Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1905-08-10

standards of Christian and Anglo.
Saxon civilization. Subsequent expert
ence, they assert, has shown that such
fear was without warrant. The Chi
nese who came have no purpose of
meddling with our institutions of gov
eminent and society. So 1t has come
to pass, as the authors of this com
munication believe, that "the Pacific
coast is no more in favor OF their OK.
clusion than the middle West. the East
or the South"
They say to the President. further,
that while efforts to secure better
treatment of the few Cinnamon who
come here are appreciated, they do
not reach the root of the matter. They
are superficial and insufficient.
I'VE are convinced that these efforts
will not touch the root of the Difficult
ty, and that the negotiation of a new
treaty and the enactment of new laws
are necessary to the maintenance OF
the principles of humanity, on which,
this government is founded, and to
the establishment of harmonious re-
|
China. We believe II to be i'm.
perative that privileges similar to
those enjoyed by the subjects of other
nations shall be extended, under suit
able restrictions, to the Chinese. The
fear that they will exert a demoralis.
ing influence on our civilization has
passed away; their usefulness as pa.
tient and intelligent laborers, who
give full equivalent for the wages
asked, and practically all of whom re-.
turn sooner or later to their own land,
Is demonstrated"
The letter goes on to argue that they
are needed to do the work that re-
mains undone because laborers to do
II cannot be found. The sons and
daughters of American laborers aspire
to higher positions and are not content
to perform mental service. The objec
tions to the employment of Chinese
come mainly from those who think
that their competition would lower
the standard of wages and the posi-.
tion of the wage.earner. They sub.
NIT as reply to this argument that
the average condition of the laborer
In this country has constantly improv.
ed and still continues to improve, in
spite of an enormous immigration of
working people from nearly every
country of Europe, and that there Ia
! no objection to the admission to Pa
cific coast ports of moderate num-
Der of Chinese that does not lie with
equal force against the entry into New
York, Boston and Philadelphia of Itai.
ians. Poles, Slavs, Russians and the in
habitants of southeastern Europe.
An immense amount of work Is wait.
! ing to be done In the Pacific coast
| States which Americans will not do,
which would be fastened to compile
tion II Chinese labor could be EN-.
ployed. The argument that relates
to the necessity of fostering Oriental
commerce is pressed with earnestncss
and .cogency. The upshot of the mat.
ter is presented in the following rec.
cancellations:
"Moved by all these considerations.
we respectfully urge upon you, Mr..
President, the taking of steps toward
negotiating a new treaty with China.
that shall provide for the removal Of
the eXacting conditions that now at
tach.to the entrance into this country
Of their merchants, students and pro-
fessional men, for the absolute free.
dom of all Chinese residents of this
| country to visit their own land and
return here, and for the admission
during the next ten years of a number
of male Chinese laborers that in any
one year shall not exceed one-tenth OF
| per cent. of the population Of this
country. American labor has little ap,
probation of its own dignity and pow
er. as well as of its capabilities for
improvement, II 1t raises objections to
such limited Chinese immigration as
that-amounting in ten years to less
Than l per cent. of our population
and thus endeayors to deprive the ma.
tion of the additional means to its own
development, not only in this country,
but in the Hawaiian and Philippine
Islands and Panama"
One significant thing in this urgent
recommendation Is. the omission OF
any word In condemnation of bringing
In the Chinese as coolies. to be hired
out under taskmasters as substantial
slaves. Another significant thing is
the treatment Of the fact that this
class of immigrants forms no perma-
nent addition to the body polite as II
It were an advantage. 1t is In this
point that the immigration from Eu
rope differs essentially from that from
China. There are other points of crit
lcism that need not be mentioned now.