Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-12-12
MR.. HUNTINGTON ON THE EXCLUSION
Att


The Chamber of Commerce of New York
has passed resolution denouncing the
Scott Exclusion Act. 1t is the Office of
the Chamber of Commerce of New York
and other commercial bodies to take care
of the commerce of the country. CONNER
cially speaking, the Exclusion Act was not
advantageous to the people of the country.
Let us not be misunderstood. Whatever
the moral, social or industrial effect upon
the people of the United States by reason
of the immigration into this country of
Chinese merchants and laborers, it remains
true that the exclusion of the Chinese, in a
commercial sense, will be detrimental to
this country. For illustration, the South
ern States produce seven million bales of
cotton per annum, valued in the fibre at
S175,000,000. Three million bales of this
cotton, worth S75,00000O in the fibre, can
be constructed by the cheapest manufacture
ing processes, into a coarse cotton cloth,
which finds market exclusively in China,
and in the form of the fabric will sell for
S75 bale instead of S25 in the fibre, thus
multiplying the fibre value OF the cotton
by three. The Scott Exclusion Act has
operated to reduce the trade in this cloth
and threatens to extinguish it altogether.
When the passenger trade between San
Francisco and japanese and Chinese ports
supported steamship line freight between
the two countries could be carried at a
nominal rate The result was large ex-
portation of -four The value of wheat
was enhanced directly by this means Of
the cheapening of communication through
this enticing avenue of commerce. The
subsistence of the passenger traffic throws
the entire burden Of support of the line of
steamships on the freight carriage alone.
The result is a rate of freight so high as to
threaten the extinction of American ex-
ports to that country.
Commercially, then, we will sustain a
loss in consequence of the Scott Exclusion
Act Mr.. Huntington sees this clearly,
straightforward way. For the courage
and manliness of his method he deserves
commendation. There are thousands Of
people who feel in their Utmost thoughts
that the enactment of the Scott bill vio-
lated every obligation of national courtesy;
that it was a harsh and brutal treatment
Al. nhc ~
people in California who believe that
commercial relation with China ought tC
be maintained. They are, however
greatly in the minority. The majority
view of the general subject in this State i;
that, at whatever cost, the Chinese should
be excluded. The expression of an homes
conviction, whatever it may be, is always
to be commended. If a man honestly be
lieves that it is best for country to shu
its doors against the inhabitants of an
other country or the commerce of anothe
country let him say so; on the contrary
let the expression OF contrary opinions b.
made with equal openness and candor, anC
receive equal liberation.
Mr.. Huntington's expression has on
conspicuous advantage; everybody be
lieves him to be candid. He is charge
with acting in the interests of the Occi
dental and Oriental Steamship Line. Thi
is scarcely to be wondered at. He is on
of the proprietors of the line, and tha
l.. -, &c
certainly not a matter of surprise. l
short, Mr. Huntington, as proprietor OF
steamship line, desired to establish facil
ties of commercial exchange betwee
America and China, to promote comme
cial intercourse and to build up trade fC
his line All commercial relation is PR
NOTED in the same way. When the owe
land railroad was constructed betwee
California and the Missouri river, it WI
for the purpose of facilitating, encourai
ing and promoting commercial relation
between the countries connected by it. FL
Mr.. Huntington to establish line of cor
munication between America and Chin
and then pretend TO favor measures whiC
would deprive it of business, would imp
either hypocrisy or idiocy, and no one livil
will charge Mr.. Huntington with eth
want of candor or intellectual force. II
establishment of a steamship line b
tween America and China implies in t
very nature of things desire on the pa
IL Ii 20
intimacy of communication between &
two countries. It is scarcely conceivat
that the proprietor of steamship Ii
would be opposed to its prosperity.
If the owners of the Occidental al
Oriental Steamship Line are opposed
greater intimacy of social and commerce
relations between China and America, t
best indication of their sincerity in Il
matter would be the diseoatinuance Of t
service and the abandonment of the liz
The establishment and maintenance
such a line commits its owners to the dc
trlne that the increase OF commercial in
macy is desirable; that it is exactly VIII
the maintenance OF the Aile VIII fiVuu'
To establish such line and immediate
proceed to the support of government
measures calculated to take away its bu.
ness, is to place ones financial interests
antagonism to their conviction of patriot
duty. For Mr.. Huntington to take al
other than the position he has taken wou
be the equivalent of maintaining and e
tablishing steamship line and declarir