The Jersey City news., 1906-06-06
Chauncey R. Burr of Port
land Maine Makes a Wig
orous Defense Of the Ge-
lestial
He is misunderstood
SENATOR HALE PRESENTS THE
DEFENCE AIS A SENATE DOCU-
MENT AND TT CONTAINS SOME
USEFUL INFORMATION.

idea that We don't want the Chinese in
this country that it is refreshing and in
teresting to have somebody get I'D in
meeting and talk on the other side, as
Chauncey r. Burr, of Portland, Me-. has
done in a statement just published by
Senator Hale as senate document
Mr.. Burr thinks we don't understand and
appreciate the Chinese, and especially the
Chinese coolie, in this country. He says
we have got to have new definition of
our relations to China. 1t is our gra-
tuitous insult to the Chinese as a nation,
and the mean treatment we have accord
ed Chinese students and other intelligent
Chinese visiting this country. he says.
that is responsible for the Chinese boy
colt of American goods.
Now, that the question of Chinese ex-
clusion and the offensive way in which it
has been practised has been brought to
the attention of the Chinese people as a
WHOLE says Mr.. Burr, sit will certainly
not be allowed to drop till the ethical
question involved has been thoroughly
ventilated. viz, why the Chinese laborer
is not wanted in the United States at all.
China is finding herself through much
tribulation. A national spirit is growing.
| and it is with this that the United States
has suddenly come face to face. An of
Tended nation, and an angry nation of the
size of China may suddenly blossom into
world power. The example of Japan
has not been lost on her or no her nation
al spirit. 1t behooves us, therefore. to
treat her seriously and to stop talking
in our public prints of John Chinaman,, !,
the heather Chinee, schinks and sCeles
tials' This is not the way friends are
| made'
Even if We don't want the Chinese
coolie in this country, Mr.. Burr thinks,
we do want him and need him in the
/ Philippines and in Hawaii, and above
ALL he suggests, We want China's trade.
If we don't get it we might as well, he
contends. give up work on the Panama
Canal, as outside of China the Eastern
trade is not worth much Mr.. Burr de-
1
fends the Chinese merchant as honesty
/ personifed thes Chinese workman as
Industrious. efficient and diligent, the
Chinese cook as the equal of the French
/ chef. The coolie, he declares, is temper
ate and frugal. He admits that the
Chinese, some of them, anyway, like
| opium, but says that most of them use
it in moderation, and doesn't think they
are worse or more numerous, proportion
ately, than the cocaine fiends and drunks
ards Of America.
s'He is said to be vicious and of inn
moral life, says Mr. Burr Are other
nations so sanity that they can afford to
throw stones? Does he take money out
of the country? So do Italians and
plenty of others. Finally, he is said to
stand aloof and not merge his individ-
uality with that of the American people
/ He is an alien always. This is true and
! probably always will be. But it is also
] true of the negro. None of these objec-
tions is worth being repeated second
time. The real objection lies deeper 1t
| is not often heard; perhaps it is not often
formulated. Our workingmen feel able
to cope with all other nationalities on
equal or superior terms, but they are
afraid of the coolie afraid of his efficien-
cy, his tireless industry. his temperance,
his frugality.
DO we want the coolie in the United
States? The great mass of the people
are indifferent to the question. He has
not come within the horizon of their ex-
/ perience. They know little about him.
and core less. 1t is otherwise. however,
with the labor unions. They give mega
tive answer in no uncertain tone, and
they are backed up in this negation by
the newspapers which cater to the labor
vote. Better to lose the Oriental trade
altogether, says this faction, than to ad-
NIT the coolie at all to competition with
| our workman
.'sOn the other hand stands the Nation
al Association of Manufacturers. with its
membership Of $500 memebers, employ
ing 100000 working people and $780,
100000 of capital 1t sees its industry
crippled. its capital threatened BY the
Chinese boycott, and will naturally use
every means in its power to avert the i'm