Year: 1870

The introduction of Chinese laborers
to compete with the labor of our me-
chanics aud other wOrkiDgmen natur-
ally produces excitement and opposi-
ton. Our workingmen do not live on
rats, nor rice, and hence cannot accept
the same compensation that sufices the
newly arrived Chinaman. The rela-
tions existing between employers and
employees is for the time being disturb
ed and loss is threatened to individuals
OF serious characte for the time being.
While admitting all this to be true we
should allow reason to rule and not al
low ourselves to be made the victims
of the arts of demagogues who may
strive to turn the passing excitement to
account for themselves We must
look facts fairly in the face and adopt a
wise and rational policy which will Vi
olate no sound rule of either morals or
good government. ~


Long ago this continent was set
apart as the asylum for the oppressed
and overworked millions OF the old
world. No one nation, or people, or
language has been able to lay an ex-
elusive patent on any portion of this
new world. No sect has been able to
engraft its ideas or institutions ex-
clusively on our government, and no
class has been successful in usurping or
maintaining permanent dominion over
another. We cannot erect barries to
prevent voluntary emigration of any
class to this country. The gates are
opened, and no earthly power can shut
them. Therefore, any policy looking
toward the prevention OF free immigra-
tiOn is simply impossible, and all efforts
made in that direction are certain to
prove ahortive.


Nor can we prevent Asiatics from
working for lower wages than other la
borers will accept, when they come.
The new element cannot be controlled
by arbitrary or unjust laws There
must be justice and equality for all men
before the law.


The first measure of relief is for us
not to exaggerate or magnify the diff
Culties of the situation. Men in fur
ry of excitement and alarm are not
good prophets, and few of their predic-
tions ever come to pass. When Ire
land and Germany began to send their
milli Ons to our shores there were those
who predicted multiplied evils there
from. But at the end of two genera
tions in which the tide of foreign
population has flowed in deep and strong
labor is higher in this market than it
ever was before. These emigrants
were at first ready to accept low wages,
but they soon learned to charge the
same rates that Americans do. The
Irishman lived on the potato as the Chi
naman on his rice, but he soon learned
to relish the same veriety of food, and
to require as much and as good food
for himself and his family as any body
could procure. He wants schools and
education for his children, and his
means to secure them. He wants his
family to go to church, and to appear
as respectable as his neighbor. He
soon fills his place in society as active
ly, as proudly, and as uscfully as his
neighbors. This is not only good for
him-a good thing in itsslf-but it hurts
nobody else. Those who expected in
iDry from his competition find that af-
Ter all they are not hurt in the least
The same thing is true Of other notion
alties which have found their way
hither. They soon want to buy farms
Ito set up business for themselves-to
strike into new adventures and profit
able specuIations.


So it will be found, if Chinese emf
grafton continues, that the Chinaman
will want all the wages he can COM