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I appreciate the patience and forbearance of sub
scribers, and am correctiuc mistakes and system-
r atizing the work as rapidly as possible. The
atenoils will soon bo completed and arranged in
(, alphabetical order, and then errors can be more
easily detected.
The circulation (exolusive of news stand sales
and sample copies) now exceeds fifty thousand,
and I am deeply grateful for the support which
; has been Given to the paper and for the cordial
! commendation expressed by newspapers and in
dividuals.
The criticism of the opposition has been
mainly directed against the riamo and the size of
the paper. As to tho first, it should be remem
bered that in choosing the name the primary ob-
f ject was not to give measure to republican edit-
ors; noitner was ic oxpeoioa mat tney wouiu con-
' fess their party's opposition to the interests of the
common people that is the proposition to be
proven, and every number of this paper will pre
sent evidence in support thereof,
Ah to the size of tho paper, tho reader is re-
S ' minded that there are eight pages devoted to read
ing mattor, and that tho paper will be enlarged
before any considerable amount of advertising
matter is inserted.
Not more than one page of tho eight will be
ns'ed for advertising, and when other pages are
added, as they will be soon, tho reading matter frill
p . vary from eight to ton pages. TJpon;comparison, it
?' will bo found that TiieIjCOmmoner now devotes
j more space to reading matter, in proportion to
; subscription price, than either The Nation or The
Youth's Companion, both publications of high
standing, the former selling by subscription at
$8.00 per annum and the latter at one dollar and
seventy-five cents.
Tho establishment of this paper is not a tem
porary undertaking; it is intended to be permanent.
X had had the matter in contemplation for more
. than six years, and the name had been seleoied
almost as long. Nothing will be allowed to inter
fere with the success of the paper and new features
will be added from time to time.
The usefulness of The Commonek will depend
:tl in part upon tho character of its ooutonts and in
part upon the number of its subscribers. This is
- the sixth number and tho reader is able to judge
of tho scope and merit of tho paper, and can form
'an opinion as to its probable service to the oause
I' of democracy. People, even when bound together
k uj ---., iu iv Diimv3 jui-iiuit. principles, umor so
r widoly upon minor matters that it is too muoh to
& expect that any paper could contain all that every-
11-' "hnlv wfinhn t.n nrr rmVJialinrl n-nA nnfliinn ---i.:v.
any one would object, but I hope to present
I each week so much that will bo acceptable and so
niue umi win do custasteiui, that those who be
lieve in tho general principles advooated will be
come attached to tho paper.
It remains for those who are satisfied with
The Commoner to inoreaso, its circulation by
commending it to their friends and encouraging
others to subscribe. If each subscriber is instriN
f mental in securing one new subscriber the influence
B ol the paper will be doubled.
Schley and "Sampson.
, It is not a surprise to learn that Admiral Samp
son has been advanced five points while Admiral
Sohloy has been advanced only three points.
Congress lias also been asked to give a vote of
thanks "to Admiral Sampson and the ofiicors and
m- under him" for the battle of Santiago Bay.
Jin the history of thin country there have been
The Commoner.
many instances of favoritism, but in all of our
history there have been none to compare with the
favoritism shown to Sampson and the injustice
sought to be put upon Schloy. The h-ttlc of
Santiago Bay was one of the greatest sea fights in
the history of the world. Admiral Schley com
manded in that battle and long ago the people
learned tho truth and accorded to him the title of
"Hero of Santiago Bay." It is therefore not ma
terial that Sampson, through administration
influence, has been advanced above Schley. This
advancement may afford temporary gratification
to the beneficiary, but it will not disturb the
proud position which Admiral Schley holds in
tho affections of tho American people. The
injustice done Schley will merely serve to advance
him in tho estimation of the American people
an advancement which no presidential order and
no act of Congress can in the least disturb.
W
Chinese Immigration.
The Chinese Exclusion Act expires in 1902
and the American people must prepare themselves
to pass upon the subjeot of oriental immigration.
Those who are opposed to the introduction of
cheap labor from across the Pacific are urging an
extention of the existing law, and those who
look with favor upon the employment of Chinese
in this country are not idle. The Portland Ore
gonian, in a recent editorial, assumes that the
labor agitator is the only one who is alarmed by
tho "yellow peril," and presents the usual argu
ment against exclusion. It says:
Elsewhere is noted at some length the question
of cheap; labor immigration, suggested Jby Senator
InmanVjoitiTmerabrial to Congress. A'woVdiaight
al,so be said concerning the local aspect of the matter.
