Amador ledger., 1901-11-15
THE EXCLUSION LAW.


fornia will meet in San Francisco.
A more momentous question never
summoned the people to assemble in
state convention than that of the
Chinese exclusion law. As far as
California is concerned, and not only
California, but all the Pacific coast
states and territories, the seuti-
ment is all one way. 1t is more
than probable, that of all the dele
gates to the convention that meets
in the city on the. 21st instant-and
they will number at least 5OO-not
one will favor the reopening of our
ports to unrestricted Chinese immi-
grafton. We have tried that sys-
tenn in the past, and the experience
we have had in that line is not of
such nature that any citizen of
the Caucasian race will advocate a
return to it. After ten years of
surcease from the government tai
blunder that babe them cast their
lot among us, their presence here is
the greatest curse that confronts
the labor world to-day. A decade
of exclusion has somewhat modified
the evil, by reducing the number of
the Mongolians, but the peril is still
acutely felt. Nature never designed
that the two races should inter
mingle. When she fixed the bounds
of their habitation, she placed the
widest oceans and the largest con-
tinent between them and the cradle
of the Caucasian race. When the
Chinese centuries back reared that
historic wall that was intended to
shut out the stranger from their
domains on the land side, as com
pletely as the seas guarded them on
their shore lines, they simply rati-
fed that provision of nature that
constituted them a distinct people
and set apart for them a separate
heritage. Their ways are not like
our ways. They believe they are
immeasurably ahead of us; we be-
lieve we are long strides in advance
of them. The physical, social, and
mental differences that divide us are
radical and deep-seated. Whether
centuries of industrial intercourse
would bridge this gulf is a problem
which the United States does not
care to solve practically. Only
within comparatively recent years
have the Chinese manifested a dis
position to wander from their own
walled empire. They emigrate not
as home seekers, but as volunta
and temporary exiles, for the better
ment of their financial condition, and
with the intention of returning tc
their native land when their object
is attained. Wherever, in Their
wanderings they have come in con-
tact with the white race, bringing
with them the imaginary boon OF
cheap labor, very short time has
elapsed ere public sentiment has
unanimously proclaimed their pres
ence a menace that required the
strong arm of the law to remove.
Many years ago the Australian colo
MES found it necessary to impose a
headtax upon Mongolians. Now
the Australian Commonwealth lie
latest addition to the family of ma
tions, and having more unoccupied
land, and therefore more room for
desirable immigration, than any
other nation within the temperate
zone-the home of the Caucasian
races seriously considering the
question of the absolute exclusion
not only of the Mongolians and Jap
anese, but also of all Asiatic races
Malayans, Hindoos and Afghans.
There is fixity of character and
modes of life in the oriental races
that we do not find in anything like
the same degree in any other
quarter of the globe.
The anti-Chinese sentiment is not
strong in the Eastern States. The
people there have had no experience
of their demoralizing presence worth
speaking Of The brotherhood of
man, and the common origin of the
human family, are still potent ideas
in molding their views. They cling
to long cherished theories, whereas
we on this coast have had those same
theories exploded by actual contact.
We hope the coming convention will
take a determined stand in opposi-
ton 10 the influx of Chinese and
Japanese. We cannot hope to get
all we ask for at once. 1t will take
time to convince Congress of the
necessity of such radical departure
from our traditional policy. but that
should be the goal of our efforts, and
that we shall reach it ultimately
there is not the slightest reason to