The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-05-23

Such the short and easy progress, such the way
success is won,
And not far we need to wander-every week we
see 1t done.
THE CHINESE MUST STAY,
[PUBLIsHED BY REQUEST.
No nation can afford to let go its high
ideals. The founders of the American
Republic asserted the principle that all
men are created equal, and made this
fair land a refuge for the whole world.
Its manifest destiny, therefore, is to he
the teacher and leader of nations in lib
erty. It's supremacy should be main
tanned by good faith and righteous deal
ing, and not by the display of selfishness
and greed. But not, looking at the &C
tions of this generation of Americans in
their treatment of other races, who can
get rid of the idea that that Nation,
which Abraham Lincoln said was con-
ceiyed in liberty, waxed great through
opposition, and was really dedicated to
the proposition that all men are created
to prey on one another
How far this Republic has departed
from its high ideal and reversed its ira
dictionary policy may be seen IN the laws
passed against the Chinese.
Chinese immigrants never claimed to
be any better than farmers, traders, and
artisans. If, on the one hand, they are
not princes and mobiles, on the other
hand, they are not coolies and slaves.
They all came voluntarily, as their con-
sular papers certified, and their purpose
| in leaving their hCIe and friends was
to get honest work. They were told
that they could obtain higher wages in
America than elsewhere, and that Amer
leans were friendly to the Chinese and
invited them to come. In this they
were confirmed by certain provisions in
the treaties made between China and the
United States, by which rights and priv
ileges were mutually guaranteed to the
citizens of either country residing in the
other. No one can deny that the United
States made all the advances, and that
China came forth from her secluslon be.
cause she trusted in American honor
and good faith.
So long as the Chinese served their
purposes and did not come into collision
with the hoodlum element afterwards
imported to California, the people of
| tnAL OlAlR ndu uOlIIDR W VI
regarding them. Why should they,
when, at one time, half the revenue OF
the State was raised out of the Chinese
miners But the time came when wages
fell with the cost of living. The loafers
became strong enough to have their
votes sought after. Their wants were
attended to. Their complaints became
the motive power of political activity.
So many took up the cry against the
Chinese that 1t was declared that no par
ty could succeed on the Pacific coast
which did not adopt the hoodlums' cause
as its own. Supposing that no party
could succeed, would the Union have
gone to ruin Z
Those who remember events of some
thirty-fve years ago will see nothing
strange in the antagonism of one class ol
laborers to another. Opposition 20 the
Chinese is identical with the opposition
to the free immigration of Europeans
and especially of the Irish; for it wal
once urged against the transatlantic
immigrants that their cheap labor'
"would degrade, demoralize, and pau
perize American labor, and displace in
telligent Americans in many branches oi
, employment" There was bitter con
fiict, bat the sensible view prevailed
For it was found that a greater supply
of unskilled labor made it possible fol
skilled labOrers 10 command higher
wages and more regular employment.
Why IS it that the American laborel
! was soon raised to higher social anC
, industrial plane, and ceased to fear lrisf
competition, while the Irish still dreat
the competition of the Chinese 1t II
simply because the Irish are industlially
inferior TO their competitors. They have
not the ability 10 get above competition
like the Amer icans, and 80, perforce
they must dispute with the Chinese fo
the chance to be hewers of wood anC
drawers of water.
Such industrial conflicts occur every
day, as, for instance, between trade un-
ionists and scabs, Irish and Germans
Italians who came yesterday and ltal
ians who come today. Let them figh
Il out by lawful means, and let the tit
test survive; but you do not take thu
side Of one against the other--least o.
all, the side of the strong against thu
weak. Why, then, take the side of thu
European immigrants against the Chi
nese But you say there are many OBJ
jections against the latter which cannot
be made against the former, and th'
Chinese stand charged with too many
things to make them desirable. Ah, yes
| see. But it IS only fair to look int
these charges before we pass our judg
ment. 1t has been urged :
/. That the influx of Chinese is {
standing menance to Republican institu
tions upon the Pacific coast and the ex
istence there of Christian civilization.
That is what call a severe reflection
on Republican institutions and Christian
civilization. Republican institution
have withstood the strain of $4,000, O0I
OF the lower classes of Europe, amonl
whom may be found Anarchists, Social
lists, Communists, Nihilists, political as
sassins, and cut-throats; but they can
not endure the assaults Of a few hun
dred thousands of the most peaceibl,
and most easily-governed pc pie in th'
world
Christianity must have lost its pris
tine power, for, having subdued anC
civilized one half the world, it is nov
powerless before the resistance of
, handful of Chinese ! Surely the Chimes,
must be angels or devils ! If angels
,, they would go without your bidding
II devils, you would not be able to driv,
them out.
The argument advanced against Chi
nese immigi alton by some members o
Congress is substantially this "Chinl
; has starving (D population OF 400, 900,
900; she can spare 100 coo, 900 easily.
costs only $60-a mere trife-to com,
over here. Therefore, as Senator Sar
. geant declared, the Pacific Coast mus
: in time become either American or Mon
golian.'" The beauty of this argumen
will strike you at once, il you reflec
that the Chinese are not a mIgratoI
people; that hardly l,000,0 900 have lei
the country by sea in 100 years; tha
even to adj4cent provinces their migra
: tons have been lin ted and that tn
. dispo,i ion TO lead life OF adventure j
pt cul;ar to the people Of Canton and it
! outlying dIstr c.s.
. Moreover, the ten cents per day earnet
. by a starving population, though suffi
cient to buy all the necessaries Of life
:. will not warrant saving Of more thai
50 per year. At that rate, how man
years will a man require to enable bin
, 10 save enough for his passageI