The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-11-30
TREAT ALL RACES ALIKE

The avowed purpose of the Chinese
exclusion act was to prevent the i'm
portation of Chinese coolies to do con-
tract labor in the United States. OF
that purpose we approved; but no good
reason has yet been advanced why
the Chinese should be specially dis
tinguished from the Italian or from
contract laborers of any other nation.
We believe in having some restrictions
set up against all foreign nations, but
we do not believe in distinctions found
ed solely on color or race. There are
certainly races we do not bar out that
are lower in the scale of civilization,
viler in their personal habits. more ad-
dicted to crimes than the Chinese. AS
we know them in the East, they are a
peaceful, law-abiding class as rule
The one offense for which Cinnamon
are arrested in the city of Worcester
and in most cities of this class is gam
bling
One might think from this fact that
the Chinese were worse gamblers than
any other race or nationality. We
prefer to think that the friendless
Cinnamon are more often caught sim
ply because they are conspicuous and
friendless There is no vice more COM
mon than gambling. 1t is extremely
rare to find a single individual free
from the tendency to bet or to take
gambling risks 1t has always been
IT. 10
whole American people are tainted
with this vice. Our sports are sus-
tanned by the betting men. The horse
races are run largely for the benefit
of the gambling element. They certain
ly furnish a livelihood for large class
of gamblers who are not as a rule in
terfered with by the law
It is idle to say that any city can
be free from gambling.
The Boston Advertiser in column
editorial yesterday morning gave the
friendless Chinaman an extremely bad
name. 1t used precisely the same ar
guments that the slave holders used
before the war in the South, that the
most bitter enemy Of the American
negro uses against him today 1t says:
The plain fact is that the Chinese
are not a people who are fit to become
part and parcel of American citizen
ship. Ii is only people Of Caucasian
blood. or people OF races which cen
turtles of residence in the new world
have in some measure assimilated to
the life of the Caucasian race. who
can rightly become American citizens.
II is not matter Of political, but Of
natural law" The Chinese are least
Of ali alien races capable Of being
'Americanized" That is because China
as a nation and the Chinese as a race
have become fossilizcd by long lapses
of time they cannot learn the new
nor forget the old Their hearts and
brains and even their bodies are cast
IN an ancient. semi barbara mold
There are individual exceptions, but
such is the rule"
The newspaper that speaks or uses
this argument can no longer plead the
cause OF the African race. we believ.
the conclusions Of the Advertiser are
contrary TO the teaching of science and
common sense. We have s7en how the
4 transplanting Of races totally in
capable OF governing themselves has
often produced g race capable Of the
highest things We have no proof that
the white race Is destined by God to
eterna? superiority. There is nothing.
certainly, y the construction OF the
skin 10 confirm this assumption. Race
prejudice IS as natural as II IS foolish
The spy do=s not advocate The ad-
mission 20 this country Of any race
or class % men who caunct become
citizens or who do not intend 10 be-
come citizens o. this country. But We
cannot understand why yellow
Chinese or a slack Indian RAY not be-
come as useful a citizen as a eau
casian from the degenerate classes Of
ancient Europe or Asia.
We know that men who come here
from Turkey. which has as little evil
Gence OF a future before it as China
make excellent citizens. The whole
strength OF the American republic has
depended upon our open door to the
ambitious rsformer Of every race.