Evening star., 1901-12-12
MR.. METCALf'S VIEWS
OPPOSED TO ALL ADULTERATIONO OF
FOOD PRODUCTS.
Thinks an OieOmargarine Bill Will
sion Act Will Be Extended.

Il voted fer the Grout bill at the last
session Of Congress. and shall vote for a
similar measure at this session. said Rep
resentative Victor H. Metcalf Of California
to Star reporter this morning.
Mr.. Metcalf represents the third district
OF his state. which Justice McKenna rep
resented for several terms, and portion
of it lies across the bay from San Fran
cisco, Oakland being the principal city. from
whence he halls.
Il am opposed to all adulteration of food
products, particularly butter" he continued,
land there is considerable of this food pro-
duced in certain sections of my district
There is a strong sentiment there that such
industry should be protected against i'm
posture on the part of the oleomargarine
manufacturers / think that there is no
question that the bill will pass the House
by large majority. The consumer is en-
titled to all the protection that legislation
may give him in securing precisely the ar
ticle he asks for, and when q manufac-
tured product is sold him for the genuine
one some proper safeguards should be
thrown around it's sale. which will secure
him from fraud. Such will be the object of
the measure which will receive the indorse-
ment of Congress, and once 1t is passed
and gone Into effect a great public achieve
ment will have been accomplished. What
ever I may do in this direction will be
done, and 1 think the consistent course of
The Star in furthering the peoples rights
to get what they intend to buy is worthy
Of unstinted commendation."
The Yellow Peril.
Mr.. Metcalf is one of the most earnest
advocates Of the Chinese exclusion act in
Congress. In reply to a question Of the
representative of The Star as to what he
thought would be the result II the act were
suspended for time, he said:
1T would be most disastrous and let ils
all give thanks that such a dreadful con-
tingency does not confront the country 1t
would be just the opportunity that the Chi
nese want. I venture to say without fear
of contradiction that there would be two
or three new lines of steamers plying be-
tween the Chinese ports and that of San
Francisco within few months, and that
100000, yes, 100000, Chinese coolies would
walk down the gangplanks inside of six
months Once the bars were down they
would swarm upon us like bees around q
hive, for the United States is a land Of
veritable honey to them.
None but those who have seen the big
transpacific steamers come into the port
OF San Francisco with their decks black,
or rather yellow, with Chinese immigrants
with their bundles Of personal effects upon
their backs, can appreciate what Chinese
laboring men. 1t is sight which knocks
all the theoretical notions about the Chi
nese thoroughly out Of the heads Of men
To see them tramp through the streets on
their way to Chinatown in droves con-
scious of the fact that every one OF them
is willing to work from daylight to dark
and In the laundrfes and other inside labor
way into the night. plays strongly upon
the human emotions. All that has been
said about the Chinese as to their vices
and habits. their cutting OF wages, their
non-assimilation with our people, their ut
ter disregard OF our laws and customs ands
their undesirability as residents in this
country. is hundred times true.
Effects Of the Exclusion Act.
'There were 67.729 Chinese In the west
ern states and territories In 1900. and of
this number 45.729 were In my state. There
are 1870 Chinese In my district alone and
2,211 in one county, that Of Alameda. n,
which Oakland Is situated. on the opposite
side OF the bay from San Francisco. In
1880 there were s.158 in my district. while
there were 5000 Chinese in the state. In
1890 there were 72.000. and in 1900 the num-
ber, as have said. was reduced to 4b.76s.
'sThis reduction Is the result OF the Chi
nese there making enough to return to their
native land. and Of their seeking Temporary
homes in the eastern states. with an ade-
quate and rig1dly enforced exclusion act !
which will keep them out altogether, we
may r forward to the happy day when
We ma uy farewell to the most of them. j
think what would have been the result
but for the present act. There would have
been several millions OF Chinese scattered
throughout the United States working In
competition with American labor for few
cents day. The act that Congress passes
at this session cannot be too stringent and
restrictive. and I look for an Improvement
Upon the Geary law.