The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-08
EARL II SCORED.
His Criticism of freshmen Denounced
as Unjust.
Baltimore Sun.


While Lii Hung Chang is a very shrewd
and willy old politician of the Chinese pat
tern, his craftsmanship in some respects is
of narrow and limited order character
istic OF the semi-civili2ed and unprogress-
i've nation to which he belongs. His criti-
cism of the Irish in his interview in New
but bad diplomatic mistake If he were
as well Informed as to the affairs of this
country as he should be- he would know
that an attack upon SO influential and $50
large an element of our population could
not aid in securing the privileges for Chi
nese immigrants to the United States
which he desires. His remarks on this
whole subject betray an ignorance and
misrepresentation as to the genius of our
pie which could only be expected from
Chinese statesman. Il say TO you. he
cheap labor is unfair and against the best
interests of your country. BY excluding
the Chinese and taking the Irish you get
inferior labor and pay superior prices for
it. A Chinaman lives more simple life
than an 1rishman, and the Irish hate the
Chinese because they are possessors of
high virtues" 1t would possibly be diff
cult to make Ii Hung Chang understand
that we believe in this country that it is
for labor-wages that will enable working
people to live like civilized human beings,
not like beasts of burden. We don't want
tidal wave OF Chinese cheap labor because,
If it were permitted, our iaborers might
in time be reduced to the pitiable plight of
the average Chinaman. The condition OF
China does not present much temptation
to other countries to follow its political or
economic practices. In spite of the natural
made comparatively little' progress for
many centuries, and pretty much every
that has been accomplished within its linn
its has been due to external pressure
or foreign capital. Chinese theories of
government have resulted in a nation of
cheap men who are unable to hold their
own with even the smaller nations around
them.
Cbaapcacc is not ayervtbino Mr. I1urc.
Chang, and we are not anxious to imita ate
Chinese models in this regard. Human be-
ings may learn to live so cheaply that they
can work for next to nothing. but there is
danger that both humanity and national
manhood may lose greatly by the process.
nese unpopular. No special affection is
felt for them by any nationality. AS TO the
Chinese being hated because of their high
virtues Ii Hung Chang must be perfectly
aware that he is talking the veriest rub
bish. Nobody dislikes them Tor any such
reason 1t is the absence of high viz
tues" in large proportion of those who
have come to this country that has ex-
their cheap labor. The Chinese colonies es-
tabliShed in some of our citieS-notaby
that in San Francisco-,present object les
most startling and repulsive character. The
Irish citizens of the United States. we take
it. will not be greatly rufi1ed by Ii Hung
Chang's unfavorable comparison. They are
among the best and most reliable elements
of our population. and the country has rea-
page of it's history or a foot of its progress
to which Irish pluck and intelligence have
not contributed. To mention the Chinese
in the same breath with race which has
distinguished itself In every quarter of the
globe by its genius and it's valor would not
occur to any one but the representative of
system which values men for their cheap
ness
Such n criticism as that of Mr.. Chang is
below resentment. We are, nevertheless
glad to see that members of the Washing
ton police force declined to perform the
ms off Of lY yrcr i'm tn ,is
chair from the train to his carriage. The
police are not appointed to act as funkies
to pig-tailed diplomats from the Orient
and whether the particular policemen who
refused to perform this service were Irish
men or not, they were entirely right in
their refusal No. Mr.. Ii Hung Chang we
do not want the cheap labor you have in
China. You have ground down labor there
till you crushed the manhood out of your
people. If you are ever to hold your own
with Japan or any other country. YOU will
either have to change your methods of gov
eminent or employ the Irish or other for
eigners to fight your battles for you
We fear the Chinese diplomats head has
been somewhat swelied by the attentions he
has received in this and other civilized
1t would be well for him to have the swell
ing reduced before he returns to China or
Ii may get him into difficulties. There
they have an unpleasant way sometimes of
reducing a swelled head-by separating 1t
from the body. In this country we have a
merely laugh at the foolish creature
statesman or ordinary citizen-unti his
head resumes its normal size. The man
who has had case of big head" rarely
Korgets the ridicule and contempt which 1t
has earned him.