Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-03-26
THE CHINESE.
Another Reason Why We Can't Admit
Them Free of Duty.
To the Editor of the Free Press:

"Must the Chinese Go ?" is the caption
of an article in the FREE PRESS of March
"a We will give Mrs. Baldwin credit for
her Christian philanthropy and her devo-
ton to the cause of humanity. But there
is another side to this Chinese question,
which appears to have been wholly over
looked by writers on the subject but
which is of vital importance to the inter
ests of this country China has popula.
ton of 40O,000,O00 of people. If one in
eight should come to this country it would
nearly double our population. AT the
rate they were coming, before any re-
strictlve legislation was had, and which
If it had not been checked would have
gone on increasing in geometrical ratio,
we should soon be over-run with them.
How do they come and why do they come {?
First they bring little or nothing with
them; second, they come because they
can earn in IA few years what to them
would be a fortune. A Chinaman aver
ages more wages in day here than he
can in from five to ten days at
home. He will live and thrive where
an American would starve. Almost, the
entire amount that H. he earns, he saves
What is he going to do with it ? Does he
propose, like other emigrants, to settle
here, and become a citizen and let his
earnings remain here to swell the wealth
of his adopted country Does he propose to
be absorbed INTO our great American ma
tionality Not at all. He proposes to
hoard every dollar and at some future
day, five or ten years, more or less, return
to the tiowery kingdom, taking away all
his wealth i'll the form of gold and silver.
Any man OF common sense will at once
perceive that this, if permitted to con
tinue, will become Il terrible drain upon
IA GOLD a " oh
forms the basis of our currency, and pro-
duce stringency of which the worst
times we have seen since the war can give
but faint idea. We obtain among our
foreign immigration, but few of the
best people of any country, but with
here to make their permanent abode. They
come here TO develop the resources of the
country to add TO its wealth by their in
dustry, and to become good American
citizens. Nor is this all, they bring their
families, their household goods, and most
important of all, they bring their money.
They have added millions upon millions
to the wealth of the country by the gold
and silver alone, which they have brought
| with them Very few of the Chinese do
this. 1t is true that a few of them have
become citizens, but the proportion is
very small, and in this respect they stand
ont in marked contrast with all other
classes of emigrants. Add to these the
habits and the vices they bring, and the
prospect of being literally overrun with
them, and it is no wonder that our fellow
citizens on the Pacific slope should be
come terribly excited over the gloomy
prospect. If the Chinese would come
with their families and theil
wealth, if they us the rule rath
er than the exception would become
citizens, much of the cause of complaint
would be removed. But even then, there
must be some limit to immigration
China could furnish us number equal tC
the whole population of the United States
and they would hardly be missed from hel
overcrowded cities. What are we to do
Let all come who will 1t must not be
Self protection is the first law of oul
nature. America is, so far as money get
ting is concerned, the Eldorado of tn,
Mongolian. II the gates are thrown Wild
open the flood Will come. This is hare
question to deal with and one that viii
tax both the wisdom and the energy o
the government. But it is one that mus
and will find its solution, and it is TO b,
hoped, n wise one. &. A. CASTLE.
Burlington, March p, 1856