Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-01-23
EDITORIALS BY THE
PEOPLE,

| Travelled along the Pacific coast as
far as Vancouver Island which |
brought me in contact with the China.
man in all avocations of life. Upon |
investigation l find cheap labor is the
only defense made for the Chinaman, |
as he is a very undesirable citizen. 1t |
is urged that cheap labor is a good |
thing for q country and that it contrib
utes largely to the production Of
wealth. 1t also has other interests
and duties; its per capita productive
energy is, however, greater than any
other country. AS inventions and i'm
provement of machinery by intelligent
ductive capacity of the people in,
crease. At the rate of twelve per
cent per decade of the growth of this
country, one hundred years hence, it
will have a population of 100000 900.
Production and population will ma
turally advance together and the home
market to which Chinese labor does
not contribute will be preserved.
Let us ask ourselves, do we there
fore need to estimate our production
by letting down the bars to the immi-
grafton of non-consuming and non-as-
similative coolies? Is it not a ques-
ton after all of holding this great con-
tinent for development by Cauca-
SLAMS who have so far succeeded so
we'll? Regarded solely as a laboring
class as you look upon the slaves of
the south prior to the civil war, the
Chinese then are no doubt entitled to
a consideration but can we, consist
entity to our institutions, segregate
laboring class and regard it simply by
its capacity for work? If so the Chi
nese meet nearly every requirement,
for they work for extremely low wages
and are not in the least concerned
about their political, religious or So
cial condition.
But America has dignified labor;
has invested it's people with political
rights and civic duties. Our govern
is controlled by majorities and if the
majority of the people of this country
were Chinese immigration, unlimited
would be directly and most harmfully
effected. The effort certainly would be
disastrous, as it would be putting an
army of single men Injured to cease
less and unremitting toll. The
| Chinese are content with the
very longest hours and the
very lowest wages as well as
the most meager food, without aspi-
rations in common with the American
citizen who has been bred by our civ.
ilization to family life and duties. The
result would be, that the American
citizen would come down to the Chi
nese standard after long suffering, dur
ing which our form of government de
pendent upon an intelligent and pros
porous people, would be shaken to its
very foundations, Then he would
rise up and outside the forms of Law
and resist the invasion. We are, how
ever, convinced that as soon as the
lquestion is understood the majority O
our countrymen who would be thu.
directly affected will give as they have
given in the past their support to thu
peaceful and very wise remedy al
now proposed. namely the re-enact
ment of the Chinese Exclusion Act.
This country has been warned b.
the dear experience with the south ant
1T well knows the bitterness of a rae
animosity. Suffrage is privileg
conferred by several states upon tn
citizens where it is believed that it
exercise will be for the benefit of tn
, state.
In Hawaii today there, are $500
, Chinese. They receive good wage
according to their standard At HON
they are paid no more than two do
lars a month for farm work, and i
= Hawaii they are paid twenty dollar
= q month but in view of these fact
: they cannot be induced to remain a
ter they have accumulated $1,000
3 which they consider fair compete1
e cy with which to return to their n;
: tive home.
g So far from seeking an asylum o
: fering allegiance and understandin
e necessary to citizenship, they are ne
l. even bona fide citizens, they are mer
! ly machines wound up ready for worl
I They make no contributions to tn
IS country's enduring interest. This
republic of men. The Chinese cam
S along after the country has been di
+ covered and wrested from despotisn
g made free, settled by the pioneer an
l. occupied by his posterity to partic
+ pate in the prosperity which libert
S invention, and industry have develo
3 ed and civilization has crowne
Hence, the only thing they can Off
lie in exchange is their labor, but the
Dor is already provided by those
CT our own household. Cinnamon CO
make no contribution to citizensh
p and if their services are accepte
n those who are capable of doing Il
er work of the land, supporting o
C. schools, churches and public instit
le tons, and fighting our battles, a
u crowded out and we abandon o
VII fields and our factories to servi
n class.
re A peaceable and Industrious inv
lie sion from China would constantly !
Sc duce the standard which has been {
tablished by American civilization a
IN what force could not accomplish
* past centuries might ultimately be ;
er complished on this free continent |
TO der the fostering influences of m
s. taken foolish ungenerous laws. I
ne imperative duty of this country is
ng work Dor the betterment of man.
IS is by the improvement of political C;
or ditions and not by their debaseme
ed through the mingling with infer
TO races that one shall succeed. Let
ne accept the settled law of the count
is with respect to the Chinese exclusi