Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-16
AGAINST THE CHINESE.
Mr. Hilborn Of California Makes an Able
Argument
Celestia1s . Menace to Our CfvilIxa.
tiou-rhey Can Live on Five
Cents a Day.

born OF California delivered a striking and
able argument on the Chinese question. 1t
was Mr. HiIborns maiden effort and at
once drew attention to the California repre-
sentative as an eloquent and strong speaker.
Mr.. Hilborn presented the Pacific coast
side OF the Chinese question. In effect Mr..
HiIborn said:
We frequently hear 1t said in the discus
sion OF the Chinese question, but always
among the uniformed. that the dignity of
this great nation ought not to be lowered
and that its traditional policy should not
be changed to please few "hoodlums''
and '-sandlotters' in California. This ex-
preston implies that opposition to Chinese
immigration is confined to a class and that
class a disreputable one. in the states bor-
dering on the Pacific ocean. / find the i'm
preston abroad that the advocates Of Chi
nese restriction are to be found only among
the vicious, Unlettered foreign elements of
our society. Those who entertain this
opinion are greatly mistaken. The people
Of the state of California are practically
unanimous in opposition to this class of
emigration We have ceased to discuss the
policy Of Chinese restriction among our
selves; with US the case is closed. This is
not a new conclusion. In order to settle all
doubts as TO the opinions of our people upon
this question the popular vote was had, and
that vote Is recorded. The provisions of
law under which this vote was had in 1873
and the result of the same at the general
election OF that year are set forth in
statement made BY the governor. as re-
CURED by the same law The statement
shows that the legislature of California
passed an act. approved December q, 1871,
which provided for the submission 10 the
electors OF the state at the next general
election the question OF the continuance or
prohibition of Chinese immigration This
question was submitted to the voters of
the state. in pursuance of the act above
fhZ al. toni hold ~
the I'd day OF September, 1879.
AT sad general election there were chosen
all state and county officers and members
OF the United States House OF Represen-
tatives. The total vote cast at such cleo
ton was l61,+6 votes, which is several
thousand more than the votes cast at any
previous election in the state. 1t is prob
able. therefore. that the vote was as nearly
full as IL would be possible. under any cir
culstances. to secure. The vote was:
For Chinese immigration. ......... $50
Against Chinese immigration. .......-- Bl,63S
Voters who did not express any wish
on the subject. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 5,sS4
The conclusion from this vote" con-
clades the statement. lis unavoidable, to
wit: that the citizens Of the state are sub
santlally unanimous against the contin-
uance OF Chinese immigrant ton.
Tnere has been change OF sentiment
among the people of California since that
vote was taken The evils resulting from
this undesirable immigration are more thor
oughly understood now than ever before
and IL a vote was now taken, IN my opin-
ion. the majority would be still greater
There is not a newspaper published in the
state of California which favors Chinese
immigration. and I can safely say that
Oregon, Washington and Nevada The OPP
position to this undesirable immigration
Is confined to no political party and TO no
class Of people.
The Old Civilization.
This is not now. and never has been. a
tiles. 1t is something broader and higher
than that. 1t is contest between two
Civilizations. the oriental civilization Off 1t
can be called a civi,ization) and our own.
One was hoary with age before the English
language was spoken on the face OF the
earth A civilization which eliminated be-
fore our western civilization began. A civil
iz1tion of want and CALLING poverty. Under
such a civilization the Chinese race has been
developed. With them. from the cradle to the
grave. IL is a hand to hand struggle with
starvation. and fortunate are they who die
of old age. They inhabit a country whose
resources are taxed to the utmost to support
the population When the products of a
district fall off the population must diminish
accordingly. These hard conditions have
produced a race of people whose serious;
faces are seldom lighted with smile. They
have solved the question that a human
being can live and labor on ) cents day.
That little rice. fish and vegetables VIII
sustain life. Their dress is the perfection of
economy. and mas not changed for centuries.
This civilization of the orient, SO equipped
with these enforced economies, came across
tie Pacific and came into contact with our
western civilization. a civilization of COM
fort and plenty-a civilization which means
the family. the nome and home circle, the
hearthstone, the public school. the Sunday
school and the church L believe God likes
this civilization of ours, for it does not stifie
or repress. but brings out of the human
being all that is good in him. but civil
ization is expensive. 1t costs money to
maintain IL. Our laborers cannot live and
support families and educate their children
on the wages which satisfy the Chinaman.
The conditions are different The one is
discharSing his duties as a citizen, the other
has no family and assumes none of the
duties of citizenship. The Chinese are not
available as jurymen; cannot be called upon
as a posse comitatus to preserve order MOI
be relied upon as soldiers / believe 1t to be
self evident that either the American Ia
borer must perish from the face of the earth
or the Chinese laborer must be excluded
4 Huge Populations.
China has a population of 400. 900 900. and
we have 65.O.0Ut0. This great reservoir
of humanity is just beyond our western Dor
der. and only a peaceful ocean between us
For less than $40 per capita every individual
in China could be transported to American
soil Every one of this vast collection OF
human beings could come from Hong Kone
to san Francisco with as little expense ant
danger as that attending a passage from
OmahO to Washington. Iney cOuId over
run US like an army of locusts- They could
duplicate our population and the absentee:
would scarcely be missed in their own coun
try. China could spare man TO compete
for the bread of every American laborer
and his absence would not be noted in thai
great hive of humanity The question may
be asked why il is that the American
laborer cannot compete successfully, and
have heard the cruel opinion uttered tina
Al he cannot compete with the Chinese h,
ought to perish. The American laborel
can successfully compete with the China
man In the struggle for existence if he car
and will 20 down to his level and live a.
he does DO we want that? Can we main
tain our form of government under sucl
conditions? Can the family. which is TIT
corner stone of our civilization, be main
tanned when the bread winner receives onl!
Chinese wages?
How 1t IL Done.
There are a large number of manufac
turing establishments in California engaged
In manufacturing for local consumption
Up to 1860. and perhaps later. the workmel
IN these establishments were white men
and they earned wages sufficient to supper
their families. These establishments still
exist. but the work is done by Chinese. The,
have driven the white man out of almos
every branch of light manufacture. and rhi
Is the way 1t is done. Suppose there is al
establishment for the manufacture of boot