, 1882-04-21
Port Townsend, w. IT,, Friday, April 81, 1882.

even to denying the right of honest
newspaper criticism. But we have not
chosen to treat them so.
1t has been snappishly charged
that we know nothing about this ques-
ton. In view OF this, let us see if we
could not have said much more to the
credit of the Chinese had we chosen to
do so. In the course of political agita-
ton during the past three years some in
teresting statistics have been collected
about Chinese on the Pacific coast. OF
these we may refer to few points,
without desiring it understood that we
are pleading their cause. We have no
sympathy, unless it be with the laborers
of our own race whose condition we
fain would improve by good natured
growl occasionally on account of their
shortcomings. We find as fact, from
authority we dare not question, that the
$1,000 or 10000 Chinese now in Califor-
MIA pay annually over $15,OOO,0OO into
the revenue of that state. Among the
items in an official document are the
following: $1,S00,000 paid by Chinese
as duties in California during 1878;
freight and passage money paid by them
during same period to and from China
in San Francisco vessels, $600,OOO; rents,
&c., $1,OOO,0O0; licenses and taxes, 81
25O,0O0; paid for American products,
s5,OO0,000; paid for water for Chinese
miners, $2,2Oo,OOO; mining claims
bought by Chinese, S1,350,0O0. In the
opinion of an ex-Surveyor General OF
California the Chinese have increased
the value of property in that state to
the neighborhood of S3,000,00O, and this
property is to-day owned by white men.
Without their aid the Union Pacific
Railroad would not have been bnilt till
ten or fifteen years after it was COM
pleted, ..deit tcas They reclaimed l.
100000 adfes of California marsh lands,
raising its value from $3 per acre to
about 800. BY these great works they
furnished employment to 100000 or
more white men. Should mt this compen-
safe for some OF TIE employment taken
away from white men through cheap
coolie labor? They are reliable in busi-
ness. The late Senator Morton, of In
diana, while Chairman of the Senate
special committee on Chinese immigra-
ton, in 1878, prepared report from
which we will quote few items. On
page 1877 is the statement of the cashier
of the Anglo California bank to the ef-
feet that the average business done with
Chinese per year in that institution
amounts to apout 81, 100000, and that
"they are always straightforward" On
page 853, Mr.. McCondray, Of San Fran
cisco, testified that his firm had dealings
with Chinese merchants to the extent of
100000 a year, and that in 26 years
they had not lost a dollar by them. We
quote the exact language of the gentle
man. AS to criminals and paupers; we
find from reliable sources that in 1876
there were in San Quentin prison 1,l5S
convicts, as follows: 615 native Ameri-
crns, 344 Eupeans and 100 Chinese. In
the hospital, the same year, there were
2431 patients, of whom 1909 were born
in Ireland, 1112 native Americans, and
IL we're Chinese. In the almshouse at
the same time were $40 inmates, as fol-
lows: American born, 143; born in Ire
land, 1877; Chinese, NONE! We might go
on enumerating statistics. but it is un-
necessary. Perhaps we don't know any
thing about this labor question. Per-
haps our friends in Port Discovery can
send us little information to dispel
our ignorance. Perhaps the learned
debaters in their literary society have
monopoly of all the knowledge lying
around loose. Perhaps they may have
ventured beyond their depth (?) How is
it? Come again, Mr.. Johnstone. Spit
on your hands, pin back your ears and
-aCade in. Well meet you half way,
and give you the benefit of all the
space you want. There are lots of strong
points against Chinese immigration
that you haven't touched upon yet We
pause for you to "trot 'em out" Give
us specimen of your superior knowl-
edge upon zone of the leading ques-
tions of the day"