Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-20
SHAM POLITICS.
San Diego Daily Union.

The Democratic papers of California
continue to beat the wind furiously IN
their absurd attempts to reSuScitate the
Chinese question and make 1t factor IN
the present campaign. The greater part
OF their POLITICAL space Is given up 70 the
discussion Of what they falsely assert 10
be the attitude of General Harrison In
relation to Chinese immigration. Be-
cause harrison, IN accordance with
what, IN common with millions of others
he then believed TO be a correct principle.
voted against the first Chinese exclusion
bill, these Democratic organs seek TO IN
flame the public mind against him, total
ly ignoring his more recent record on
the subject and falsely ignoring both
him and his party of a desire TO
repeal the legislation against the intro
duction of Chinese labor
The fact that Harrison's opinions I'M
derwent a decisive change in this respect,
and that he afterwards aided. both on
his committee and by his vote in the
senate, in securing such additional legis-
lation as was desired by the representa-
tlves of the coast in order to make the
restriction acts more effective, is as much
a matter of notoriety and is as fully at
tested by the record as is the fact of his
vote on the first bill. But it suits the
purpose of the Democrats to blazon
the one and suppress the other, and it
also fiatters the self conceit of the DEM
Ocratic editors to presume on the ignor-
ance of their readers and imagine that
the real issue can be obsured by throwing
dust in the eyes OF the voters.
Impelled by natural desire to get
even,' some of the Republican papers
are digging up what they call the Chin
csc record of Mr.. Cleveland, and are
parading industriously before their read
ers the famous special message of the
president to congress upon the Wyom-
ing riots, in which he recommended an
idemnity to the Chinese who had suffer
ed from the violence of the mob. In the
course of the message Mr, Cleveland
made the following reference to TIE feel
ing against the Chinese on this coast:
Race prejudice is the chief factor in
originating these disturbances, and it
exists in a large part OF our domain, jeo-
pardizing our domestic peace and the
good relationship we strive to maintain
with China.
In consequence of Mr.. Cleveland's
recommendations, the government paid
$311 600 indemnity for the damage done
by American citizens during those riots
to subjects of the Chinese empire. Mr.
Cleveland also gave Us Il reason for not
appointing a man from the Pacific coast
as minister to China. that race prejudice
would unfit him for the propar discharge
OF his duties.
Any candid person viii acknowledge
that the record of Mr.. Cleveland on the
Chinese question if fully as obnoxious as
that OF General Harrison. Such points
of difference as exist are IN favor of the
latter, who has long since abiured his
errors, and stands fully committed to
Chinese exclusion by his own official
actions and by the record of his party.
Tho whole discussion. however, is
stale, insincere and Improbable. Chi
nese immigration IS not now, and never
again will be, an issue before the Ameri-
can people. Both parties are committed
against 1t, and public sentiment is prac-
tically all one way. Under neither Cen
eral Harrison nor Mr.. Cleveland is there
the slightest danger of the repeal of the
present laws. except to pass more strin-
gent ones. Both of them are in sympa-
thy with the feeling of our people on the
subject for all practical purposes. Both
are eastern men, and like others, had to
learn the true situation by special study
and investigation.
All the attempted agitation of the So
called Chinese question as a factor in the
present campaign is arrant nonsense and
is known to be so by the wouldbe agi-
tators. 1t is simply dishonest attempt
to inject a false issue into the campaign
and repeat the Morey letter over again.
The voters of California are as inteli-
gent as those of any other state, and as
competent to make up their minds upon
political matters. 1t is an insult to their
to seek their votes by means
of such transparent trickery and hum
bug and 1t will not win. No reputable
of either party ought to be
guilty of such demagogy.