The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-10-17
Spartanbufg Herald.

Let US suppose q case. Suppose that four
American citizens, men OF education and
wealth. desiring to travel abroad, should be
landed from steamer at Hong Kong. Sup
pose that CD their arrival, they should be In
formed that according to the laws OF China,
they are not permitted to land. The civilized
world. as represented by the United States of
America. would rise up in arms and protest
against this barbarous treatment, this un-
heard of indignity, this heathen outrage.
You could find men all over this country who
would bs willing to shoulder their muskets
and 60 to the front to avenge the indignlty
heaped upon American citizens.
The press dispatches tell us that the steam
ship Eptriskbale arrived In the port OF Savan-
nah. Ca, with % Chinaman In the crew.
There is a law that demands that the crew OF
vessels In port shall sleep on land during the
months OF September and October, but this
crew happened to be composed of Chinamen
and there is another law which forbids China
men TO land in this country, and 1t seems
that the poor heathen Chinee was between
the devil and the deep sea.
The Treasury Department at Washington
however being appealed TO advised the collec-
tor of the port Of Savannah that the China.
men be not allowed to leeve the vessel and
that guards should be stationed aboard TO see
that they did not get ashore, the statute re-
quiring them to sleep ashore to the contrary
Notwithstanding.
The telegraph reports under the same date
tell us thai four Cinnamon arrived at jack
sonville, Fla, and because they did not have
In their possession certificates OF residence In
the United States, they were cast in deep,
dark, damp prison and instructions were
given that two guards should accompany the
four prisoners as far as New Orleans and at
point that they should be delivered TO the
Southern Pacific Railroad. a bonded line, that
should give good security for their transpor.
tation TO San Francisco, where they would
be delievered to the steamship company
which should give another bond conditioned
for their return to China.
He who seeks equity must do equity" Is
legal maxim as old as the English common
law. Can the United States demand an open
door in China for our products while we set
up q barrier in this country that prevents a
Chinaman from coming to our shores? Is 1t
equity, is IL right. that we should seek COM
merical relations with a nation which we dis
criminate against so flagrantly?
The widest Yahoo that ever roamed the
shell in his poke for money can come here
and become In time, an American citizen.
The Fill Islander can leave his feasts Of hu-
man flesh and walk through the ports with.
out question. But the Chinaman, the repre-
sentative of the oldest race, the race that has
shown in hundred ways civilization far in
advance OF our own, race that has contribu-
ted largely 10 the success OF cotton manHfac-
turins, especially in the South, and that has
always given this country more than IT has
received from II. Is Disseminated against.
we demand at the point Of the cannon, pro-
lection for our missionaries while excluding
them from this country? "He who seeks
equity must do equity" We have no right
to ex pect the Chinese Government 10 grant
greater privileges to American citizens than
We are willing to accord the Inhabitants OF
the Celestial Empire.