Middletown transcript., 1883-01-26

Mr.. E.V. smalley's paper in the February
CENTURY, on Features OF the new NOILn-
west" is an interesting conclusion TO ms
noteworthy series on the Northwestern, re re-
gion. He discusses various social ana pollIl-
cal subjects, and, speaking of the Chinese
population, says in part
There is mistaken notion in the
East that the Chinese are humble and
submissive, and much put upon and
abused by the whites ofthe Pacific coast.
There was time when the hoodlums
of San Francisco maltreated the Asiatic
iiffassaftts slaaasaaeflllg, hut that time
has gone by. Now the Chinaman ap-
pears to be as secure in his rights of per-
son and property as anybody. Instead
of being deferential and timid he is
often pushing and insolent. He does
not give way in the street. He hustles
you as rudely as an English navy. A
body of Chinese laborers marching
down a narrow street will crowd ladies
into the gutter. The Chinese mer-
chants, doctors, and others belonging to
the better classes, area aspolite as French
men, but the masses of the Chinese
population on the Pacific coast are rude
and brutal. The chief thing in their
favor is their habit of personal cleanli-
ness. The railroad laborers, who are
the poorest and most ignorant class,
wash themselves from head to foot at
the end of each days work. All classes
are frequent customers of the barber,
who gives minute attention to their
heads, faces, ears, and necks.
Among the common labOrers their is
little sympathy for sick and injured
comrades. If a man is likely to become
burden, the other members of his
gang want to get rid of him as soon as
possible. It is commonly believed by
the white bosses on the railways that
the Chinese doctors put sick men out of
the way by poison when they think they
cannot be speedily cured. A case was
told me in Oregon of Coolie railway
laborer who had an arm broken. 1t
was set by the company's doctor and
was doing well, but the mans comrades
insisted on bringing a Chinese doctor
to attend him. The doctor came from
distant camp and gave the patient a
dose. In an hour the poor fellow was
dead. In such cases there is no inves-
tigation nobody cares that there is one
Chinaman less, The death of cart
horse is of much more consequence.
One great difficulty the employers of
Chinese labor have to contend with is
the superstition of these queer people.
Their religious worship consists chiefly
in propitiating tbe-naleyolent spirits of
the dead. Ia Chinese domestic fancies
there is n ghost in the house he departs
al. once, and leaves an inscription be-
bind to warn his successors. 1t often
happens that a family will be unable to
keep serYant'longer than single day.
MAI dAt6I udu VIII COHlO ct1u ~ H4Gu-
out giving any reason for his abrupt
departure. At last the warning sign is
found in the kitchen or servants room
and expunged; then there is 10 more
trouble. Not long ago two Cinnamon
were killed in Oregon by the premature
explosion of blast on new railway
line: One of their fellow workmen de-
clared that just before the explosion he
saw two devils come to the opposite
bank of the river and heard them talk
ing. Thereupon the whole gang of
forty men dropped work, and could not
be induced, by threats OF persuasions,
to return to the spot.