What basis of fact exists for this terror of Chinese
and Japanese competition in Oregon? What American
mechanic is kept out of a place by any Chinaman or
Jap in the city of Portland? The. Chinese are mostly
house servants, vegetable peddlers and laundry men.
Now, where is the representative of organized labor
that hankers to cook in the kitchen or wash under
shirts or get up at 4 o'clock to load his wagon with
vegetables? The Japs are generally railroad hands
or do menial work about the house. It is hard for
tho railroads to get tho section hands they need, and
American mechanics are not looking for chances to
scrub porches or wash dishes. It is a common remark
that these "heathen devils" are "keeping poor white
girls out of work." It is a pitiful falsehood, for the
fact is that, with all the Chinese and Japanese ser
vants available, domestic help is next to impossible
to obtain. Equally baseless is the cry that the
Asiatics spend no money. They spend about as much
as the thrifty American. As their position rises,
they wear good clothes, ride in street cars and in
dulge tho luxuries Chinatown affords. They do not
work for starvation wages, as is sometimes alleged,
as the efficient Chinese cook or butler is frequently
able to command higher figures than American girls
in the same line of work. Perhaps the most despic
able of all the outcries against the Chinaman is that
he saves his money and sends some of it home to his
relatives. If he earns his money, what business is it
of Mr. Labor Agitator what he does with it?
It will not be surprising if this editorial is
re-echoed in republican papers throughout the
country. Tho same sentiment was whispered ten
years ago, but the corporations are bolder now.
Let us analyze the question.. We had reached
a point where it was necessary to deoide whether
the Chinese should be allowed to come without
limit or whether restrictions should be placed
upon them. The reappearaac of this question
will compel the American people to oonsider the
subject of immigration. Certainly & Welcome
should be extended only to those whose coming
will, all things considered, prove beueficial to the
country, and only those should be allowed to come
who come voluntarily. Laws have been made to
prevent the importation of contract labor and the
justice of 'these laws is universally recognized.
Laws have also been made to prevent the dumping
of paupers and criminals upon our phores, and no
one will dispute the wisdom of these laws. But
for those who are not in tho prohibited classes
above mentioned, two general tests may be sug
gested. First, only those should be admitted
who come because of love for our institutions and
who will add to the nation's productive strength
in time of peace and to its defensive strength in
time of war. Second, only those should bead
mitted who come to cast in their lot with the
American people and who are capable of amalga
mation with our people.
Tho Chinese do not comply with either condi
tion. They do not come here because of their
admiration for our form of government; they
have no thought of becoming a part of our civil
ization, and amalgamation is desired neither by
them nor by us. If the gates are opened to the
Chinese they will drive our own laboring men
into the streets, and will not only be unfit for
military duty but by being the cause of race riots
will be likely to involve us in international com
plications. We have already had some experi
ence in this line and would have had more but for
the exclusion act. Race prejudice is a social
factor which must always be recognized and reck
oned with. When there is a fair demand for
labor the Chinaman can slip -in-'unnoticed, but
whenever industrial depression lessens the demand
for work, it will be difficult to prevent men who
are hungry and idle from attacking foreigners,
who work for lower wages, live on a lower scale
and are exempt from many of the burdens of
government which rest upon citizens.
Home life, tho center of all patriotic, purify
ing and civilizing influences, is almost entirely
wanting among the Chinese who are temporarily
abiding here. They huddle together in the cities
and transplant upcui American soil tho vices of
the Orient without accompanying virtues.
The San Francisdo Call, speaking of China
town, says; "Gambling, lottery, slavery, are all
there, mingled indistinguishably with the malign
pus of Asiatic life, planted as an exotio in a
western community."
The presence here of a race permanently sep
arated from us by color, dress, customs and hab
its of thought, is a thing to be deplored. If
there are only a few such, the evil can be toler
ated like any other small evil, but without an ex
cising act there is every reason to expect such
an influx from tho overcrowded provinces of
China an influx stimulated by the "Six Com
panies" and encouraged by corporations seeking
cheap labor as to compel prompt and rigorous
restrictive measures, Prevention is better than
cure The dangers are real and will upon inves
tigation bo apparent to anyone who takes a compre
hensive view of his nation's welfare.
There has been a recent increase in the immi
gration of Japanese laborers for service along
Western railroads. Many, though not all, of the
objections urged against the Chinese apply to
Japanes laborers, and there is no doubt that op-
position will grow in proportion to tho number
that come. It has been intimated that the Jap
anese government is willing to remedy this it
wfli be satisfactory if it will but whether the
remedy is applied by diplomaoy or by law, it is
better to attend to the mattor at once than to in
TiU irritation and ill feeling by delay.
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