Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1901-10-24
The Chinese Question.
From The Commoner.


ward the Chinese as immigrants
into this country. A few years
ago it would have been political
suicide for any public man to in
innate that he favored the admiS-
sion of the Chinese. But times
haye changed, and merchants,
manufacturers and farmers are
beginning to feel the want OF
cheap and trustworthy labor, a
want that the Chinese can salts
factorily supply. The Chinese
exclusion laws of this country
have been a blot on the statute
books, no matter how great may
have been the temporary neces-
sity or expediency. 1t is gener-
ally believed that the next con-
gress may refuse to re-enact the
exclusion law, and thus make an
"open door" in this country by
peaceful methods, in return for
the one we haue opened with our
artillery in China. b"
The same suggestion comes
from so many sources that 1t is
quite evident that the Chinese
exclusion act will not be extend
ed without a considerable effort.
The desire for "cheap and trust
worthy labor" is very natural
result of the teachings of the Re-
publican party. The CONNER
cial spirit abroad in the land pays
little attention to human rights
or to the permanent welfare of
the nation; it simply asks how a
dollar can be most easily secured.
regardless of the ultimate conse-
quences.
While the laboring men of this
country are struggling to main
tain their organization-their on
1y protection against monopoly
the men who dominate industrial
affairs are talking about a cheap
and docile labor that will aid a
still larger concentration of
wealth. While the race question
which we have is perplexing the
wisest and best of our people, the
commercialists are planning to
add another race question even
more difficult of solution.
The paper above referred to
also speaks of the increasing
number of Japanese emigrants,
and says that of the thirty-one
thousand Japanese who left their
native land in 1900, twenty thou
sand were contract 1aborers. II
in no spirit of hostility to the
oriental countries that the bars
are raised against immigrants
who can not amalgamate with our
people. If it seems a temporary
hardship, it must be remembered
that the clash between races in
times of industrial depression
would increase as oriental emf
grafton increases, and would do
more to disturb our diplomatic
relations with other countries
than a frank and honest course
in the beginning.
We can not afford to invite here
either temporary or perma-
neut class separated from us by
distinct color or race lines. It is
probable that the Japanese would
upon suggestion make regula-
tons in accord with our wishes.
In the case of Chinese the CEN
trail government has not sufficient
control over it's citizens to make
such restrictions practicable.
Whether the Japanese are re-
strained by an edict of their gov
eminent, or by American 1egis-
lation charging the scope of the
exclusion act, no time should be
lost in applying a remedy. This
nation will not only admit but
welcome those who come as stu
dents to learn our ways, attend
our schools and study our form
of government. These will carry
back with them American ideas
and Americae ways, and will be
instrumental in extending our
nations commerce, our nations
influence, and our nations civil
zation. But this nation is not a
colonization ground for the over
crowded nations of Asia.
While the "cheap labor" ques-
ton is one in which wage earners
feel special interest, it is really
so important as to demand the
consideration of every thought
full citizen.