The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-01-12
LEHLBACH ON All SIN.
Newark's Congressman Discusses
the Chinese Question After a
Trip TO California.

w AtHANOlONs O0ns - ACtA%-AA1fAN'
tative Herman Lehlbach. of Newark, whe
has returned to Washington after a six
weeks tout through the Pacific Coast
States, with Mr.. Stump, OF Maryland.
and Senator Squire, of Washington. gives
some interesting data as the result OF
their Investigation Of the Chinese immi-
grafton question. These gentlemen con-
stituted the subcommittee of the joint
Immigration Committee, which was APP
pointed to take testimony and MAKE a re-
port to Congress as to the efficiency Of the
present law in excluding the Chinese,
and concerning the frauds perDetrated
Hereunder. The subcommittee travelled
about 10000 miles during their tour. took
testimony in San Francisco, San Diego,
Seattle. Port Townsend, Tacoma and
Portland. The subcommittee will recon
mend that the present Chinese exclusion
law be re-enacted with certain additional
provisions increasing its efficiency.
II was no t really opposed to Chinese
Immigration" said Mr.. Lehibach, until
my eyes were opened by this investlga-
tion. The disclosures made during this
tour have convinced me that the Chinese
In this country are not only a drawback
TO the progress of the republic, but are a
serious menace to its welfare. These
people stay In the United States from
three to i've years. seldom longer. aud
when they nave accumulated $500 to $500
they consider themselves rich. Once hay
ing possessed themselve Of such a sum
their only desire is to return to their
native land. IL the present law were
rigfdly enforced, as we believe 1t can be,
within twenty-five or thirty years the
Chinese win have entirely disappeared
from this country, for they will not con-
-. uw-As. kuan -rAaanF anrnn
$751; o 900 are annually taken out of the
count tosChina by these people. The
present mode of enforcing the law does
not prevent a considerable number from
getting in every year, and the execution
Of the law is SO manifestly inefficient that
the celestials do not altogether have
to resort to fraud and Misrepresentation
easy matter for a Chinaman who has
never been In this country TO receive in
structIous from one who has returned to
his aud by p~ersonatiug MIN he
is enabled TO answer all the questions OF
the customs inspectors, and these people
are so nearly alike In face and form that
the keenest OF customs inspectors are
often unable to identify them even after
seeing them several times. Thus, by
using the papers of their countrymen,
they are enabled to effect an entrance
without much fear OF detection. As u
investigation has demonstrated, you can
not make these Chinese talk or give testi-
mony, as they scarcely know a word of
English. There is no doubt that large
sums of money are spent tor corrupt pur-
poses in getting these people into the
aud Americans themselves are
responsible for some Of these frauds by
which Cinnamon are imported and hired
as cheap labor"
II suppose you found San Francisco a
x~1rx snforaoffnn nfooa for cfndyioU fhQ
sitflation?" Mr.. Lehlbach was asked.
Yes" he replied, chinatown in 'Fris-
co is q city of itself, and is the biggest set
Element of Chinese on the continent.
There are 25, 900 OF them there, and they
live in a most disreputable manner. often
sleeping twenty-five in "a room in hunks
ranged one above another. Many OF these
abodes are TWO stories underground, and
are the most vile and repulsive dens inn
.aginable. While employed as servants
they usually keep the place about them
clean, but personally they are dirty and
unkempt, and their novels reek with
opium fumes and other noisome doors.
Although these people spend but q few
cents q day for living expenses, China
town spends 10000 a day for gambling
purposes. and the habit is chronic among
them. Opium smoking is INDUCED in by
everybody in Chinatown, and the most of
them carry the practice to excess. But
this is not all. The young Americans
of the cities acquire the habit.
and every one familiar with the
terrible results OF this vice, which sell
dom leaves its victim until death, Knows
what havoc it can play with the health of
Il community. Then this Chinatown is
filled with houses of bad repute, and with
the exception of few resident merchants.
the Chinese OF San Francisco are a hope
lessly degraded set. and a disgrace to the
city. The next largest Chinese settle
ment we found in Portland, where there
are eight to ten thousand Cinnamon.
These people do not conhne themselves to
running laundries as in the East, but
are ~scrupulously neat ones at that, con-
duct gambling bells, and u opium
Joints. In spite of their frugal habits they
will gamble aud smoke opium, but what
money they throw away in these diver
sions goes into the pockets of Chinese
gamblers, and ultimately finds its way to
the Flowery Kingdom"
"Are there not other ways the Chinese
of entering the country besides
through San Francisco 2"
"Well, / should say So" he replied.
There are several hundred miles of open
country along the Mexican u Canadian
boundaries where they can sneak in with
out fear of arrest. There are officers who
guard THESE boundaries, but each one of
such f-unctioparies mas to keep a surveil-
over more han q hundred miles of
boundary line, which he of course cannot
The result is a number come in over
the borders. and when they have once
a Chinese colony their identity is
com pietely lost"