The National tribune., 1907-09-19
THE E psilPER AsIAr1cs.


Great Britain mas even more per-
picking pnoblemno on her hand with re-
gard to tile pa9per immigration from
Asia than. ourselves. Western Canada
is up in aims against the migration OF
Hindus. Something has started the peo-
pie of Hindustsn into thinking of mi
grating eastward. and they have been
entering Canada in greatly increasing
numbers every year. AS there are &c.,
100000 people in Hindustan, and labor
can be had noabundance at five cents
n day. there is ground for the widest
fear that the labor market will be over
whelmed the moment that there is any
thing like a general movement. 1t Is
something that far outstrips anything
ever known, since there are almost as
many people in Hindustan as in the
whole of Europe. and the steamship
companies are only too willing to trans
port the immigrants at a price even
lower than that charged for carrying a
COW or steer to market. A Hindu will
take up far less room than a COW, and
be fed cheaper on the way over. He
will not need any attendants. There
are now 10 or more shiploads on the
water.
The problem is still more complicated
by the fact that India is part of the
British Empire, and the people there
cannot be treated as summarily as we
have treated the Chinese and propose
to treat the Japanese. A very knotty
question has arisen as to the absolute
rights of those Hindus who have served
in the British army and received an
honorable discharge.
On the other hand, the integral parts
of the British Empire have States
Rights to extend far greater than any
thing permitted in this country. Canada
and Australia are, in fact, Independent
Governments. except the nominal alle-
glance which they give to the Empire,
and the fact that their relations with
other Nations are managed from Lon j..
don.
Another complication in the situation
is that the people of eastern Canada
are not wholly in sympathy with those
on the Pacific Coast with regard to the
exclusion of Asiatics.
What has brought the matter to a
crisis was the recent arrival of some
employment. The people of Vancouver
have refused to allow them to come
ashore. and there has been we'll
founded fears of murderous outbreaks
Other vessels on their way to Vancou-
yer with Japanese. Chinese and Hindus
have been warned away. The attempt
to land the Hindus raised an immense
mob. which the police authorities dia
not think it safe to encounter, and so
turned the immigrants back to the ship.
The health authorities have closed
every barn and outbuilding to use as
place of habitation, so that there can
be no shelter found. subscription is
being raised to ship the SOC Hindus east
to Ottawa for ithe Premier of the Do
minion todake care of. The expectation
of this is, that they will be an object
lesson to the eastern Canadians which
will help bring them to a more sympa-
thetic frame Of mind with their COM
patriots on the, Pacific shore.
So far the Hindus have not been sue
cessful as Iaborers, owing to their re.
ligious principles and their physical
weakness. but the labor unions are seri-
ously alarmed at the prospect, and are
opposing the entrance of any number
The labor unions have served notice on
all employers in Vancouver that a boy.
colt will follow IL the Asiatic laborers
of all kinds are not discharged and re-
placed with white help.