The morning call., 1892-11-23
CHINESE COMPLAINTS.
Imports Falling Off, But the Export
Trade Good.

Imports Falling Off, But the Export
Trade Good.
Pax Ling. OF Wing Chong Wo Company,
one OF the largest Chinese wholesale firms
In the city. was interviewed yesterday. He
is most intelligent Monaghan, and speaks
very fair English.
In answer 10 the reporters inquiries, he
said: I'VE are not importing nearly so
much as we did few years ago. and it is
the same with other wholesale houses.
Business is very bad, aud there is no in
ducement for us to increase our stocks.
''The laws against tho Chinese have
forced them to 60 away. and they do not
come back. They used to come here in
hundreds. now only few come and hun
dreds are leaving by every steamer"
"How m any business houses have failed
or retired within the past four or five
years?"
well, there used TO bs about GOO. Now
there are NOT more than 3Oo."
"You mean wholesale and retail? '
Eyes: altogether.
Have you any idea of the number that
have given up business outside of San
Francisco?"
"No; couldn't say. but there have been
great many.
Recently 3 number of the retail mer-
chants have been importing direct from
China, but Ii has amounted 10 a very little.
Even with that the importations have been
getting less and less every year.
Some houses In China have also been
shipping to Portland direct, and that has
affected our trade here to small extent.
ITS quite true" tie continued. that sew
erai houses are net pushing for business,
but are simply collecting outstanding ac-
counts, SO as to go to China as soon as they
can"
To the question as to whether there
would be a financial crash in Chinatown
about the Chinese New Year time PAX
Ling was non-cOmmittal. He admitted
that there was strong proba bility that
there would be large exodus 10 China
about that time. But every Chinese New
Year for the past four or tive years large
number had gone home.
There is one thing" he said. 'that peo-
pie here seem to overlook. [ mean the
heavy exports to China of American prod
ucts. In -four alone there is an average of
100 tons sent by each steamer. That is
three times each month, which means over
CVvv toHo pei
Besides. We EXPORT enormous quantities
of ginseng and various South American
products. Ali this export trade is beneficial
to this country. But on the other b. and our
imports are getting smaller and smaller"
PAX Ling complained strongly of the
restrictions placed upon his countrymen
and the consequent DEPRESSION in business.
He limited that merchants in Hong-KOng
might be forced to retaliate by dropping ali
commercial intercourse with the United
States.
Low Soon OF the Pacific Fruit Canning
Company, Stockton street. another intelli-
gent Monaghan, was seen by a CALL
reporter.
1--WE used to employ none but Chinese"
be said. lin our factory. but now we can't
get them. OF the 2)0 men We employ about
tw0-thirds are white men.
THE restriction act has made the Chinese
leave the country, and now 1t is impossible
to get laborers for any kind Of work. They
can't get them for the ranches and we can't
get them for our factories.
''lf there was no restriction act the
Chinese would come back again and bust
ness would be good. Now there Is no work,
no money and no business.
Tho Chinese are giving up business
because there Is no business to be done.
''ChinaDan no good in this country now,"
he said mournfully. as he babe the reporter
good-by.