The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-02-10
: Chinese Traits.


Mr.. Il. V. Smalleys paper in the Feb
ruary Csntury, on Features Of the New
Northwest is an interesting conclu-
sion 10 his noteworthy series on the
Northwestern region. He discusses
various social and political subjects,
and, speaking OF the Chinese population,
says in part;
There is a mistaken notion in the
East that the Chinese are always hum
bic and submissive, aud much put upon
and abused by the whites Of the Pacific
coast. There was a time when the
hoodlums Of San Francisco maltreated
the Asiatic immigrants shamcfully, but
that time has gone by. Now the China.
man appears to be as secure in his
rights Of person and property as any
cody, Instead of being deierential and
timid he IS often pushing and insolent.
He does not give way in the street. He
hustles you as rudcly rs an English
navy. A body Of Chinese laborcrs
marching down narrow street will
crowd ladies into the gutter, The Chi
nese merchants, doctors, and others be-
longing 70 the better classes, are as
polite as Frenchmen, 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 cleanliness. 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 custom
ers OF the barber, who gives minute at
tention to their heads, faces, ears, and
necks.
Among the common laborers there is
little sympathy for sick and injured
comrades, If man is likely to become
a burden, the other members Of his
gang want to get rid Of him as soon as
possible. II is commonly believed BY
| the white bosses Oh 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. II was
set by the company's doctor, and was
doing well, hut the man comrades in
sisted on bringing a Chinese doctor TO
attend him. The doctor came from a
distant camp and gave the patient a
dose, In an hour the poor fellow was
dead. In such case there is no investi-
cation; 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 the malevolent spirits OF
the dead. II a Chinese domestic fancies
there is a ghost in the house he departs
at once, and leaves an inscription be-
hind to warn his successors. 1t often
happens that family will be unable to
keep a servant longerthan single day,
Man after man will come and 90 with
out giving any reason for his abrupt de-
parture. At last the warning sign i:
found in the kitchen or the servants
room and expunged; then there is nc
more trouble Not long ago two China.
men were killed in Oregon by the pre-.
mature explosion OF blast ON a new
railway line. One of their fellow work
men declared that Just before the explo
sion he saw two devils come TO the OPP
posite bank OF the river and heard then
talking. Thereupon the whole gang o
forty men dropped work, and could no
be induced, by threats or persuasion, t
return to the spot.