The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1890-05-01
AN INSIDE VIEW or CHINATOWN.

Womgn'S Missionary Society nj
Santa Clara, has done more TO
expose the hideOus moral aspect Of
the Chinese colony that is growing
ali the tipe in our midst than all the
newspapers which have so far eought
to illustrate the subject. The rsa-
son is that, Hs missionary, she
gained an opportunity to inspect
Chinese interiors that has been per-
sisteptly denied TO representatives
Of the press. Miss Cable has net
made any revelations that are q sur.
prise 10 the students Of Chinese
manners and customs. The condi-
ton Of affairs she describes has al.
ways been known to them hypothe-
tically--that is 10 say, that whatever
habits, vices, or pecularities exist
ed in China were sure TO be found
in that fragment Of il which is locat-
ed in the heart Of ole San Francisco.
But speculslions Of tina, Kind lnck
the force and power Of actual obser-
walton made on the spot. II should
be known to Senator Hoar and other
Chnophiles of the Senate, the gush-
ing philanthropists OF the New York
Chamber of Commerce and those
great metropolitan journals which
always know . great deal more about
other peoples affairs than they
do of their own, that there is grow
ing up in this country polygamy
of more hOrrid aud repulsivc char
actcr than is TO be found in Utah.
| 1t is ilourishing in San Francisco
and is budding in every other Amc-
rcan city where Chinese are gath
| cred in numbers. Miss Gable says
that three or four wives are found
| in most Chinese households. These
| wives are purchased in the slave
mart of an American city. Likely
| girls fetch from $1,000 to $4,000,
We may add that they do not come
so dear in China. -Four hundred
dollars seems TO be about the aver
age price there, except in times OF
famine, when rates ruie much lower.
There j.. therefore, it would seem,
margin enough 10 buy their way
through the not very close or COM
pact Federal barriers.
These numerous wives do not i'm
pose any very heavy burden on the
Chinese polygamis,. There is no
deep trouble on his mind on the
subject Of Easter bonncts. Miss
Cable says that the purchase money
is the first and last expense Of Chi
nese wives. The model husband
makes them work as scamstrcsscs fol
the Chinese stores from twelve tc
sixteen hours per day. They "r'
never allowed to 90 out. We may
add that they may be sold over
again when the Chinese prorrIeto!
tires OF them. This, abhorrent n
it is, is picture Of the most rcput.
able feature Of Chinese life. The
surprised reader viii probably IN
guire Why some effort has not beer
made to break mp this polygamy
which is sprouting out al! over th'
county, and which is 40 much wois'
than the kindred institution tOun;
IN Morm0ud0m There IL a grca
deal Of truth in the sententious re
mark If Miss Cable that the Amrri
can dollar IS more potent with ih'
policeman and politician than Tia
American Constitution or law. There
has been q great deal more Of tili
iehascment on the part OF our OIL
cials than is generally suspected. |
full statement could he made Of il
i, would probably shock the countr,
as il has never been shocked before
Bat this polygGmy business conl'
no, be easily proved in court. ]
! proceedings should be instituted {
bring any Of these foreign poly
gamiots to Justice, witnesses with@u
| number would be brought forwar
to prove that the women were sean
stresses and not concubinc5. Til
simple tale OF Miss Gable, bache
As it is by all that can be game
from the study of the litelatur
that is attanable in relation 10 III
Chinese. would bc laughed TO -cOr
in some courts. All this, it will b
! noticed, bears on the home and be
| ter, If such qualification is admiss
=. able, life Of the Chinese dear to III
. hearts of Senator Hoar and ii
pLi!anthrople clippers Of Wa
a street. What shall be said Of th;
: other and still bascr form OF whic
G Miss Cable speaks, in which your
!. girls are raised for the slave ma
, for purposes so unspeakably vi
that the Ncil has 10 be drawn ov
IT this phase OF the Chinese Question
G These facts are recommended
= the silent meditation of the trn
y, good men in New York and els
where who admire the Chinese Il
= the fares they pay and go in for u
- brotherhood Of man and a diyiden
! Miss Cable does not speak ot ih
II other slavery in men which is disc
), ganizing our industries because c'
IDENTIFY it did not come within u
y sphere of her observation. But
!, rcposes ou just as secure found
II ton rs the other and more rcpella
II slavery which she has exposes
=, These male slaves enter into 90
;, tracts in China for labor and servi
u for long terms in the United State
C Peru, Brazil and-Cuba. This ne