The herald., 1893-05-25
LETTER BAG.
A view OF the Chinose ousation

dressed, and conversely, it is from
want of such concordance that attempts
at reformation and elevation of the ideas
of men 90 often prove failures. To q
very great extent the Pacific coast SEN
timent againet Chinese immigration
springs from the effect the PRESENCE of
the Chinsrpsn has upon our present in
| terests. There is seldom an article of
public point or any extended converse
tion in which allusion is not made to
the competition the Chinaman wages
against the European or American la
borer and the inexpeneive mode OF liv-
ing the filthy habits and the limited
patronage OF this country. Although
we urge nearly as frequently the fact
that the ChinamGn does not become
citizen and will not hermit
himself to sssimilate with our political
or social body, think, as a rule. we
care less for these latter facts because
we do not feel their effect upon our i'm
mediate interests as sensibly as we
do the former. The people of the
eastern states have not felt the effect of
Chinese competition as we have, and
they do not care to advance their
thoughts to the actual or possible effect
OF the Chinese presence upon our politi-
cal and social conditions. | mean this
in q comparative or general sense only.
for it must bs conceded that the con,
| greea of the United States in passing
the exclusion acts and the Geary act
must have intended TO do what they
did, and that they must have been more
largely controlled by political reasons
than mere personal ones, and that the
labor competition was not more than
one OF the considerations entering into
the congressional decision.
There are reasons to be urged in favor
OF Chinese exclusIon and even deporta-
| tion which should be sufficient to meet
the endorsement of every one who loves
! America and desires our republic to
achieve lasting and honorable name
| in the history OF the world. TheE are
social and political reasons greatly supe-
rior in Importance to the question OF
labor competition. We have popula-
tion of more than sixty millions. We
are drawing extensively from European
countries and are growing by natural
incree SO, but the inducements for Euro
pean immigration are growing less, and
there is a limit to 1t. The Asatic races
comprise hundreds of millions of peo-
pie, possessing the greatest imaginable
indccements for emigration.
1t has been said that the population
of the continent of Europe could be set
tied in the Mississippi valley, "and find
| itself all the better for the change"
| the population of the Chinese
empire. But we have teri
tory sufficient for all China
and q superior one. There is nothing in
China comparable with the yet virgin
resources of America. There is here
unlimited inducement for her people,
aud this cannot be more plainly empha-
sized than by the strenuous efforts that
| have been and are being made to thwart
our restriction laws. The Chinese will
suffer the ssverest rebukes and shocks
ere they consent to relinquish the foot
held already gained, or forego the grand
opportunities which will inevitably fol-
low their settlement on this continent.
Draper, in bis Civil Policy of Amerirn,
| has given this subject some careful and
scientific thonght. HE remarks cannot
be better referred to than by quoting:
From the remarks made on page 81, !,
e. will be inferred that the Pacific shore
"a the United States is destined here
alter to be the scene of an active Asiatic
ium igration, So vast 10 the mineral
and grieultural wealth of those regions
so unfortunate the demand for labor, so
rem nn srative its result that the settled
and Tor rid populations of China, Japan,
Indie G. uuot fail to be affected. Al
ready tGn the first of those countries
the val gufsrd of such an intruding col
umn has appeared. The Chinese popula-
ito of Ca lifornia is far from insignificant.
and is teadily increasing. In 1869 it
was 34,935. 1t is of no importance that
for the pr tsent these people look upon
the countr they thus visit as merely q
Temporary sbode, in which money is to
be made, an that, as their moderate ex-
pectatione OF a competency are fulfilled,
they hasten to return to their native
place. That ia bhe natural timidity OF
early adyenturers.
But these in due season will be fol-
lowed by others having more settled in
tentione. The dislike the American
population has to them once abating--
that temporary dislike which all races of
men who differ in aspect, in ideas, in
religion from one another always enter
tsin--the general principles of the sys-
tenn of the republic will come into pow
erful effect. The facility for acquiring
proprietorship in land, the certainty of
it's tenure, are temptations that no la
borjpa rias5 can resist. In the same
street will be eeen the joss house, the
synagogue, the mosque, the chapel and
the church.
Con sidnring that, under the crcum-
stances Of the case, the individuals who
are thus destined TO disturb the Pacific
coast mue5 necessarily issue from the
lower social grades of the countries from
which they come, their admixture with
the native American population cannot
be viewed without anxiety.
Some of this authors admonitiona
may seem unnecessary and his appre-
hensions extreme, but we have reason to
heed them the more we consider the in
creaRe OF our Chinese and Japanese pop
ulation since 1865, and the more appar-
ent becomes the determination OF those
people to come and remain upon this
coast. cannot, therefore, refrain from
quoting one more passage.
"With eastern blood will necessarily
come eastern thoughts, and the attempt
at eastern social habits. have already
referred to the political power OF eastern
polygamic institutions. 1t must not be
forgotten that they are in accordance
with the sentiments of Asiatics."
/ do not understand the question of
wage competition. 1t ia aerious ques-
ton, and it is not uupatriotic for the
laboring man to insist that "the Chi
nese must 90" when the Chinaman with
: his evil habits pollutea our social atmo
sphere, despinea our food and clothing,