in.
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THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH-THURSDAY, JULY 7TH, 1881.
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en
may clear up matters considerably. Companies and similar organisations; failed to induce the citizens of the Mr. Pixley, agent of the municipality who are herded together in gangs United States to meet the negro ou of San Francisco deposed that the and numbered as if they were so equal terms; and no legislation in men at least came voluntarily; under many beasts of burden; who remain the world can compel the Australians contracts of labor undoubtedly; but entirely under the control of the to look kindly on the Chinese laborers as these contracts were not entered contractors until the money advanced who are now spread over all parts of into under coercion, the men were for passage, &c., has been paid off, their continent. One of the great certainly free emigrants in a sense. without the power to better their objections to Chinese laborers, ad- Many of them came on their own positions in any way can hardly be vanced by the inhabitants of every means, others had to wait until the termed free agents. That they are stato or country into which the sons first comers inade money, and sent not slaves in the same sense as of Han have been, poured in almost them their passage money. There the negroes were, prior to the great countless thousands, and one which were indisputably many instances
war between the Federals and Con- has caused legislators troubles iu- where the Chinese Six Companies, or federates, may be at once conceded; numerable, is the assertion that the wealthy members of them, send to bring but on the other hand it is equally Chinese, by their frugal style of them here, in order that they may go certain that they work on a very living, have invariably displaced all upon their rolls and become laborers, different footing to ordinary emi- other laborers. Mr. Seward devotes out of which they make money as grants from Europe or Eastern States, a whole chapter to combating this ob- middle men or agents. The Central and that apparently was the point je ction, but with indifferent success; Pacific railroad demanded ten thou which the Anti-Chinese party in in fact, even admitting that, wherever sand of these laborers, and the demand California desired to establish. The the Chinese have settled they have, by was greater than the market afforded. whole of the evidence taken runs in their patience, perseverance, and ex- Through the Six Companies they sent the same groove; that the Chinamen treme frugality, contributed largely their money to China, and brought who come to California come volun- to the material progress and prosperi- them here, and that is the way in tarily, although many of them are ty, and probably to the convenience which they come." Mr. King agent financially assisted to get there, and and comfort of a certain section of the of the anti-coolie clubs said "The after their arrival are put into some people, Mr. Seward's superficial majority of Chinese males probably kind of employment. For this as treatment of what is certainly one come here voluntarily, as Mr. Pixleysistance they pay a percentage of of the most important questions of suggests, but are bound by servile their wages until the stipulated sum the age in all rising countries, is the labor for long terms of years, and is paid, and the contract cancelled.
reverse of satisfactory. Mr. Seward while such contracts exist they are Mr. Seward, who disputes the part states that it is the interest of the to all intents and purposes the absol- assigned to the Six Companies, tri- laborer that he should receive high ute slaves of the contractors. For umphantly cites the evidence given wages, and that of the employer that although these contracts are void by the managers of these companies wages should be low; and yet in the by our law, yet the superstition and before a committee of the Senate of very next sentence he denies that fear of the Chinese bondsman for his California in April, 1876, to strength-the interests of these classes are an- master is so great as to prevent him his views. We think he is tagonistic. It is a stale truismr to from breaking his contract. That rather unfortunate in this matter, as tell us that wages should be so such fears are well grounded we shall where self-interest is so intimately graded that industries may go for- show by evidence, and we shall estab-concerned, the honest truth could ward; and the rest of the chapter is lish, further, this fact, that death at hardly be looked for from that class full of the same kind of meaningless the hands of a Chinese assassin has of Chinese, and their evidence, on the twaddle. Again we are bound to frequently been the fate of the Chi face of it, is worthless, and totally differ with our author in his state- nese slave who attempted to break unreliable. We are rather at a loss ment that the Chinese do not send his shackles and regain his freedom." to understand what Mr. Seward is considerable sums of money out of There can be no manner of doubt referring to when he speaks of "the the various countries where they: whatever in the minds of right think advanced position which the Chinese have temporarily settled, as our own ing persons, that, if the above state- Empire has held in regard to slavery, experience of this part of the ques- ments were properly established, and of the democratic quality which tion, is diametrically opposed to his
la authenticated by reliable evidence, pervades its polity, and the absence assertions. If it is a rule among there has been a great deal of Chi- of caste among its population." Ho borers that they expend all their nese servile labor in California. We then proceeds to say that "the most earnings to meet the demands of the have seen so much of what has been lucid statement which I have seen in moment, such rule certainly does not ing enterprises. Mr. Seward's facts called domestic slavery in Hongkong, regard to the forms of servitude apply to the Chinesc. Mr. Seward are taken mainly from evidence laid similar in a great many respects to which exist in China, is contained observes that there is no reason why before the Joint Commission appoint that described by Mr. King, that we in a report made by Dr. Eitel, inter- Chinese should be exceptions to the ed to inquire into the matter, and cannot but believe that he had good preter to the government of Hong-rule, and therein he displays an are fairly enough stated. The evid-grounds for most of his statements. kong, which will be found in the ignorance of Chinese inner life, and ence of Governor Low, Mr. Charles
Hongkong Government Gazette of the of Chinese customs generally, truly Crocker, Mr. Strobridge, Mr. Cotton,
4th February 1880. The system as lamentable in a man who has spent and Mr. Evans indicate clearly enough
described is a part of the patriarchal twenty years in China. To the ob that the trans-continental and other
polity of China, and is so far unlike jections which have been raised railroads could not have been built
the slave systems of other regions, against Chinese emigrants on the either so quickly or so cheaply without
than an injustice is done by speaking ground that they are a vicious people, Chinese labor; and from an Ameri-
of it as slavery." To Dr. Eitel's declar- we give little heed, as it has been can point of view Mr. Seward is fairly
ation that he had never seen an adult practically demonstrated, times out entitled to assert, that the Chinese
male a slave in China, he adds his of number, that the Chinese are not have done his country good service,
own testimony after a twenty years much better, and very little worse the result of their labors in Cali-
residence in the country that he had than other nationalities. There can fornia having been such as to serve.
