Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-12-14
How to Settle the Chinese Question.

Eds. RECORD MON through the meQl-
UNI of your valuable journal I desire to
make known some of the suggestions made
while in conversation with a number of
gentlemen of this city relative to the all
absorbing Chinese problem. Just now the
question arises How are We to settle the
Chinese question on this coast If the
law will not take its rightful course, there
certainly are various reasons why the peo-
pie here and east of the Rockies will have
to take some definite action in the prem
Uses sooner or later. To palm off bogus
Chinese certificates will not be tolerated
much longer by the Pacific coast people.
The 100000 of people of these United
States should strongly urge the enforce
ment of the Restriction Acts, or either have
them wiped from the statute books. Chi
nese agitation is nothing new to our peo-
pie in this so-called glorious country.
Kearnyism and hoodlumism will not be
allowed as people in the East surnise to
predominant over matchmaking and law
abiding citizens of California. 1t remains
with the people now to wrestle with the
question in practical way, to accomplish
some good at no distant day. The Chinese
will naturally 20 on their own accord if the
people at large show disposition to stop
patronizing them in their various industries,
and more directly so, to buy nothing
from such stores as carry in stock Chinese
made goods of whatever description
known. Whenever it becomes necessary,
boycotting such houses would not be out
of place. 1t is well-known fact that some
of the Eastern journals are beginning to
publish the truth about the Mongolian ele-
ment and not few are heralding the I'M
truth concerning the present state of affairs.
Here are a few of the many excerpts:
" Danger of an uprising against the Chi
nese in California :" The Governor Of
California notifies the War Department"
" Hoodlums on the Pacific coast in readi-
ness to make an onslaught on the poor
Chinese" The working classes are in a
deplorable state-without work, without
food, and many without shelter, while the
snug Chinaman trots along the streets OF
San Francisco, fat and comfortable, vary
ing the monotony of labor by dropping in
to the brokers' office to buy silver to ship
to his friends in China" etc.
Now, one of the many ways to settle this
question is this: Let number of Sacra-
mento's substantial business men assist in
organizing a cooperative system of one or
more laundries in this city, and to par
ticularly make it known that none
but white labor need apply, who
shall be paid fair wages for a fair days
work. Designate the laundry by some
appropriate name, for instance as the
D." Sacramento Cooperative White Labor
Laundry" Equip it with all the modern
laundry appliances, and have none but
practical hands employed. Surely every
white man and woman in this city would
patronize an institution of this kind, in
preference to the Chinese sash houses.
Such an institution as this would evidently
come to stay and be of vast benefit to the
city IN many ways. The people who
would labor in ii would undoubtedly make
their homes here permanently and circu-
late their earnings in the right channel
whereas the Chinese horde ship their coin
to the Flowery Kingdom.
TO begin such cooperative laundry
would suggest to incorporate, with a cap
ltal stock of about s. 900, divided into 5000
shares OF the par value of 81 each share.
Every man, woman and child could yery
well subscribe to such a scheme ACCORDING
to their means. Such an investment would
be remunerative to stockholders in course
OF time The shares should be circulated
IN small lots as much as possible.
There are in the neighborhood of 100
Chinese wash-houses in this CITY. each one
having from six to a dozen Chinese laun-
drymen. To supplant these nuisances by
taxing new departure in establishing
white cooperative laundries would be an.
event devoutly TO be wished. If there is
any Willingness shown TO inaugurate a
movement of the above kind. and will
eventually take on a more formidable
shape, | will subscribe for thirty or more
shares, and doubtless many others will
follow the example. Let the Capital CITY
start the ball rolling in favor of white CO.
operative laundries Capital idea, no doubt,
if only the people of this city of homes will
push movement of this nature and deter
mine to make it an assured success. The
voice of the press, from Siskiyou to San
Diego, should also advocate in favor of
white laundries. G. T. VeGEL.
Sacramento. December 7 1875