Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-03-02
SENATOR KILLERS SPEECH.

Senator Milier's speech ON the anti
Chinese bill appears TO have been a very
well.digested summary of the staple argu-
ments against that class of immigration,
though we observe in his general line some
defects which are liable to seem graver
at the East than here. The difficulty of
dealing with the Chinese question at Wash
ington consists largely in the danger of
saying too much, and Senator Miller has
not altogether escaped this temptation. OF
course the object sought is TO convince a
community possessing nc practical knowl-
edge OF the subject, that it is necessary, in
the case of the Chinese, TO adopt policy
which conflicts most hopelessly with the
traditional American theory. There Is
therefore strong antecedent prejudice
against the prohibitory legislation, and to
remove this prejudice it is requisite to
make very clear aud strong case against
the Chinsman. Now the California Con-
gressmen have ell felt this, but in
trying to fulfill the requirement they
have unfortunately 80 piled up denuncia-
lions and accusations upon the Chinaman
as to produce positively unthinkable
being, contemplation Of whose contra
dictory and anomalous attributes only be-
wilders the Eastern mind. For instance,
we could, from Senator Miller's speech,
easily construct picture of the Chinese in
California which would be seen to repre-
sent them as an utterly uncivilizsd and un.
civilizable race. but nevertheless possessed
OF an almost perfect social organism inca
pable of selfgoveTnment, yet everywhere
establishing an i'nperiun, in imperio desti-
tute of culture and of science, yet clinging
with unequalled perseverance to their own
civilization inferior in all things to the
Anglo-Saxon, yet defeating the latter
whenever the two encounter; in short
such a strange compound of incompatible
qualities that the Eastern public might be
excused if they failed to comprehend the
puzzle We have before pointed cut that
this kind of caricltDre is tine result of
reluctance to cay anything good of thc OBJ.
noxious race. This reluctance. however,
is unphilosopSical, for it is really by
demonstrating the potentialities OF the
Chiaamen that we can most quickly
ana corclusively show the necessity
of excluding him. 1t is not because we
think him incapable that we are afraid of
him. 1t is because we know that he is
very capable. and in almost all directions.
General Miller, however, is right in dwell.
ing upon tho alien disposition of the
Chinese. 1t is rot the fact that they are
incapable of self-government, but they
have no sympathy with American govern
mental theories, so far as can be ascer.
tanned. We have always believed the
very strongest argument against their adj
mission to DO the fact that they carry
China with them wherever they 60, and
never become absorbed in alien civilizations
That circumstance sscertained, aud their
capacity granted. it follows inevitably that
the substitution of Chinese for Anglo.
Saxon civilization on the Pacific coast
would be only question of time if no
limit was set to Monaghan immigration. 1t
seems however probable that an anti.
Chinese bill will pass Congress this session.