The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1893-07-01
The Chinese Question.


1t will take some time for the full eff
fects of the Geary law, requiring the
Chinese to register before May 8, to be-
come felt. The supreme court decision
declaring the law constitutional has
caused some excitement and not a little
speculation regarding the attitude of the
Chinese government. but the chances
are that the Chinese will register; that
our government will, as it should, give
them time to do this, and that the furry
will then blow over.
1t is curious how this inimical feeling
toward the Chinese started and how it
has grown. The development Oh the Pa
cific coast after the discovery Of gold in
California created demand for labor,
and the Mongolians began to cross the
ocean and settle there. They soon un-
derbid the white laborers and supplant-
ed them in many kinds of work. An out
cry was raised by the white population,
especially the laboring men. against per-
uniting this competition, which they
claimed was unfair.
Local legislation attempted to impede
this immigration, but the United States
courts decided such laws invalid. Then
congress was appealed to. Denis Kear-
ney Of ''sand lot" came led the move
ment among the laborers. It was said
that the Chinese were an inferior race,
that they were unassimilable. that they
could exist ON pittance that would not
enable white workmen to live decently.
that they came here under the guidance
of what is known as the Six Com
panies, which controlled them in labor
and politically. and that they had no in
tention of becoming citizens and resid-
ing permanently in this country.
On the other hand, although but a few
years ago, the policy of welcoming the
oppressed of all nations" was then much
more popular than it is today. The
tendency likewise, for good or for i'll, fef
one section Of this country to feel that
it knows what is best for another sec
ton of the country better than itself
showed itself, and people in the east ar
gued that the Chinese were an honest,
thrifty and ingenious people. that their
peculiar habits would gradually disap-
pear in this country. and that the Ash
atics were no worse than other immi-
grants from Europe who were freely adj
mitted.
After a good deal of agitation a bill
finally passed congress in 1882 prohibit
ing Chinese immigration. 1t was amend
ed in 1884 so as to suspend the immigra-
ton of Chinese laborers for 10 years.
As showing the force and growth of
public opinion on this question, it may
be remarked that in the presidential
campaign of 1888 it was thought neces-
sary to pauiate or deny the Republican
candidates reputed opposition to this
bill. In fact, the view that would have
undoubtedly strengthened the presiden.
tial candidate on this question in 1884
was considered cause of weakness four
years later.
According to the census, there are only
some 10000 Chinese in the whole coun-
try. but about three-quarters of these
are in California
Now that the exclusion act has been
declared constitutional it is feared that
the Chinese empire may refuse to receive
a minister from this country. that all
diplomatic relations may be dissolved.
and that other retaliatory measures may
be acted upon. In such a case the enact
ment OF the bill will result in more harm
than good.