The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1889-02-05
THOUGHTS ON THE CHINESE
QUESTION.

Social Science Association by VI. VI.
Scott.
published at request OF the Association
Whether or not it is founded on a
generalization wide and deep enough,
a belief exists. especially among the
European races that have come most
closely In contact with the Chinese,
that competition with the latter in
certain important occupations is dis
asuous.
1t Is question of comparatively
recent origin. Until less than half
century ago. the Chinese, by their
own exclusiveness, were shut out
from competition with people of
Europe and America. And 1t Is.
perhaps. fair to assume when Eng
land, with the other European gov
ernments and the United States,
Numbered at the gates of the mid
die kingdom for treaty of friend
ship. amity, and commerce" guaran-
teeing one another the right of free
intercourse, trade and residence,
that any one of these governments
thought 1t would be called upon to
forcibly. and by questionable means,
put an end to that free competition
which 1t voluntarily. yea almost
with cannon for argument, sought,
was out Of the question. Yet such
Is now the case. II viii be the effort
OF this paper, briefly, and certainly
inadequately. TO try TO show, with
the facts we have. whether this fear
has a substantial basis and if so,
what are some Of the causes that en-
able the Chinese to do cheaper work
than the European.
The fear Of competition, so lar as
L know. was first formulated in Cali
fornia and Australia. These are the
two countries in which the Chinese,
IN large numbers. first came into
contact with men Of European
origin.
In early mining days in Cali
fornia. the Chinese were burdened
with tax called the {" foreign min
ers' tax" of four dollars a month.
This tax was supposed to be levied
upon all aliens-that is on those not
citizens Of the I. S. N; but as a
matter Of fact no one paid it except (
Cinnamon. Notwithstanding the
burden. the Chinese mined success /
fully. They worked cheap placers, /
mines abandoned by men wanting
lngher wages, and ''tailings'-dirt /
which had been once washed-and /
to them the results seemed like q
fortune. From mining they branch
ed out into other occupations, first /
gardening, then cigar-making, into
the boot and shoe business, etc. 1t
was not, perhaps, until between 80
and 20, about IS or 6 that the hue
and cry Of Chinese Cheap Labor
was raised
The Democratic party, then in the
minority and in bad odor, first made
the Chinese question a political one.
1t was charged by their opponents,
the Republicans, that the cry was
pure demagoguery. 1 am inclined /
to the belief that if not entirely, it
had largely the virus of demagogu
ism mixed with it at the beginning
The opposition to Chinese labor
thus early brought TO
itself, as its ally, the idle, the worth
less. the thriftless and the incom-
petent.
The sentiment, however, gradu-
ally gained ground on the Pacific
Coast among all classes and condi-
lions of men that the competition of
the Chinese was an evil. The Pa
eifc Mail Co. had steamers of enor-
nous size constructed for the ex-
press purpose Of carrying them from /
China to San Francisco. From 1000
10 l.500 coolies were carried every ,
rip. The business was very profit I
able to the company. Sentiment on :
he coast quickly underwent com :
olete change Politicians Of both .
parties denounced the traffic as I'M ;
luitous in itself and ruinous to the .
1ermanent prosperity of the State.
tradesmen and manufac- +
urers; politicians and men of no 7
politics; clergymen and chambers of !
commerce all united in memorials to +
Congress to stop. or at least to res .
riot, an influx that had the appear !.
nee of prospective ruin. h
AT first, Congress took no notice Of t
hese memorials. The influential n
newspapers and magazines of the b
Eastern States denounced the Pacific a
]oast delegation in Congress as
emagogues and their constituents n
5 "hoodiums." Few members of n Il
congress of either House east Of the a
Rocky Mountains could be induced q
D give their sanction to any measure a
avoring even a modified restriction. "
totally the New England represen- :,
atives and senators were averse to =,
UGH measures. They were invited W
} visit San Francisco, and to see f
u themselves the effect that Chi h
csc competition had, and was likely n
} have on the future development of s.
le great State of California, indus r.
Tally and socially. Few of these .,
len returned to their homes with ~
ut. at least, modifying their views If
the Chinaman and his methods. ra
They came to scoff, but went back tr
)nvinced. as
Thus after years Of agitation, after ne
eaties modifying and restricting it,
e finally have the spectacle of a an