never seen a native to whom the term be no doubt that they are naturally the convenience, comfort, and oppor-earnings. Under the former, the slave would seem applicable. Dom- a pacific and easily governederace of tunities for enterprise of the people
estic servitude in China is undoubted people, and we quite agree with Mr. of the State, and to promote immi-
ly a system which has existed from Seward, that their general vices are gration from the Eastern States, all
time immemorial, and although not certainly of a less dangerous charac of which has conduced general
in accordance with European ideas ter than those of white men. The prosperity.
may possibly have much to recom- charts, reprinted from the transla- mend it. It is not however with tions of Dr. Martin of the Peking domestic servitude in China we are University, which appear in "Chi- now dealing, but with the so-called nese Immigration" are certainly in servile labor of Chinese Emigrants interesting, as a faithful synopsis of other lands.
the Confucian morals, but beyond that they are of little value as evi- dence that the moral virtues therein. depicted, are generally practised either at home or abroad. Want of space prevents us from detailing at length the evidence produced regard ing Chinese morality in California,
too much to say, in the work we will adopt the same ent experiences, that course for the sake of convenience, from China through although certain portions of his re- other countries, but marks and investigations, which bear dly to San Francisco and only a slight reference to the mater- the Au falian Colonies, has become ial interests of this Colony, need one of the burning questions of the only be lightly dwelt upon-Part I. hour. Therefore the latest publish- refers to the number of Chinese in ed work on the subject, from the pen the United States, and according to of Mr. George F. Seward, late United Mr. Seward, a spirit of exaggeration States Minister to China, comes to has characterised the utterances of hand opportunely. The American many persons, whose views are hos- treaty with China, proclaimed on tile to the immigration of Chinese July 28th, 1868, says that "The into the country, when they have United States of America and the estimated the number of those who Emperor of China cordially recognise have already reached our shores. the inherent and inalienable right On a simple question of statistics, of man to change his home and al-statements of the most random na- legiance, and also the mutual ad-ture have been put forward, and vantage of the free migration and gained currency. "Special reference emigration of their citizens and sub- is made to a mass meeting which jects respectively, from the one coun- was held in Union Hall, San Fran- try to the other, for the purposes of cisco, on the 5th April, 1876, when curiosity, of trade, or as permanent resolutions adverse to Chinese im- residents." It is perfectly well known migration, and an address to Con- that one of the fundamental prin- gress were adopted. The meeting ciples followed by the United States was under the presidency of the Go- Government has been the recognition vernor of California, and was di- that "the right of expatriation is a reetly promoted by the Mayor of the natural and inherent right of all City. The address stated positively people, indispensable to the enjoy- that there were, at that moment, ment of the rights of life, liberty, 200,000 Chinese in the States, and and the pursuit of happiness," and 75,000 in San Francisco alone. Mr. consequently, emigrants from all na- Seward estimates that there were not tions have been freely received, and more than 100,000 Chinese in all under certain well defined restric- the United States at that time, and tions, invested with the rights and out of that number about 75,000, were resident in California, the city privileges of citizen-ship. It need hardly be said that Mr. Seward's of San Francisco included. The views on Chinese Immigration are ex-Minister's estimate is fully modelled more on what he considers corroborated by a statement is the requirements of his own country, sued by the Census Bureau, which than on the effects such immigra- shows that the total Chinese popula- tion would be likely to have on tion of the United States in June the Chinese emigrants themselves, 1880 amounted only to 105,448, or on the Peking Government. In California (including San Francisco) the preface to his really excellently accounting for 75,025 out of that compiled, and generally comprehen- number. Part II. shows the material sive work, Mr. Seward promises that results of Chinese labor in California, "The following pages will exhibit more particularly in the construction to the reader the results of a careful of railways, but also in other depart study of the social and economical ments of labor, such as the reclama: aspects of the questions involved in tion of swampy lands; mining; fruit Chinese immigration." He approach-growing; and in various manufactur- ed the examination of these questions with a strong feeling that the United States ought not to interfere unneces- sarily with immigration, as such a course would be departing from the well established principles of their national life, and because arbitrary interferences with what he terms "natural processes" prove, as a rule, unavailing and injurious. As he proceeded with his work he became satisfied that no necessity exists for such interference, for the following reasons: (1) The Chinese had been of great service to the people of the Pacific Slope, and are still needed there, although in a less degree; (2) the objections which have been ad- vanced against them are in the main unwarranted; (3) that the minor evils incident to