The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1896-06-05
CHINESE VOTERS.
The Number in San Francisco Is
Rapidly Increasing.
Teey Are Being Courted by Politicians
Who Are Looking Forward to the
Coming Elections-How They
Are Enfranchised.

OF u years, and, therefore, VIII be en-
titled to vote. They acquire this priv
ilcge under the 14th amendment to the
constitution of the United States
Yet, under the treaty between thi;
country and China, the voters father
cannot be naturalized, and is, there
fore, not citizen. The population Of
the Chinese quarter is about $4,000, and
the coming Chinese suffragists, in ad.
dition to those who have already ~
rived at the voting age, will soon cut
an important figure in the politics OF
this city and state. They are now be-
ing courted by the politicians, who are
looking forward to 1896.
Notwithstanding the prohibitory
laws Chinese laborers percolate
through British Columbia on the north
and come up through Mexico on the
south. The Chinese not only ENGAGE
in all kinds of Industrial labor, but are
leading the Californians in the mann
facture of many articles and are also
entering the professions. They manu-
facture shoes and sell them at 25 to 20
per cent. cheaper than does the eau
casian manufacturer. They have MI
merous shops, where mending and re
pairing are done at cut rates, and these
eobblers are largely patronized by
white people who are not averse to saw
ing few dimes. They make fine calf
skin shoes for three and five dollars,
for which the white shoemaker will
charge five and eight dollars. They
manufacture and retail cigars at one
cent, which the white man sells at tive
for FIVE" These are mainly purchased
by youths and blatant hoodlums, who
stand upon the corners and denounce
the 'heathen." Recently several new
markets have been established in the
Chinese quarter, where every kind of
fish and game may be had fresh. Hun
dreds OF Chinese are continually en-
gagged in fishing and trapping game. A
great deal is dried and shipped to cast
ern markets. But it is common to see
housewives and servants in the Chinese
markets bargaining for vegetables and
fish. few years ago such a thing
was not to be thought of. Bevies Of
women are seen daily in the Chinese
quarter buying ladies and chldren's
shoes, the manufacture of which is
with the Chinese. And
whereverFa woman can get things
cheaply she will purchase, because she
will then have more money TO buy other
things with. The manufacture of
lAlies' underwear is also a speciality
with these deft workers, and their
stores are daily visited by feminine
shoppers.
Selling vegetables and fish is one of
their leading Industries. Market hours
continue throughout the day, and street
vendors on foot and in wagons may be
seen in all parts of the city crying their
in cracked voices and
broken English.
In addition to shoes and all kinds of
clothing, they manufacture brooms,
jewelry, and preserve and can all Kinds
of fruit for shipment. They learned
this on the fruit ranches and in can
neries, where they were employed at |
one dollar day. Now they purchase
the fruit, can it, and undersell their |
former employers.
When the Caucasian manufacturers
imported what they termed these
heather" they little thought that in
few years they would have rival, and
one that is gradually driving them out
Of business. The Chinese went to work
1t making shoes for S1.5G day, sup
white men who were receiv-
ng three dollars a day. The manu-
'acturcr who employed from so 10
100 men prided himself upon his stroke
If economy. Now the Chinese have
heir own factories, and in order 10
compete the white manufacturer must
ret skilled labor at one dollar a day
" go out of business. The same may
,e said of the other branches of indus
RI into which the Chinese have en-
cred.
To the neglect of our own heather.
vhO are filling the prisons and refornla-
ory institutions, our overZealous but
Misguided missionary societies under
ook to Christianize this "heathcn,"
Tho has q religious belief much older
han our civilization. Missions and
ehooIs were established, and the mis-
passed through the slums OF
ur city to the field of Chinatown. The
hrewd Chinese took advantage of this
to learn English without
urse or scrip, and after they had grad
ated the missions saw them no more.
csAsa of them even wore American
5thing, OF "civilized clothing" as it
termed, but not one of them ever ]
1t off his queue-the badge of his re- {
pion. About the only real CONVEX ]
ons were those of the white women ,
achers who married their Chinese |
Ipils.
AS an evidence of their undetermined {
.aling, Chinaman will seek work in !
basket factory, and in few months ]
ter he has learned the secrets of the /
lsiness, where the material may be OBJ [