The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-05-20
THE CHINESE IN SAN FRANClSCo'

Unless the signs OF the 'iu1.0
far amiss, San Francisco 1T no ols'an
day will be the scene OF . oes' and
conflict between the Caucasian a,a
Monaghan elements of its ropuia-
t;on. On the surface all is seemingly
Quiet. but underneath the passions
are at fever heat. In round ngures
San Francisco has a population u
go. 900, of which fully 5o,ooo are
Chinese. They occupy a large ter'',
tory in the very heart of the city, anu
are slowly but steadily extending ios
limits. Despite the restriction ac's
their numbers are steadily increas-
ing. They avoid the law by lanolng
in British Columbia and then
nimbly bobbing across the border'
No branch of trade is free from
their encroachments, and there IS
scarcely a vocation In life which
thew are not anxious to enter upon.
San Francisco is overrun with I'M
employed white men-many unaoie
to obtain work and many who would
not work under any circumstances.
All of these men, however, attribute
their ldleness to the presence OF 1.-The
heather Chinee." G. into any saloon
in the city where laboring men
are wont to congregate, and n will
hear a constant trade of abuse
against the hated Mong ljan. Were
it not for the authorities, the Chinese
could not walk the streets OF the
city save in battalions. For an
assault on a white man there is buta
nominal fine. but imprisonment In
the work-house is doled out to the
unfortunate who strikes orabuses n
of the Celestia]s.
Among San Franchises characters
is one DR.. O'Donnell, a demagogue
and trickster. who has taken advan-
tase Of this intense prejudice OF the
laboring classes against the Chinese,
aud, thereby, at the late election,
secured the coron ership, a very fiat
Office" Of late O'Donnell has been
especially violent in his denuncia-
ton OF the Chinese, maintaining
that unless they are driven from the
country that terrible disease, leprosy,
will soon be communicated to the
white portion of the community. A
few Sundays ago, at a public meet
ing, he suggested that the whole OF
| Chinatown be blown up with dyn-
amite, and declared that he would
head any party venturing on such
an expedition, and the proposition
was enthusiastically received. Such
a suggestion coming from Il promi-
nent public official certainly points
to an impending confic, between
the two races.
Nor is this discomfort confined to
San Francisco. 1t extends over the
entire State. Only a few months
ago, at Eureka, a dwelling occupied
by some twenty Cinnamon was
blown up with dynamite, and within
twenty-foCr hours thereafter every
Chinaman had left the town. In
Southern California the MODgolians
have fairly driven the whites from
the agricultural fields and the f.eIing
against them is very intense and
steadily increasing. In that st elton,
at Wheatland, a few days ago, the
habitation of a party of the unWeI-
come heathens was d. stroyed, dyna-
mite being the agency employed.
Should this impending contest
come, the issue would, as a N after of
course, he the complete discontinue
of the Chinese, unless the authorities
should quickly come to their rescue.
The Celestials, however, would make
a savage resistance against any as
sault. Single-handed a Chinaman
is an arrant coward, but punched to-
gether they will fight with the feroc-
ity of rats when driven to the last
dit"h and surrounded.
The Chinese are not desirable clti-
zens. They never become American
lied. They do not ~coalesce with the
Caucasians. They drain the coun-
try and do not add to Its wealth.
They should be gotten rid Of by
peaceful means.