New-York tribune., 1883-12-20
cuINESE SEcRrr SOc.ErLES


Wherever the Chinese have established colon
les they have, sooner or later, come into conflict
with the existing authority through their secret
societies In some cases these organizations
have grown so tyrannOus and powerful that they
have attempted to overthrow the government
of the country. In the British colonies, where
Chinese are numerous 1t has been found neces-
sary to deal directly and in summary way with
this question. In some Oriental countries col
Onizcd by Chinese there have been serious strug-
giles for mastery between the cOlOnistS and the
government. In San Francisco the secret sOci-
etics have long exercised an oppressive sway over
the Chinese quarter, and there are few China
men so powerful as to escape their black mail
requisitions In Sacramento, few weeks ago,
two bands Of hired fighters belonging to riva
organizations of the kind, had fight with pis
tolls and knives in the public street, and there
were several serious casualties. The admins
tration Of Justice in American courts, where
Chinese are concerned, Is often interfered with,
and at times completely prevented, by the ter
r0rism OF the secret societies.
Only q few days since q Chinese who had
acted as interpreter I'm a San Francisco court
and who had been useful in detecting the fraud
ulcnt representations of Chinese immigrant Ia
borers who sought TO pass rs merchants, was
forced to resign his position, and to appeal to
the police for protection against the sO-called
"highbinders,n or hired bullcs and assaSsins Of
the secret HOngs." When Chinese crime is
committed it is very difficult to find witnesses.
They are afraid to testify, because by so doing
they will be marked for vengeance. The
"highbinders ere all criminals. They are in
the pay of the secret societies. which latter for
their own purposes, shelter and protect and en-
able them to establish a criminal guild, to the
depredatlons of which the industrious and law
abiding Chinese are exposed without remedy.
The general result is that the Chinese colony is
dominated by its worst elements, and that even
the wealthy merchants are compelled to pay
blackmai, while the American laws are practi-
cally imperative whenever seriously opposed
by the secret organizations of Chinatown.
How to put an end to this condition of things
Is, however, difficult question. Thopolicc and
the municipality of San Francisco have tried to
do so Intellectually. The Legislature of CalifOr-
MIA has also failed to solve the problem The
language is, of course, one of the greatest OBJ
stacles. Chinese interpreters are indispensable
to all proceedings concerning Chinese, and no
way has been found of preventing them from
being intimidated or suborned. This difficulty
of bringing Chinese colonies under the sway of
our laws is really the most serious objection
that has yet been raised to Chinese ilnmigra-
ton, and there can be no doubt as to its reality.
The Chinese secret societies are beyond our
jurisdiction. They can commit the gravest
crimes, exercise tho most outrageous tyranny,
levy blackmail wholesale, punish their enemies
by assassination, ,terrorize the whole colony, and
defy our police and courts If the Chinese arc
to remain in any American State in considerable