Speech #450105307

Mr. Speaker. ever since my advent into Congress and even before taking my seat here as a member of this body. for the past eight years or more I have been an advocate of some restrictive legislation to prevent what I regauded as one of the greatest evils of our time. an overinflux of Chinese immigration. and perhaps many members of this House have regarded the position I have taken on this question as representing extreme and perhaps harsh views. But. sir. I declare I have not been and am not now actuated by any views that are not in keeping and full accord with the goenerous and liberal sentiments and advanced ideas of the party to which I have had the honor to belong. and with -which I have been in full accord for the past twenty years. but I trust that I am now and will be ready at all times to subscribe to every sentiment and to vote for every proposition that has in view the welfare of the country. the peace. and quietude of its citizens. the recognition of the guaranteed rights of all. without regard to race. color. or previous condition. and the protection of all alike under one flag in accordance with the Constitution of the country. A statement of facts will appropriately precede the discussion of the bill under consideration by the House. San Francisco is the entrepbt of Oriental commerce and immigration. the point from which both are distributed to the Pacific States and the communities intermediate to the Pacific Ocean and Mississippi River. California and the adjacent States and Territories furnish not only an opening to Pacific commerce. but in the fertility of its lands. the salubrity of its climate. the remunerative wages offered to labor. and its just and generous institutions present great attractions to Oriental immigration. These considerations have operated in individual cases to bring a very limited number of intelligent Mongolians to our shores. but in the main they have led to the formation of companies which seek to utilize the cheap labor of China for their own benefit. and under contract and by monopolistic combinations. in violation of The spirit both of the treaty and laws. have introduced multitudes of the lowest classes of these aliens in our midst. These people. with facilities thus fnrnished.have come in hundreds and thousands.until their number has been increased in the State of California to one hundred and fifty thousand. onesixth of the population of the State. Of this number all but about four thousaudfemales are adults. and the females. with a few honorable exceptios. are held in slavery by their own people for the basest purposes.