The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-04-12

v
TWAS written as far back Us the days OF
King Solomon, that the wise men "forseeth
the evil, " and makes due preparations to
avoid II, but the simple pass on to their
fate. We had race problem fastened
upon this country at the outset Of It's ca
reer, and we all know now what 1t has cost
US to import Africans to our shores. 1t
almost cost us the existence Of the Union,
saying nothing Of theCost Of blood and treas
ure spent to hold it together. II we could
60 back to the beginning again, every man
now living in the land would consider the
importation Of that race u very unwise OK.
pertinent TO try once more. Tho uniyer.
sal voice would be against such an expert.
ment. And for the reason, in part, leaving
aside what has already occurred, that we
have not yet solved the problem Of their
influence upon and their ultimate status
with reference to our civilization. 1t is
not at all probable that we have seen the
last Of our troubles as connected with the
presence Of this race in our midst. But
they are here-not by their own consent,
but by the greed and wrong doing of our
ancestos-and being here they have The
right to stay-just as much right as the dc.
scendants Of those who brought them here,
and also to enjoy the same civil and POI
litical rights,
Over sixty years ago the American Colo
nlzation society was formed 1t was found.
edbYa number Of persons who viewed with
alarm the presence OF AN increasing number
Of persons alien to our race and its civiza-
ton in this country. 1t was begun with
the idea-or rather with the faitft- hope
that the tide might perchance be made to
roll back upon the shores Of Africe, and
that at least the increase OF that race in our
midst might be kept down to wholesome
minimum, But it failed Of its objects. The
race increased in our land, and the expert
ment Of colonization never yielded satiiac-
tory results. True, there is colony at
Liberia, but emigration to it from the
United States long ago became unpopular,
and not once a year do we now see n ship
load Of Africans leaving our shores for the
land Of their ancestors The African is
here to stay. For good or i'll he is with us,
and the last census shows that he is not
dying out, but, on the contrary, is keeping
step with us in natural increase. The race
numbers now six and a.half millions, and
in the South increased at n greater ratio
than the whites from 1870 to 1880. In nine
Of the Southern States its increase was 1873
per cent, while that Of the whites was only
30. Therefore the race is still great and
hazardous problem on our hands. But for
the existence Of this problem the present
generation OF whites in this country
is not responsible. There is a prob.
lem, however-iust beginning-for which
this generation is and will be for.
ever responsible, viz: the coming OF
the Chinese to our shores. This is prob.
lem that this generation must settle, and
one that it cannot settle too soon. The
coming influence Of this race upon our ID
Dor, and consequently upon our civiliza-
ton, is apparent enough from what can be
seen in California. White labor retires be-
fore it, for the reason that wherever the
Chinese accumulate the competition be-
them and the white laborers is Of such a
character that the latter abandon the field
and seek other fields where the
necessities Of decent and civilized
life can DO provided by their ID
Dor. 1t is not many years since the Chi
nese began coming in large numben to our
shores, and yet in these few years they
have almost gained possession OF the labor
field insan Francisco. For instance, look
at the following table us to few OF the
trades followed in that city. and the rela.
tive number Of whites and Chinese en-.
ployed in those trades: