The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-01
CHINESE CITIZENSHIP.

California has always been more
deeply interested in the Chinese ques-
ton than any other state in the Union;
the reason for this is that she has suf-
fered more from the influx of Chinese
than any other. And now the state is
alarmed once more over the question
because of the decision of the supreme
court of the United States in the case
of Wong Kim Ark, which arose in San
Francisco. The question involved was
one of citizenship. Ark was born in
this country, but of Chinese parents;
he claimed the rights of citizenship,
and the supreme court has upheld his
claim. Justice Gray, who delivered the
opinion of the court, laid down this
rule:
The fourteenth amendment in clear
words has the manifest intent to in
clude children born within the territory
of the United States of all other per-
sons, of whatever race or color domi-
ciled within the United States.
The decision rather upsets the San
Francisco Chronicle. 1t truly says that
the exercise OF suffrage is regulated by
the states and that their discrimina-
ton (discretion?) is very large. And
then it takes comfort in a note that it
quotes from Sharwood's Blackstone,
Vol. 1, p. 376. and which is as follows:
1t is a common error to connect the
elective franchise inseparably with cit
iKenship. as If elector and citizen We're
convertible terms. In regard to the
persons who shall exercise this fran
chise in each state, it is determined
entirely by the constitution and laws of
the state. They may confer the privi-
lege on aliens, negroes, Indians, women
and children. Even in the choice of
representatives in congress and electors
of president of the United States, the
federal constitution leaves the matter
entirely in the hands of the state.
The Chronicle then says that with
power so absolute the state, by pro-
per amendments to its constitution,
can debar undesirable elements, such
lot box; but it cannot tamper with
their fundamental privileges and i'm
munities,'' such as the right to come
to the seat of government to assert
any claim he (the citizen) may have
upon the government; to seek its pro-
lection; to share it's offices; to engage
in administering its functions; to have
free access to its seaports, through
which all the operations Of foreign
commerce are conducted; to free ac-
cess to the land offices, the revenue
offices and the courts of justice in the
several states; to peaceably assemble
to petition for redress and grievances,
etc.
Indians hold a peculiar relationship
to the government and always have,
but when they sever their tribal rela-
tons and take upon themselves the du-
ties of citizenship, they are entitled to
all its rights and privileges. A native
born Chinaman could not be excluded
from the privilege of the ballot box be-
cause of his parentage any more than
any other citizen; TO do so would be a
direct infraction of the fifteenth amend
ment. which declares that the right of
the citizens to vote shall not be de-
MED or obridged by the United States
or any state on account of race. color,
or previous condition of servitude."
American citizens of Chinese parent
age have a right 10 participate in the
government of the city, county or state
in which they live, the same as other
American citizens. Should they under
take to exercise this right in California
it is not at all improbable that there
would be serious race trouble on hand
the same as there is in some parts of
the south over the negro question.
The new phase of the Chinese ques
ito is not a pleasant one for California
to contemplate.