The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-05-08
THE CHINESE BILL

The Chinese minister at Washington
registers vigorous protest against the
new Chinese exclusion act. and although
ne does not say 30, there is an intimation
that he will ask for his passport and HE
aim and his suite to the Flowery King
don. So far as the minister is concerned.
and so far as relates TO the Chinese gen
orally in this country, we can get along
very well If they should all go back to
their horQes. Perhaps we will get along
better without them, for while as a rule
the Chinese are reasonably obedient to the
laws, and if they are immoral and dirty
they do not force their immortality and
filth upon others, but instead keep most of
their Objectionable features, they are
nevertheless not desirable as residents. nor
are they in any sense beneficial to the
country. Their very virtues, or what we
call virtues in others, namely, their
industry, economy and thrift, are iniur-
lous, in that they are made to operate
against the interests of better people
They reduce wages because they can afford
to work for less than responsible citizens
they spend no more than they are com
PEELED to by their few wants, ana their
thrift tends to the Impeachment of the
country, their accommodations being carried
away. Hence, wesay that from material
standpoint, it will be better if we admit no
more Chinese and get rid OF those now
here Sc soon as possible Nor is the ques-
| ton OF rejection one of right. A nation
has an inherent right to say who shall
dwell within its borders. It can assert and
exercise that right against any race or
class. To take the opposite position is to
argue that the nation is not independent
and supreme within its own territory, but
rests upon its physical power to proteci
itself
But there is a question OF Importance IN,
volved in this Chinese business, and it is
| one which our Lawmakers do not take into
account. 1t is the question of national pro.
priety, Of national sincerity, national in
tegrity and of national courage. The re.
public was founded upon a principle Sc
broad as to include all mankind. 1t con-
templated all men, and made no distinc
tiens as to race, creed, color or condition.
The oppressed of all nations" were taken
into account; the poor were invited with
as much heartiness as the rich to coma to
America and become members of the goa
erous republic which had been erected on
foundation declaring the brotherhood OF
men. As to these very Mongolians, We re
member distinctly when they were made
welcome, and they did not come fast
enough 10 suit progressive Americans who
wanted their labor to help redeem the
! boundless resources Of the country.
| In now proclaiming Ggainst the Chinese
are not our legislators and citizens repudi
ating theory and going back on princi-
pie which have been the pride and boast OF
Americans since the signing of the Declare
ton of independence! Is not this repudia-
ton in the nature of demsgogyl These are
things we should think about. and WE
should ask ourselves If the exclusion Of
men from one continent If the turning Of
our backs upon q race are not in reality {
confession that we DO not believe what We
profess, that we do not think there is suct
thing as the brotherhood of man, that .ht
great republic is failure in so far as i
claims to be system of government which
recognizes all men as enjoying equality a
birthl
We shall be very glad to be free from the
Chinese, and We could wish that Others
would depart with them. At the sam,
tine, 1t is questionable if the Legislation
which has just gone into the books will MOI
be reflection upon the United States.
will not elevate US in the esteem of the en-
iightened powers, and as for ourselves, i
|
our own in q struggle with the little yellow
man Of the Orient. We proclaim to thu
world that we cannot trust cur civilization
in q contest With his, hence NE viii ba
him out.
The new law effsetuslly hedges out
Chinese, and it is believed it will opsrat,
in such away as 10 drive out large per
centsge of thu Nougolisns now here