New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-03-08
THE ANTI-CHINESE BILL.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.I


WASHINGTON, March Ut is expected that the
debate upon the Chinese bill will be concluded to-
morrow and that a vote will be reached upon the
measure There is no doubt of the passage of the
hill but it may be modified by the adop
tion of the Ingalls, amendment, limiting
the suspension of Chinese immigration to
ten instead of twenty years, as provided i'll the bill
In all questions involving general principles the
opponents of the bill have gained an undOubted ad-
vantage in the debate. The speeches of Senators
Hoar, Brown and Dawes are simply unanswerable,
but these gentlemen are held up as mere theorists
I'm regard to this question. The Pacific Coast SEN
ators, advancing little nothing except bare as
sertions, often easily refuted, have ever
borne themselves as the representatives of the
almost unanimous opinion of the people who have
experenced the alleged rub of ASSOCIATION with the
Chinese.
The leading argument advanced by all supporters
of the measure, excepting the Pacific
Coast Senator'S has been based upon the
apparent unanimty of the masses OF the
States affected. adverse 10 the further incoming OF
Chinese and the presumption that this could not be
were there not solid reasons behind the conviction
There is nevertheless a general undercurrent OF
belief that passion and prejudice have had too
much to do in shaping the expressions OF
opinion which come from the Pacific Coast, and
that q trial of the suspension of immigration
for ten years will give time TO test the
principles which are now contendlng for the
mastery so that it may be seen whether the
venerable and cherished American doctrine of
brotherhood of all peoples and home In America
for all races must be modified.
One feature of this question does not seem
10 have received the consideration 1t deserves
The Pacific States have not enjoyed their full share
of the great prosperity which the country has been
experencing for several years Possessing IN addi-
ton TO their untold mineral wealth soil and eli
mate capable of producing in lavish abundance
almost everything necessary for the comfort
and pleasure of mankind, there has been
discomfort and instability as compared with
the Atlantic and Western States which have
been regarded as phenomenal Capital has not
sought investment to nearly so great an extent as
the favorable conditions would seem to insure.
Some of the staple raw materials have been shipped
I'm large quantities to the East there TO be manufac-
tured and returned for home consumption. Interest
has ruled higher than elsewhere, most if not all OF
the time not because of the demand for money, but
rather because of the instability OF business. FaIm-
era have complained that while raising immense
crOps their work was comparatively prOhtlesS OW-
ing to the distance from the consumer The want
OF a home market such rs ,wOuid Dc
created by. larger manufacturing investments
has been sOTely felt Railroad monopoly and ChlneSe
inmigatiOn have been held accountable III part Tor
This state of affairs but IT is fairly all open question
whether the want of better and more numerous
class Of laboreTs is not the chief necessity. SEN
ator Dawess speech dealt chiefly with
the sentimental and theoretical aspect
OF the Chinese question: of which he made sifOng
presentation Senator Edmunds followed hlm III
Support Of the measure as an experiment. he ar
Oued that among all civilized people everywhere
and in all history the right 10 say who shall and
who shall not come among them was inherent.