hurl
almost before we knew IL. 2.OOOO 600 people on oul
five ten or even twenty millions could be here in
| a aoun No RI tive short time What would become OF