Smyrna times., 1886-09-15
For the Smyrna Times.
The Chinese in California,
REV. DIR. BALDWIN, OF BOSTON, IN
REPLY TO JOHN W. BARNEY, ESQ,
or LAS VEGAS, NEW
MEXICO.

MIR. EDITOR Il regret to see in the
letter OF Mr.. J. w. Barney, in your col
umns of September 1st, the following
" The people of San Francisco were more
than pleased that so many people from the
East attended the encampment of tbe
Grand Army of the Republic. that thev
might see for themselves the only obiec-
tlonable feature which has unfortunately
0elaIlen them, IS that they have in that
beautiful city about one hundred thousand
/ Cinnamon which Is an abOminable curse TO
any civilized country in the world
could tell you much more about them"
This paragraph may perhaps state
correctly the reason why the DeODle of
/ San Francisco were pleased to see so
many people from the East namely. TO
make an impression on their minds
against the Chinese. If so, the fact is
no compliment either to the people of
San Francisco or to the Grand Army.
But it is not little astonishing that
your correspondent should be so de-
celved as to write to paper printed in
as intelligent community as that of
smyrna that there are 100000 China
men in San Francisco, when every man
who chooses to inform himself on the
subject knows that there never were
One-tnurth of that number there. The
United States census of 1880 shows %
OOO; and when the Grand Army were
there last month there were less than
2O,OOO. The whole number in the
United States is less than $4,000. Now
l hold that it is an abOminable curse
to any civilized country in the world "
to have such lies constantly circulated
IN such city as San Francisco. and TO
nave SO many people from the East
ready to swallow all that is told them.
Ii the much more " that yOur cOrre-
spondent could tell you about them"
Is OF piece with this bit of misinfor-
nation, your readers will not lose
much by his reticence. He might re-
tail the stale ISLANDERS about their filth
and general ungOdliness, "depriving
white people of their bread" &c. but
the time has about come when these
stories will be taken at their true value
IN all intelligent communities. The
anti-Chinese agitators of Washington
Territory declared that there were 10
OO0 Chinese in that Territory. An Off
clal census was taken last wear and
showed the number to be 5000. You
can always discount 75 per cent. ON
the figures of these people, and more
than that on their statements of facts
When your correspondent begins to
tell you more about them" let him
begin with the fact that the Chinese
have reclaimed tule lands, and con.
verted them into arabic land to the
value of $2S9,700,00O in California.
that their merchants are acknowledged |
10 stand in the highest rank for honor
ana integrity; that the fruit growers
declare that they cannot get along |
without them; that millions of acres |
ht Tor the prune, the olive, the almond. |
the fig, the apricot, or the vine. are w. |
ing neglected, because agricultural
labor is twice as dear in California ne
IN Illinois, and three times as dear as
IN Europe; and that few resolute
women in Southern California, sat down
on the boycott, and smashed it com
pletely, as might be done all over
the State if the men of intelligence and
standing had the courage of their con-
victiOns.
Really, Mr. Editor, it is time that this
bosh from the Pacific Coast shonld
cease. In these days, when the gross
Outrages upon the Chinese in our land
remaining unreelressed by even the
payment of the modest indemnity nro-
posed in the bill presented at the last
session Of Congress, are bearing fruit
in the expulsion of our missionaries
from West China, it is no time to seek
to awaken in Eastern breasts n re-.
sponse to the dull and oft-exploded
ISLANDERS so rife in California.
5. L. BALDWIN.
East Boston, Sept, 7th, 1886.