The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-09-04
no row ON CHINESE EXCLUSION.

VI lHe Mig, anu WSiiI tltlle LOO lar DIS
did one Hamlet.
no YoR ON CHINESE EXCLUSION.
Ho Vow is heather, and China
man to boot. Moreover he is a brother
of WI Ting Fang the Chinese minister
at Washington -Ho Vow holds the office
OF consul general of China in the United
States. Although Ho Vow is Chinaman
and heather, he seemsto know about
as much about civilization and the laws
governing labor as, the ordinary American
statesman, and some might contend a
great deal more
In the current number of the North
American Review, Ho Vow has a paper
entitled: Chinese Exclusion, a Benefit
or Harm?" Insthis article he points out
the inconsistency of the opposition to
Chinese, immigration from an industrial
and a commercial standpoint. He shows
that the twenty years of Chinese ex-
cluson has been due to the prejudice of
the labor unions into competition with
whose laborers the Chinese do not enter
1t is the market for rude labor that the
Chinese supply and not the demand for
skilled labor. Ho. Vow has grasped and
protecting rude labor and skilled labor.
To object to the rude labor of the Chi,
nese is like Directing to the introduction
of labor saving machine. Even the
rankest protectionist does not defend the
practice of protecting raw material-the
product of the forests and the mines or
the result of rude labor Whenever a
tariff is placed on such commodities it
is regarded as a straight steal even by
those who ask it. So it is with Chinese
and other rude labor. If it can be in
troduced for one-half of what now is
paid, the country will be that much the
gamer. The same as if machine were
introduced that doubled the power of
each man to perform work.
This argument of Ho Vow cannot be
answered. He is absolutely right. He is
also right in his position regarding the
effect of the exclusion act upon the COM
merce of this country with China. If we
want the good will of China in COM
mercial way we must be willing to ac-
cord that nation the ordinary courtesies
of commercial intercourse
Some months ago the Globe discussed
the probabilities of a renewal of the ex-
clusion act at the next term of congress,
and pointed out the need of Chinese, or
other labor. in the South and in the de-
velopment of the arid West. The de-
velopment of the South has now become
a question of labor So scarce has it be-
come that children of all ages and women
toilers. The negro as a servant and a
rude laborer is losing ground. For some
reason, possibly racial, he is not wanted.
For this special labor the Chinese are ad-
mirably adapted
Ho Vow states that the Chinese do not
take to skilled labor. Whether they can
be adapted to it or not, is not the ques-
ton, they do not take to it and there
the skilled labor of this country. 1t
then is simply the question whether the
people of the United States want to al
low the immigration Of law-abidfng,
frugal, industrious class to perform the
rude labor.
When EIo makes the statement that
there is no such thing as overproduction
els again right. 1t is matter of mar
kets. The world never produces too
much. An overproduction can never
cause famine. The policy of labor unions
to limit production that they may have
a monopoly of work is pointed out as
one of the fallacies of that shortsighted
school Of philosophy. All this is not new
it is not original with Ho Vow, but it is
worth the attention Of our political econ
cmists who will be called upon to pass
On our relations with China during the
next year.
The question of race assimilation Mr..
Ho Vow does not touch. 1t is a delicate
question and one which we of the United
States would like to have discussed from
a heather Chinese standpoint.
If the Chinese cut their queues, adopt
our mode of dress, and seek to become
American citizens in the fullest sense of
the word, can we admit them with an
assurance that we can assimilate them?
On this question it would be interesting
to get Mr.. Ho Vows views
"THOU SHALT NOT STEAL.