Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-09-06
CHINESE EXCLUSION.


The Chinese side Of the exclusion
question Is set forth by NJ Ho VOW,
Chinese consul general to the Unllcd
States, in an article in the September
number Of the North American Review
The gentleman characterizes the eA-
c,uslon act as chinese" wall, butw'th
this difference, that the prototype was
built against robbers and maraude's
while the imitation in this country IS
feared against the Industrious anu
peaceful citizens Of friendly nItion
He then positively denies that chi
nese labor In this country is a de'ii'
ment to Us. He says there can be no
such thing as oyerproductlon put on
the contrary, the more production
there is, the more demand there WIN
be, and the easter are those demands
satisfied. Were Chinese labor cheap
he says. the influx Of 1t to the Paoih'
coast would be the greatest boon 10
hat section of country, 1t would open
,he soil to life and an it with fruitloni
Inc vast producuyeness would open
many fields in which the Chinese would
be unable to enter, and create an
oceanic and interstate commerce IN
which there would be profitable busi'
ness for all
But he further argues, Chinese laooi
Is not cheap, so there Is no wen iouhu'
GA affection to Il on that score. Ameri'
can labor, he says, is cheap WINE
chinese labor is dear AS an illustra-
lion he mentions sawed timber which
IS laid down in the Straits Settlements
for two cents foot, China ne says
with labor at from to 20 cents DAY
could not cut 1t Tor that price IL II
were fact that the cheap labor oi
CHINA was the formidable competition
II IL said TO be- you would have no
foreipn commerce. All the factories IN
the wo,ld would center In China which
Is AZ rich IN natural resources, In ue-
posits of minerals and materials ana IN
horticultural potentIalitIes, as any eouh'
try on the globe" Machinery makes
hoon labor. and therefore America Is
me leading country in the matter OIL
cheap labor
The entire argument is lngenlously
constructed. and urged with ihuch
force but It will not carry CONVICTION u
the American workIngman CHINESE IA
bor Is objected to on the ground that
the Chinese, although they compete
with the white laborer In the various
fields In which wages can be earned re-
fuse to aid in the consumption OF the
products Of American labor. They mar
row the field Of opportunities for earn
ing and do not recompense for this by
enlarglng the markets They live IN
small shacks at minimum Of outlay
while they send to China for much OF
their food, clothing and luxuries. They
sell all they can, but do not buy much
in this country. Under the circum-
stances, whether their labor Is cheap or
not, considering It's quality II is looked
upon as a detrlment TO the country,
But there is another line OF argument
which the Chinese consul general may
expect TO have presented 10 him. an
cd States Is beneficial to this country,
because OF the greater industrial ac-
tivlty Il stimulates why Is It
not as beneficial TO China to keep them
at home, In order to stimulate the IN
dustrial activity where It Is as much
needed AZ here? If there Is no such
thing as oyerproductlon and distress
on account Of competition, why do the
Chinese leave their own land with It's
dear labor, and come here, where labor
is 80 cheap BY his own theory the
use OF Chinese labor In the United
States would 80 enormously increase
the volume Of wealth that Industry
would spring ny on every hand. The
presence Of the Chinese laborer would
not. he argues, affect the wages Of the
white workman. The Chinsman would
be paid only what he Is worth-what he
earns. Why should he argue SO forcl-
bly, in favor OF increasing the wealth OF
the United States at the expense Of a
corresponding decrease Of the wealth Of
his own country
The gentleman IS evidently on "a
business. He offers US a certain amount
OF surplus OF Chinese labor. not on the
ground that China would be glad to gel
rid Of It's surplus, but on the ground
that we need It very badly and that
China would accommodate us, though
a loser by doing so. Is not that toe
transparent That appeal will be II
vain. notwithstanding It's eloquence.