The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-04-24
Correspondence of the Press.l
Los ANGELES, April is, Is

CnlneSe Will not resist the provisions OF
the Geary law, has had the effect to in
crease the interest in the Chinese ques-
ton, whose greatest crisis in America is
how approaching. IL has been given out
that all the power of the government
would willingly and perhaps necessarily
be called into requisition to enforce the
extreme new measures that are to take
effect May 9Th. Underneath allthis talk
however, there has been feeling that
there could hardly be any sensational
conflict. The opinions of correspondents
OF some Eastern newspapers that race
war, bitter and bloody, would soon ensue
lacked sincerity as we'll as sense. There
is nothing in the history of the question
that has given hint of any probable ac-
ton on the part of the Chinese not based
on patience and an intelligent conception
of the issue involved.
When, therefore, ii was quietly given
out that the Six Companies would by
prompt habeos corpus proceedings test
the Geary law, it not only caused no sur
prise but was discounted beforehand. In
the very beginning, the officials of the
Treasury Department, who were instruct
ed to register all the Chinese with identi-
fication complete, even to photograph,
under penalty of deportation, felt that
it would not and could not be
accomplished. They knew that the
people at large neither called for nor be-
lleved in the extreme measures and the
bad temper of the average hater of the
Chinese; and they therefore knew be-
forehand that the constitutionality of
the new Exclusion Act would be tested
before the courts, and not even the gov
eminent would care or dare TO proceed
with extreme measures meantime.
Thus
This Much-talked of Crisis
bids fairto be settled in the most approved
and enduring way; and shall be much
mistaken if better understanding of the
practical truths of the subject does not
also follow. 1t may have been necessary
that all this should have happened to
settle the question of public opinion as
well as the legal phase of the Geary law.
Not only does this action of the Six Com
panies-who are merely the advisers of
tine Chinese population here-seem to be
a plain right, but it is admitted to be
wise and dignified. They have been adj
yised by their own government, as well
as by good lawyers here, that the new
law goes beyond the true policy or the
right of the nation to go; and hence they
propose to test it, relying on the govern
ment' S acquiescence in the method. After
May 9th every Chinaman who may be
arrested will go to Jail but will make no
sign; while the courts will proceed to
grind. The Chinese minister at Wash
ington will be able to see to it that no
disturbance shall result,-in fact this is
impossible from the very patient and
wary nature of the interested parties
themselves. 1t is evident that the Chin
csc government is behind all this action
and will manage it with spirit and skill,
so far as it can make itself known and
felt; and this gives significance to the
,Vice-Consul's hint that the United States
just now can hardly want an internation-
al imbroglio with China.
The Chinese Question.
has not practical interest-at least, no
important one-outside of California,
and there are two sides to it here. Few
men would assert that the coming of any
Ignorant race is good for the country in
the long run; and perhaps there is no
other class of immigrants SO objection
able as the Chinese, since they do not as
simulate with our native born citizens or
the best classes of new corners. In other
words, what is being urged against all
the lower classes OF immigrants in point
of promise as citizens, is perhaps strong
est in the case of the Chinese, and this
is the extent to which any fair-minded
and intelligent critic can go. In many
ways they are the most useful and de-
sirable workers, and they came here in a
beftting way. In early days when times
We're good and no complaining, the
Chinese worked the placers side By side
with the whites. For great railway
building and vineyard work they were
still later and more loudly sought In
1868 a great feast was given to the lead
ing Chinese in the city of San Francisco.
The governor of the state welcomed the
Oriental in fowery speech and the China
man marched in the citizens parade
bearing his flag of the dragons. It was
the apothesis of the Mongolian. But
tliCl . CciiC a. lllIlC Will tuG IdDOr guilds
felt that they must not suffer even China
men to compete, and so determined
stand was made against them, which at
last took on the color and shape of politi-
cal prescription, whose DEGREES went
forth in the angry shouts of thousands
gathered nightly on the sand lots.
No one who has not studied the meth
DDS and seen the
Fruits of the Labor Unions in San Fran
cisco
can fully understand their purpose or
or their power. They have liter
ally controlled the labor market. New
er was such tyranny before. From
their distant and isolated situation it
was easy by discouraging and discred-
iting new corners to keep their ranks
well in hand and under the most rigid
and cunning discipline. Few new ones
could get into the unions and none 9th
ers could get work. Not even appren-
tees were allowed reasonable chance to
learn trade. AS an example. the news
papaers could only have one apprentice
to fifteen journeymen; and SO in every
department of labor. The very details