Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-03-16
THE REMOVAL OF CHINATOWNs.

The Supervisors OF San Francisco have
passed an ordinance for the removal Of
Chinatown from the heart of the CITY. 1t
provides that after sixty days it shall be
unlawful for Chinese to reside or do bust
ness in the locality where they now have
their quarters. \ specific locality is desig-
mated, to which they may remove
That the removal of Chinatown from
the heart OF the metropolis would be
public good, no one doubts. So, too,
like removal Of the Chinese quarter from
the heart Of this city would be beneGcent
action. But it is very much more than
doubtful if the San Francisco ordinance
can be enforced. All The probabilities are
that 1t will be pronounced unconstitutional
and IN derogation of treaty rights. 1t
makes no difference whatever that our
own people in China are by the Imperial
Government confined to certain narrow
limits Of residence, and have not, as have
tie Chinese in America, tie privilege Of
residence in any part of tn. country. The
treaty rights regarding Chinese with Us
guarantees to them as broad liberties as
are enjoyed by any other foreigners.
But II is probably not doubted by any
lawyer, that the ordinance is unccnstitu
tional because discriminating for one
thing, and for several other reasons. That
police health regulations may be enforced
against the Chinese quarter, no one ques-
tons, but to decree absolute removal!
assumes for municipal authority power
which 1t Is unlikely it possesses. If the
city OF San Francisco can compel Chinese
residents 20 cease doing business within
the city limits, or to coniiae their business
to certain remote quarters, it has the
power to issue similar DEGREES against
German. French, Irish, Russian, Spanish
and all ether alien residents and the ex-
istence Of such authority is incouceivabIe.
All that may be done against the Chi
nese Is to compel them TO conform as
strictly to health, police and other ordi-
nan1es, as is required of others.
1t has for many years been Il common
argument at the East that the California
Chinese quarters are what they are-nui-
sances and public shame-because we
have not cared TO require the Chinese to
obey sanitary and ether regulations of
good town and municipal government. 1t
has been freely charged that we have been
thus derelict because we preferred to use
the Chinese quarters as arguments in sup
port OF the anti-Chinese cause How I'm
true all this is, Californians well know.
The difficulty, almost irnpossibility, Of en-
forcing health and other regulative laws
in Chinese quarters in the past, every citi-
zen OF California knows Does ii follow
therefore, that We must endure the inflic.
tioa OF filth, shamelessneSs and defiance Of
the local and State laws in these China
towns? We think not. While it has
been next to impossible in the past to
compel obedience on the part OF the Chi
nese TO the sanitary laws, the conditions
are now such, or becoming such rapidlv.
that reform may be prosecuted in Chinese
quarters. Vigorous effort III that dir.c-
lion will now be met with greater success
than ever before, since the unrestricted
immigration OF Chinese is checked. Those
with us hy long residence become in de-
gree more familiar with our system and
more impressed with respect for orr laws,
or rather for the force that is behind
them.
San Francisco can cleanse Chinatown
and bring it under subsection to her o.di-
nances. 1t viii be Difficult, task it will
not be accomplished in day nor year,
but, as conditions become more settled, it
can be done. The cost will be heavy, and
the call for frmness, energy and incor-
ruptibility on the part Of the officials
great; but, we repeat, it can be done how
ever hopeless the task has seemed to be in
the past.