, 1884-02-21
The Northern Iuvasol.
$. T. ,Ar~uA -

5. 7. ,4g-,uAE.i
The smuggling of Chinese laborera
across our northern border has de
veloped into thriving trade. IN
which a large number Of persons in
Washington as well as Victoria are
engaged. The inducement to come
Is the lack Of Iabor.in British Ameri-
ca. some 5000 coolies having been
discharged 10y the Canadian Pacific
at the commencement Of its recent
troubles. Wages are also better on
this side the line. which Is al induce
ment even for those Cinnamon en-
ploved to cmigrate. The expenses
Of transportation are paid by what
appears to be an American employ
ment bureau, who fiud places for the
coolies after their arrival or feel
themselves reimbursed by the ready
money paid for the passage The
methods used brings TO mind the
subterfuges Of English smugglers III
the tronbled times preceding the
Corden agitation, when the British
isles We're encircled with coast
guard to watch:the:little craft which
stood off and on at dusk, waiting an
opportunity to steal into every blight
and inlet. Those engaged in this
illicit trade Of ours have a similar
system of signals, but as we have
beggarly force on the Sound instead
of Il decent coast-guard, and the dis
tance to be traversed by water is but
thirty-tive miles, and the business
goes on almost unchecked
There is criminal negligence in
this matter, either in the bureaus at
Washington OF among the officers at
the ports on the Sound. This aid
ing Cinnamon in crossing the border
has been going on ever since the
Restriction Act went into operation.
The Treasury Department has known
it from the first, yet nothing has
been done to stop the business and
punish those engaged in it. Greater
vigilance may have been enjoined, but
what was needed is larger force to
guard the points principally threat
ened. Now we are informed that
jealousy among the customs officials
has prevented the proper exercise OF
vigilance and annulled the explain
ations at Washington, which. it Is
said, would have led to an increase
of the force. The difference appears
TO be between Collector Bash, who is
credited with having honestly en-
deavored to enforce the law, and
Special Treasury Agent Horr, who
apreteads not to know that the law is
being violated, Tie first has applied
for permission to increase the force,
but his application has not been in
dorsed by his associate. The motive
of Agent Horr is said to be political,
he wishing the Collectorshlp, which
he might fail to get were the success
of Collector Bash in his efforts to-
enforce the law to cause his retention
in his present position. Whatever
the local trouble may be, there seems
to be no reason why the department
ct Washington should not have done
its duty. 1t kneW when this peculiar
violation of law commenced. It has
known from the first that Cinnamon
were coming across the border, and
must have perfectly understood The
number and condition of the idle
coolies in British Columbia. 1t must
have known either that its agents
were not doing their d9ty or that they
had not adequate means for doing 1t.
OF that both these reasons We're work
to defeat the ends of
justice Yet, nothing has been done
or nothing suitable to the emergency
1t may be of little consequence to
the people of the East that 5000 de-
graded coolies are let loose upon the
State of California, to which they
must uitinately find their way. 1t
is, however, of Importance to us and
we have right to demand that our
interests shall be protected by the
proper authorities, especially when
nothing more is required than the
simple and straightforward enforce
ment of an existing law