Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-26

cisco fire is not admitted in their case,
and as the testimony of Cinnamon, who
alone can testify to the fact of their
birth in this country, is not accepted in
court they are without resource, same
as the righteous indignation of lovers
of Justice and fair play is aroused.
One case of special injustice was
brought before the meeting referred to,
to which no true American should be
Indifferent, and illustrates the reckless
methods of our officials A lady and
her husband who were in the audience
testified to the following facts: They
had been much interested in a young
Chinaman of American birth, who had
returned to China with his parents at
10 years of age. He had been well edu-
Gated there, but was studious fellow
and returned to this country and en-
tered our high school. This couple took
him into their home, where he had been
a most exemplary inmate for a year.
He was still at his studies in the school
when he was suddenly arrested on the
charge of having been smuggled in from
Mexico and thrown into jail. When
these friends stated the facts to the
Judge in the case he simply asserted
that the law must take its course! Ihey
at once furnished bail, but how many
innocent Cinnamon must thus fall INTO
the clutches of officials, who secure
fee for each arrest OF suspects OF uii-
employed and others of all national
tiles. Does 1t not make us blush Tor
orr law. in which there is so little
equity, or even humanity, and for the
officials who enforce it thus heartlessly:
Are we not all participants in these
crimes who do not give heed TO the
facts and strive to make them impos-
sible hereafter?
The whole question of Chinese and
Japanese exclusion is little understood
by the public. The phrase at the head
of my article was originated at tne
sand lot in San Francisco by the agl-
tator. Dennis Kearney, Worklngmah
who felt the grievances OF his felioWs'
and being like some others OF his class
unskilled in logical and clear thinking,
struck wildly about and seized upon
the foreign labor as the cause of their
own lack of opportunity. And TINS, IN
spite of the patent facts that these
foreign laborers fall into quite other
lines of labor than theirs, into many
which they disdain, that they become
house servants, faithful, skillful and
greatly needed; that our rancnes'
orchards ETC., suffer from lack OF nelp-
ers and that our railroads in Califor-
MIA could not have been built without
their aid. Late developments in rail-
road economies, however, Incline us 10
believe that this importation of foreign
labor was due to the low wage uhuer
which II worked and should now be
impossible under our national 'contract
Ia hor law''-alas, not yet enforced
against our wasteful corporations!
Rut the strongest argument ana
comnelling force against this exclusion
Is found in our treaties with the Two
nations. which pledge their people tine
same rights and privileges accorded the
more favored nations-rights and PRIV
a IL ffNNN nI1 r.
ileges which we exact or them TOT our
selves and use most freely.
Some of MS recall the active interest
Of our broadminded minister" in
China. Anson Burlingame, In securing
tbis early treaty with that country,
and we all know of the later one with
Tanan-under which treaties our coun-
try is conscientiously bound. But that,
alas. is an obligation reckiessiy SCI
aside by unprincipled politicians anu
business men. ,,,s,on
Of the two nations is made on the
ground of the lack of business honesty
on the part of the Japanese, put Woulo
mot that argument exclude multitudes
of our practical politicians ana puSl-
ness men from recognition as worthy
to be trusted with the right OF cltizen-
most undeserved humiliation to exclude
these nations on any such pretext, while
admitting the illiterate. the vicious on
our eastern coast of all nations?
America for Americans" is popular
crv in some quarters, but how soon
and how easily we make the most
patriotic Americans of these masses,
when justly treated. Justice and love
conquer ali men without bloodshed.
Let us strive to be true to the
golden rule of our professed Christian
ity-to it's peace, good will, to all
men!'