The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-06-27
NOT A KNOW-NOTHING.
Senator Mcdonald Replies to the New
York Times
On the Question Of Immigration-Dow
With Chinese Cheap Lsbor-wel-
come to All Who Will Be-
come Citizens.


the following editorial relating to ex-senator
McDonld'S alleged views on the question of
immigration:
In his eagerness to bid for the workingmen's
support in his campaign for the Democratic Presi-
dental nomination, ex-senator Mcdonald has
been betrayed into an utterance which savors of
that terror of all politicians-KnOw-Nothiu gism.
M. Mcdonald is credited with saying III at i'm mi
grafton is the thing which labOrsh0uld dread aud
that. having found remedy for the Chinese evil,
Immigrant. Does Mr. MeDonsId propose thai the
Irish, German or Scandinavian who has beeen so
fortunate as to obtain footing and vote in this
country shall that there shall be no more Ir.
men, Germans or Scandinavians allowed here?
The remedy applied when the people of Califor-
bic complained OF cheap Chinese labor was eXClu-
sion. Mr.. McDonsld's naturalized fellow citizens
would be delighted to hear how that policy could
be made TO apply to their friends and relatives
who are hoping to migrate to the land OF the Tree
ard the home OF the brave.
A repres entatiye of the Sentinel YESTERDAY
showed the editorial to Mr. Mcdonald, at d
asked him il il represented his views cor
rectIy. After carefully reading it he said:
Il never said anything OF the kind or held
any such views"
"What occasion has the Times for making
such remalks?' the reporter asked.
at is based, / suppose, on something
correspondent wrote TO me. You know Mr..
Eddy? He came into my Office a few days
ago and said he wanted to interview me.
told him / had nothing to say for publica-
tion, but as have known him for some
time, talked to him as man to man. He
said he would like to use what | had said,
but told him / did not want him to do So
for had only been talking to him for his
own personal information. But believe it
has become q rule of late that no dependence
can be put in promises of newspaper man.
Isn't that the case?
Sometimes it is, | am sorry to say, but
you know there are glorious exceptions to
hat rule, Senator"
"Yes, you have always kept your promises
ard treated me fairly. do not know what
Mr.. Eddy wrote. That which you have
clipped from the Times ia only what the
editor infers from Mr.. Eddy's article.
have not seen his article, and he may not
have written anything that 1 would object
to. certainly never said what that editorial
states | did. | have always been strongly
opposed to Know-Nothingism."
What are your views on the question of
immigration"
II am in favor of the exclusion of the
Chinese because do not want our people TO
have TO compete in wages with people who
can subsist at one-fourlh the cost which is
required for our workingmen. L want all
who do not come to this country for the pur-
pose of becoming citizens of this Nation
living here and making for themselves and
families homes here, to be excluded from
the privilege of coming here and accumulat-
ing means to build houses in some other
country. / don't want American working
men to be brought down to their level. 1
am not opposed to the immigration of per-
sons who want to come here and become
citizens, because then they will become fac
tors of the Government aad Nation, and will
be entitled to certain rights as such factors"
Would you exclude then all the Germans
and Irish who come here with no intention
of ever becoming citizens OF this cOuntry?'
mo. because the vast maj ority of Germans
and Irish immigrating do expect to adopt
this country as their home and TO become
citizens under this Government. We can
not legislate for individuals; but it must be
for general class or on general principle.
am in favor of the Chinese bill, and was in
favor oft when it was before Congress. That
bill expresses my views exactly"