Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-02-10
M0NGeLIAN QUESTION.
Review Of the Cause of the Presens Anti
Chisiese Aoi.a1in

Chi<lese Agita zion.
[Santa Rosa DemogratI
TIE movement against the Chinese was
never more general, or conducted in better
spirit, than II is to-day. 1t gathered fresh
impetzs first in the Territories. and. al
though of slower growth in California, it is
rapidly engaging the attention of the peo-
pie OF the entire State. Sacramento city
took the lcad, and established a good prece-
dent, which is being followed in every di-
rection. IN former mo-7ements demagogues
as well az well-mean iGg, but ilkadvised
men, put themselves il 'front.' and seriously
injured good cause BY intemperate ha-
rangues ana resolutions and bad advice to
others. The result was q resort to violence
against Cinnamon in Macy instances, and
the frequent indulgence in direful threats.
The people OF California, while regretting
this mistaken course, did isot falter in their
opposition 70 Chinese immigration, bat
great harm WIS done in the older States
whose people were not affected as ours
were by contact with the Chinese. and who
were slow TO realize and appreciate the
evils resulting thefeirom. The wild ha-
rangues INDUCED i'll here, the intemperate.
resolves, the personal violence to China
men, offended the moral sense of these peo-
pie and made them rather our enemies
than friends. Under the circumstances it
is surprising that We have done as well as
we have III procuring legislation against
Chinese immigration. Our representatives
IN Congress had n hard task before them.
made doubly difficult by foolish acts here.
The present agitation is upon different
basis entirely. 1t is in the hands of good and
discreet men, thanks to the good example
of Sacramento, and everything is being
done in an orderly and lawful manner.
The leaders are actuated by the highest
motives. They know, by actual contact
and experience, that the existence of the
Chinese in California is a curse, and that the
prosperity and happiness, welfare and
safety of the people imperatively demand
| their removal. But they propose to bring
about this result by lawful and peaceable
methods. They are not prompted By
hatred of the Chinese as individuals, but
| by the belief that sound public policy de-
| mands their removal. They regret the
| hardShips TO which individuals are sub
! jected, but appreciate the fact that it is un-
ayoidable. Hence the word passes along
the line that ''the Chinese must go" but
that they must go peaceably, and with as
little hardship as the nature of the case
will permit. In some few cases, where
communities were smarting under out
| RACES of which the Wickersham murders
are an example, they have been made to
| leave on short notice; but the general
| sense is that sufficient time be given them
| to close up their affairs and the plan gen.
! orally adopted is to Withdraw patronage
! from them. They are not selfsupporting
anywhere. They cannot live if the whites
| refuse to patronize them; and hence an
| etfectual way for any community to get rid
OF them is to buy nothing of them and
give them nothing to do
The necessity of these measures is de-
| plored by every good man. 1t is harsh
ness OF treatment against which the better
| feelings rebel, and one which nothing but
the sternest necessity will Justify, but it
| seems to be unavoidable 1t is forced upon
us. We went to Congress almost in a solid
| body, and implored its assistance. We
| petitionei we implored, we reasoned we
did everything a people could do to be
| saved from further Chinese immigration.
and to have arrested the evil consequences
resulting from their presence here We
| did not ask for the expulsion of those al
! ready in the country and who chose to re-
| main. We only begged that law should
| be enacted which would prevent further
augmentation of their numbers. If we
could be assured that the further influx
should be stopped, we were willing to trust
to time to relieve the State entirely of their
| presence by death and by return to their
native country. After years of struggle
and delay, Congress did pass Restriction
| Act which was not all that we desired,
| but with which we were disposed to be
content. Immediately the troubled wa
| tiers became calm, the people trusting in
| the efficiency of the law; but unfortu-
nately its enforcement was in the hands
| of those who had more sympathy for the
| Chinese than for us, and they proceeded at
once to nullify its provisions, and succeed
ed in making it practically worthless. The
| present agitation is due to this fact Had
the Restriction Act been enforced, there
| would have been no further trouble Gradu-
ally the Chinese would have been reduced
in numbers, and as gradually their places
would have been taken by white men, and
there would not have been any disturbance
in the labor supply of the State. But the
bad faith of those who administered the
| law, the utter worthessness of the Re-
| striction Act as they have interpreted it,
| the frauds perpetrated by which incoming
Chinese are landed with impunity, have
! disgusted the people, and DESTROYED conf
| dence in efficient relief from that source
and they have taken the matter into their
own hands, and resolved that the Chinese
! shall 90 or starve. We trust that Congress
| will speedily enact an efficient law which
| will be able to withstand the Chinaphobist
| sharps on the bench. We believe that such
a law would be stringently enforced by the
! present Administration, and that the peo-
| pie would soon be content to. let the law
| take its course. Until this is done, the
| agitation viii continue, and boycotting
| will be the order of the day.
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