The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-05

Mrs. Baldwin Tells Why She Pefitioned
Congress for the Right 70 Import Them.

A tall. slender lady, with strongly marked
features, caressed bright-eyed tot of three
years in maternal fashion last evening In the
cosy paror of the pastoral residence OF Rev Dr.
Baldwin (of the Saratoga street Churchl, at 10
SIS Lexington street, East Boston The mother
ly-appearing person was Pastor Baldwins's
wife, the author of the recently pre-
sented petition to Congress for leave to
import Chinese house servant. The publicity
given this petition has brought Mrs. Baldwlc
into widespread prominence almost az q single
bound, because of her emphatic expressions OF
disapDroval regarding the capabilities of the do
nestle of to-day as compared with the Monaghan
serving man or maid. Clad moiestly in dress
of sombre dark material and airing her silver
streaked brown hair parted loly intellect
ual forehead and demurely coiled at tie back,
Mrs. Baldwins was picture of perfect domes
ITCHY rather than that of one who would be
prejudiced as anxious to wrestle with much
mooted question of international Importance.
"My object in Offering this petitioni Well.
am free to admit that it was not altogether
selfish one. had two objects in view in pre-
senting that petition. One was of course. for
my own need. The other. and the principal one,
was to emphasize the unreasonableness and in
justice of our anti-Chinese laws. It's fact
that am freer woman in any country than
in the United States; that is, as far as
housekeeping goes A woman has, to my mind,
far more opportunities for accomplishing good
in any other country than our own Whyf Be-
cause her time is rot in the least interfered with
by the supervision or servants"
Are you willing to place yourself On record,
Mrs Baldwin. as CHASING the heather Chinee'
far to the front as servant over his Christian
co-laborers9' ventured the Herald reporter
81 haven't the slightest hesitancy whatever in
telling the public that, in my opinion, the
Chinese are the superiors of any nation on earth
in the practice of domestic duties" replied the
lady. II consider the Chinese unapproachable
IN their duties as house servants. This conclu-
sion is arrived at after years of experience
among them. You must know that Mr..
Baldwin and myself have passed twenty
years of our lives in China. In 1862, within
three weeks of our marriage, we sailed for India
and the Celestial empire commissioned to per-
form ecclesiastical missionary work. Most OF
that time was utilized in the Flowery Kingdom
of the tea leaf. -Four of our five living children
we're born in China. My youngest. this little
elf have in my lap. is truly American born.
Two of our offspring lie calmly reposng meath
the sod in China. Our residence was at Foo
chow, which is the head-centre of the greatest
tea producing district in the empire OF course,
my children were always looked after
by Chinese nurses and Rovernesses. And,
as natural consequence, they all
learned the language of the country
first. in fact, not until they arrived at the age of
four FIVE six years, was it deemed prudent to
attempt to impart to them the language of their
parents Naturally, their little brains could
barely stand the pressure of struggling with two
languages at the same time When leaving
China four years ago we brought with US our
upstairs man servant. Ka-Ku. He was as
thoroughly familiar with the duties of the
kitchen as he was with those of any portion of
the household, and, in addition, he
We held our family prayers in Chinese
every other morning and he took his turn
in praying with the rest of the household. Ka-
Ku was most Godlike In his devotional exercises,
and the prayers that used to issue from his lips
were astonishing In their applicability to the re-
quirements of the person or the situation. He
fitted his prayers to the needs of all the mem
bers of our family. In that hot climate it was
necessary to employs at least four or FIVE SER
wants to family The fewest we ever had was
three. In all the time we lived in China, what
with our entertaining, and there was no incon-
siderable of the latter from the fact that
DR.. Baldwin was at one time viee-consul for at
least four nations) and rather excessive
household duties there was hardly breach or
drawback In the direction at contamination of
household affairs from the kitchen to the gar
ret"
why motif you think so highly of Mongo-
liam menials, Mrs Baldwin-engage some of
those at present located in the divers redpainted
lauDdries in this country2" questioned the re-
porter.
II have two reasons for not employing any of
the Chinese at present in this country an
swered Mrs. Baldwin. First, speak the
Fookinese dialect and have the person in mind
that wish to employ; second, and the question
has already been answered in my previous state
importation by giving Congress an opportunity
to again discuss the merits or dement's of this
outrageous anti-Chinese law. The immi-
grants OF to-day are, and always have been,
from the district Of Cantonr-from the
six districts of Canton. more properly speaking.
There is q far different patois from that of Foo
chow. The six companies of San Francisco are
falsely charged with bringing these people over
to America. 1t is not so. One point in my petit
ton to the honorable Senate and House of Rep
roao TAFT WI N
is this: TO relieve Congress of any embarass-
ment in the Objectionable term, laborer, will
promise to secure a person who would be so
skilled in his work beyond anything have found
here that he may be termed "artlst or pro-
fessor."i"
'.What has been your experience, Mrs. Bald
win. since your arrival in this country, with do
mestics-that Is how many different ones have
you had and OF what nationalityW
During the first twelve months following
our arrival here, four years ago. said Mrs.
Baldwin, II was forced to employ twelve diff
ferent cooks. This was at Newark, N. j. One
cook, robust Irish lass, remained with as
only ten hours. Her abrupt departure was due
entirely to sthe Epresence of Ka-Ku, who, l
presume, l have already told you emigrated
with to America in 1882 This Milesian
maiden objected strenuousy to eating at the
same table with the Monaghan, although it was
entirely optional with her whether she did so or
not. Ka ku left US In September 1884 We
were sorry indeed to lose him. A mere faithful
worker. one more devoted to the welfare of
my children it would be almost impossible to
find.
'sHave you heard from the public to any ex-
tent since the publication of your petitionP'
II have received number of communica-
tions,p replied the lady. "Most Of them were
not of a congratulatory character. This morn
ing received most insulting letter from
woman in New York. Its contents would be of
no interest to the public. l also received one
from Haverhill. / feel assured that the latter
was written at the instigation Of the Knights of
Labor. / haven't doubt that my name is on the
black list of the Knights of Labor, in conse
contained in my petition. A peculiar circutn-
stance was that, out of the daily receipt of let
ters anent the subject. those who took umbrage
against my expressed views as regards Chinese
and other servants were confined to the New