The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-03-10
ANTI-CHINEsE IMMIGRATION.

measures In Congress have engrossed the
larger share of Western interest In the action |
of Congress. But Of as vital interest and oil
more business Importance is the bill regulat-
ing Chinese immigration now before the
Senate, Oh which several of the ablest Sena-
tors have spoken, and which bids fair to be
enacted.
II will be recollected that during the
Hayes administration an effort was made TO
restrict this immigration to fifteen passengers
to each vessel. The bill passed Congress,
but was properly vetoed by the President, as
II was in violation of an existing treaty be-
tween the United States and China. How
ever, Secretary Eyarts at once began negotia-
tions for a new treaty which included the
right TO interdct immigration, and the end
was consummated aud the new treaty rati-
fed some months since.
At this session of Congress a bill in ac-
cordance with this latter treaty was intro
duced TO enforce its stipulations relating to
immigration. 1t was referred to the Com
mittee on Foreign Relations in the Senate,
and that Committee, after mature considera-
ton, introduced a substitute bill, which pro-
vides substantially as follows:
/. From and after the expiration of sixty
| days next after the passage Of the act, and
| for the twenty years next succeeding, the
coming Of Chinese laborers (skilled and I'M
skilled, including miners) is suspended.
| During this time II shall be unlawful for
| any Chinese laborer TO come to, or, having
| come, to remain in, the United States.
| 2. Any master of any vessel bringing any
such Chinaman is subject TO fine of $500
for each one, and the Chinaman may be i'm
prisoned for one year.
3. Masters and Cinnamon on vessels driven
| into United States ports by stress of weather
are not subject to these penalties.
4. Chinese now here or arriving within
sixty days after this act becomes a law, shall
register on leaving this country to be entitled
to return passports.
s. Provision is made for issuing passports
TO Cinnamon not excluded by this bill.
O. Succeeding sections provide the machia
cry for carrying these measures into effect
and for enforcing the penalties provided for
An amendment was also added declaring no
court In the United States should admit
Chinaman to citizenship.
1t will be seen that the full scope. intent
and purpose is to slam the door in the face
of the Chinese invasion, and 70 prohibit the
citizenizing of any now here. 1t is not ex'
actly the battle-cry, eThe Chinese must go,
but the slogan, "No more Chinese shall
come" The Pacific Coast has tried Chinese
labor for thirty years, and the careful, con
siderate, intelligent and American sentiment
of the people is almost unanimously opposed
to further Chinese immigration. This wa:
demonstrated in 1870, when by Act of the
Legislatures the electors Of California and
Nevada voted Oh the question. In Califor
mia the vote stood: For Chinese immigra
ton, 1888; against IL, l54 ,63S. In Nevada
For Chinese immigration, 1873; against 1t
1889. II Is not reasonable to assert thai
vote like this Is cast by the ignorant and
prejudiced alone. 1t is the honest expires
sion of q good people who have had practical
and bitter experience of what the Chinese
invasion means. 1t was adopted as the sen
timent of Congress in the bill President
Hayes vetoed, and is the sentiment ex
pressed by both the Republican and Demo
cratic National Conventions of 1sS0-st
that precedent and precept and the terms O
the treaty are all favorable to the adoption
of this measure.
The great speech on the question wa
made by Senator Miller, of California, Feb
ruary 2sth, and perusal of 1t sustains thu
: distinguished compliment paid 1t of beinl
the best argument ever offered In Congress
by a Pacific slope member. On the ont
hand is a sentiment that this country is
haven for the oppressed of all nations, ant
, this is supported by certain commercial ad
, vantages enjoyed by few Americans VIII
! do business with China. Opposed to thi
the facts are that the highest form of popu
lar sazeEspsps has asKslaRsa ea lh tiS ssal
Gus, well-fed, well-paid people. It Is me
on the Pacific shore by an invasion O
Asiatics who are non- assimlative, who's
habits, methods and civilization have beer
, the same for fifty centuries, and whicl
will continue SO to be forever
This Asiatc invasion represents a race o
four hundred million people who live ant
grow fat on sustenance OH which white PEG
pie would starve; who have insidiously mo
nopolized the larger portion of labor on tn,
Pacific Coast at rates which have driven on
white competition; who have developed II
California even as farm laborers what ar,
known as "blanket men white laborin.
men without families going from one farm
TO another and sleeping in straw stacks in or
der to compete with Chinese labor; who by
filling all avenues Of labor for young mer
and women have driven them to hoodlum
ism; who have filed the land with loath-
some diseases, incurable maladies, and de.
structive habits who have 10 interest In oul
institutions; who give no support to them
except that wrung out by taxation; who
have their own court tribunals and disregard
our laws and oaths; who build no homes
who are here simply as bohdsmen to acquire
what they can and return to the tombs OF
their ancestors; who In thirty years have
spread out from California until they are now
an element Of competitive labor In every
State and Territory but two In the Union,
and are still arriving ut the rate of one thou
sand per month. 1t is impossible for the
Chinaman to rise to the American standard,
and in the contact and struggle for life the
American laborer is degraded. That these
Asiatics are a blighting curse to the Pacific
Coast Is no longer an open question, and I'M
less an absolute prohibition against their
coming is enacted they will overrun the con-
tinent as they have California. 1t will be a
day for profound rejoicing in this Republic
when the bill now under consideration be-
comes law.
The Chinese bill passed the Senate yester-
day by vote of 20 to IL
4
THE lower Mississippi Is still rising. Much
destruction Of property has resulted, cattle
and horses by The hundreds are dying Of star
walton and much suffering exists among the
people.