their presence may be readily abated under existing treatics and within the lines of ordinary le- gislation and (4) that the fears which In Part III. of Chinese Immi- had been entertained of a large im-gration Mr. Seward dwells at some migration were unnecessary and length on the objections which have groundless. The facts and consider- been made to the presence of the ations upon which these conclusions Chinese in California, and raises at are grounded, are fairly enough stated the very commencement of the first from his own point-of-view-and-chapter-the-peint, which has excited doubtless will commend themselves so much discussion in Hongkong, to a large section of his own country notably in the celebrated Perusia men. Mr. Seward makes some special case about three years ago, namely, recommendations for the purpose of the character of Chinese labor, in abating certain existing abuses, leav-foreign lands, whether it is servile ing untouched the broad principle of or free. Acknowledging that the man having a perfect right to change people of California would be entirely his home and allegiance whenever justified in condemning the system he feels so inclined, and to these pro- of labor if it were tainted by the posed changes especial attention is essence of slavery, Mr. Seward frusts directed. The author disclaims any to bable to prove conclusively that intention of dealing with any other it is not (he does not say, nor has than the social and economical as-been) in any sonso a system of slave pects of Chinese immigration, as he or servile labor although it is supposes that tho action of the perfectly certain that Chinese women country will be determined in view have been held in California under of these, although he admits that the contracts, and that the system in vogue political and commercial issuos in so far as they are concerned, is one volved are not devoid of interest, which should be condemned and cor- and promises, should the course of rected." It appears to us that the events make it desirable, to offer to foregoing sentence is somewhat in- the public hereafter, a statement reconsistent and contradictory; however garding this part of the case. a cursory examination of the facts
Mr. Seward has divided his sub laid before the Congressional Com ject into four parts, and in reviewing mission by the anti-Chinese party
Hower, Mr. Seward asserts that the only evidence presented to the Commission in support of the de- claration made by Mr. King regard- ing the assassination of Chinamen who attempted to break their contract, was founded upon pure hearsay, and generally unworthy of credence. He then proceeds to define a distinc tion which is to be drawn between a contract to repay money advanced, or due and owing in any way, out of
Such con-
individual might be required to give his services for a month, or a year, or five years to his creditor. He would not be at liberty to choose his employment, he would be in a sense a man in bonds, and any consider- able class of such labor might justly be considered servile. tracts as these, according to Mr. Seward, are discouraged by the Amer- ican Government, both at home and It has long been recognised as an abroad, although in some instances incontrovertible fact that when the (such as apprentices bound to masters labor of a country is performed al- in order to learn a trade, and scamen), together, or in a very large measure, they are permitted and sustained by by a class of aliens, differing in ori- law. The laws, of course, do not gin from the inhabitants, that a ten- disfavor contracts to repry money deney is generated to degrade the advanced, nor discourage in any laboring class. Mr. Seward has no so we must content ourselves with sense the obligation which a debtor desire, and makes no attempt what stating that as a general rule it is should entertain toward his creditor, ever to dispute this proposition but eminently favorable to the emigrants; and we may safely enough assume emphatically asserts that it is the and with quoting as an example the that if a Chinaman in San Francisco, duty of all citizens, in such a case, statement of Mr. Sneath, manager of or Sydney advanced a friend in to counteract the evil effects which the Merchants Bank, who said I Canton, or Hongkong, a sum of may result, by all reasonable meang; have been a merchant most of my money to enable him to emigrate and suggests as the readiost means, time in California. I have dealt a much money would ba recoverable in a the right instruction of youth, and great deal with Chinese,. and with court of law: but morally that is a of the less intelligent classes, in re- Chinese merchants in this city par matter which has no bearing on the gard to the essential dignity of all ticularly. I have always found them question at issue, Taking the whole lionest, carnest and free labor. Un- truthful, honorable, and perfectly of the evidenco adduced, and giving fortunately for Mr. Seward's theor- reliable in all their business engage- Mr. Seward every credit for foliov-etical notions of what is necessary to ments. I have done business with ing what he asserts and for having raiso labor to the honorable position them to the amount of sovoral millions the courage of his opinions, there which all orators, statesmen, and of dollars, I have never had a single- cannot be a doubt to the unproju- other public mon say it is fairly one of them fail to live up to his con- diced thinker, that men who are entitled to, mankind in general tract. I heyor lost a dollar by them brought from their own country by seldom care to practice what in all my business with them. His and under contracts with the Six they preach. Acts of Congress have estimate of the character of the Chi-