New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-15
THE CHINESE QUESTION.
TIE RECORD OF LEGISLATION IN TIE
UNITED STATES
To the Editor ofThe rribune

California to be sure had begun TO be somewhat sat
aed with blouse and pgail for the magic luminous OF
gold had long since swept across the Pacific The
thrifty Oriental even in the early years after 1Sia fol
lowed the scent eastward and made good living out
Of the taillngs left By the Caucasian miner. But no
threat Of numbers had yet aroused the fears Of the
people Of the Pacific Coast. and they endured nu
sancc which I'm many respects also convenience
with good natuicd Indifference With the adoption
Of the Burlncame treaty Of 1SG5. however a new
order Of things began to present itself for social and
political consideration. BY this treaty the Chinese
gwen all the privileges In the United states
granted to the favored nations. including the right
Of unlimited migration. The inhuX Of an alien
race which had beer tolerated but not welcome took
on swelling proportions In the spring Of 1876 Inc
alarm aroused by this problem found form through
the press and public meetings. The rate Of Increase
had been rapid. The average number Of immigrants
from lo55 TO 1859 inclusive was 4.53o: from 1860 to
1864, G.GO0, from 1850 10 1870. obi from 1871
to 1874. 13.O0obeine at the rate Of so per cent In
crease each FIVE wears. II began to lie a2prehendcd
that at this rate the heather Chinee' would In the
near future. ontSwell the male adult American ana all
other races combined in those states threatened by
reason Of geographical pDpinquiiy. lie had the
via n tcrco Of 400 900 900 people and
The unplumbcd deep cstranglng sea-
had ceased Ia be barrier between the shores of Asia
and America. What made the situation more alarm
ing was the belief that the majority Of the immigrants
were coolies In bondage to secret societcs an alliance
known as the six Companies and It was alleged that
the methods pursued by this immigration trust
included systematic violations Of every state and
municipal law. Committees appointed by tn" State
sena" and the United states senate made eNamina
tion- into the facts in 1876. with view TO bringing
about some revision Of the Eurlinsame treaty. By which
the immigration Il Chinese could be limited
The memorial Of the state senate Committee 10 Con
grcss. after setting forth In detail the evils complained
o. summed up substantially follows:
III further immigration i prevented. they thc
Chinese already RESIDENT will gradually return to their
country. and the occupations in which they are
engaged will he supplied with aborers and i'm
migrants of our own The temper of the people
Of California i such that the employment Of Chinese
will be- II has to a considerable extent already
been. discouraged and this will ehccually compel
their departure.
with the Chinese Government there need be no
difficulty. A. will appear by the report. that GOV
eminent Is opposed 10 the emigration Of il people and
in our Judgment founded on reliable evidence. would
readily consent to a Modification of existing treaties
and for this reason also such modification ~ouli not
necessarily disturb i'm any manner our commercial re
latlonS with China
In his message to the legislature Of Is77'71. GOV
cnor Irwin advocated that if the Government of
China viii not consent 81 such modification ~ the
treaty. then Congrc,, ,hoald forthwith pas such laws
I'm disregard Of the treaty. as will remedy the evil.
The Legislature also mcmoralIci Congress about ur;
Ing 3 revision Of the treaties The prevalent sentiment
stirred the drces of the population to savage VIC
lcnce. which assumed ~ organized form. The Anti
Chinese and Worlinsmcn'S Association formed club,
throughout the state in l776'77. and these ala not
hesitate t. use murder and arson to ntmidaic the en-
ployers Of Chinese labor well as the employed
Though the body of respectable wprkingmen con
demned such ontrages. and all the resources Of law
taxed to punish this outbreak u the
hoodum7 element. the association vet became III"
germ " the Worhngmen', party. which was destined
TO MI such an important place California politics
and make the name, Of DEM, Kearncy and the sand
Lots known from end Il the country t. the other
This party crvStarcd rapidly. and. IT. leaders
had The wisdom Ia suppress the Illegal methods Of It,
beginning It gradually gathered into It's ranks many
workingmcn who would not otherwise have affiliated
with IT, The harangucs of the dcmagosuc- who l~ the
van. however never ceased to be Of reckless and In
Hammatory nature and they kept the public mind In
state Of turmoil by their demands. pursued In season
and out Of season The strength Of the anti Chinese
feeling among the respectable rla.c- wa, proof II may
be- said in passing even against the natural ractlon
which Denis Kcarncy and If, colleague, created by
their blatant oratory. There were many. too. WHO
d,dalncd to employ the inflated rhetoric Of The ma
joriiy Of cNcu>cni,t, and frankly admitted In the
words Of ~Thc sacramento Record: IT IS efficient
that he can underworld and nndcrlivc the Anglo saxon
and Celtic and all other races Of European develop
mcnt. We wish to get rid II him because we
fear that be will drive n to the wall
Tho Chinese question continued N grow In Ia
interest 10 all classes in l-7-70 and the parties who
opposed the Kcarncyics hardly les assured Of
the undesrabnltv of unrestricted Chinese labor. Tho
new constitution which was adopted I'm 1870. forbade
corporaiions 10 employ the Chinese refused them the
right to labor public works. aod secluded their
c-dencc In fixed portions ~ ciilc, and towns. Con
crc,s was bcsicgcd every year with memorials aud
petitions asking for revision Of treaties.
The agitation bore fruit IN 1850 Mcssrs. Angel.
Swift and TrcscOft on behalf of the United states.
signed n new treaty at Pcdnc on November II.
I5-O The Chinese Government conceded 10 this
country the right regulate. limit or suspend the
coming or residence 81 Immigrant inborcrs but MOI 10
prohibit immigration. In the text Of the treaty. the
Limitation or suspension shall he reasonable and only
apply 10 Chinese who may 60 to the United sintes
rs Iaborcrs other classes not being included IN the
limitation Legislation taken in mgard to Chinese
abOcrs shall be Of such character only as Is n"c"N-
sarv TO enforce the regulation limitation or sispen-
sion Of immigration. and Immigrants shall not be sub
iectcf 10 personal malirramcnt or abuse
Congress however did not act on those new treaty
rights for two Years i'm spite ~ the steady pressure
brought to bear by the dominant sentiment OF can
fornia and In lesser degree thai Of oregon. The
burdens and restrictions laid on the Chimes"
by the new state Constitution softencd by III"
construction Of the courts. but the public feeling
abated rswise Early In 1882 Congress passed an act
suspending Chinese immigration for twenty years
The Chinese Mftstcr protested aenlnsf the act. ana
President Arthur vetoed the bill on the ground that
the term fixed was unreasonable suspension within
the meaning Of the treaty Of 1870 Another bill.
however was brought forward In the House OF Repre-
senatvcs few months later. fixing the period Of silS
pension nj ten wears but in other respects being SUD
stantially the same It's predecessor This term
would expire Nav g. 1902 For the proper iden'ihca-
t,on Of Chinese labOrcrS who might have tho right
az residence. and 10 furnish them with the evidence
NJ their right 10 60 and come between China and
the United states. II enacted that the Collector
NJ Customs should board cvcry vessel cleaif F Tor
a foreign port and make list Of all Chinese passen-
GERS Of the class referred In The registry BOOKS
kept for that purpose 10 he stated name. age
occupaon last place Of residence physical marks or
pcculiaritics etc. fac smile OF the registry III