San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-03-23
Dangerous Legislation.
San Antonio Express.

matter of allowing foreigners TO land
upon their shores and engage in bus
mess pursuits. We know Of no civil
lied country where the people Of any
other civilized country are prohibited
from entering. The congress OF the
United States are now discussing a
measure having this purpose in view
as far as China is concerned, and what
complications the law, if passed, will
bring into existence in the future it
would be difficult to tell. We suppose
the first movement on the part OF the
Chinese government would be to en-
act law depriving Americans Of the
right to enter that country, if it does
not 90 even further and declare all
those at present within that country
shall leave. Ii international comfy
will admit of preventing the people
of one nation entering the territory OF
another, wepresums there would also
be a right for one nation to drive all
aliens from within it's gates. No one
will deny that we would be better of
without Chinese immigration, or that
there is danger of an influx from that
country that would in time prove
very damaging to the labor interests
of the country. We don't want the
Chinese, but can we stop the immi-
grafton, except as to paupers and Grim
mails? We can, by Legislation. But
would such a course not be likely to
prove more damaging than the Chi
nese? 1t is enough to say "we don't
want the Chinese and they shall not
come here" but would it not be es-
tablishing a dangerous precedent?
We are told that cry is now 60
ing up from the laboring people of
Mexico against the importation OF
negro laborers into that country, and
the government is being appealed to
there to stop the immigration of a
class of Americans for the negros
imported are all, OF nearly all, Amer
lean citizens) just as the people of the
Pacific slope are petitioning the gov
eminent to stop Chinese immigration.
The labor interests of that county are
threatened, they say, just as our peo-
pie say Chinese immigration is threat
ening the labor interests in this coun
try. What shall we tell the Mexican
government to do in its predicament?
Tell them to stop the immigration OF
a class of American citizens, though
they permit all other nations of peo-
pie to come and go at will? Send
them copy Of our Chinese immigra-
ton law?
We pride ourselves upon our in
domitable energy and enterprise our
far-reaching industry. American en-
terprise and industry are threatening |
the Industries of several countries at |
this very day; what shall we tell those |
countries? To take our snti-C Chinese |
bill, change its title to anti American
and find their remedy in that?
Whether we threaten the interest of |
other nations with our unskilled |
labor, or the results of our skilled
labor, the cause of complaint would
be the same, and the same redress |
admissible. Any country may say
that strangers coming must pay |
tribute, or that all must remain away; |
but to select one nation for ostracism |
is different matter entirely.
1t is easy enough to correct any |
one evil by Legislation, if the legisla-
ton can be enforced; but in curing
that one evil dozen or more other |
evils may be brought into .existance.
Chinese immigration is great evil, !
and we can stop it by legislation; but
will not the act rebound to our dis
advantage in other connections. The
Americans are too prone to rush into
Legislation untboughtedly, an exem-
phticaGon of which is found in the
action of congress recently in connec-
ton with polygamy in Utah. BY one
grand Legislative act congress ousted
more than one half the officers in the
territory, and many people seeing
only u blow against heavy disgrace
upon the nation, applnuded the act.
They did not see that the blow against
polygamy fell equally heavy on one of
the dearest rights of American Cit
zens-the right to choose their law
makers and local government and
judicial officials; right the people of
Utah have been exercising for
year
A bad precedent is very bad thing
to establish and it isgenerally better
to bear the ills we have than TO fly to
those We know not of. In all mat
tiers of legislation the full effect