David Phillips Discusses the “Chinese Question”

David Phillips Discusses the “Chinese Question”

David Phillips went to California hoping that a change of climate would help his tubercular son. The following excerpt is from his book, Letters from California (1877). How did Phillips describe the "Chinese Question?" How did he account for its being a hot political topic throughout the state? What did Phillips think about this question?
View more of David Phillips's thoughts on the "Chinese Question" from California As I Saw It, 1849-1900.
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Among the Chinamen there are many educated and wealthy merchants--men shrewd, honest and capable. They are here and will remain. Gradually they are bringing their families. Under the laws of the United States, their children, born here, are American citizens, and the males, when reaching their majority, will vote. There are some Chinamen here now over 21, and they vote. Chinamen born in China, under our naturalization laws, it has been assumed, cannot become citizens. Take them to-morrow, were such a thing possible, and allow them all to become naturalized, not one of them would vote the Democratic ticket. Those born here do not. That may explain why Democrats are opposed to Chinamen coming here, in part. In the next place, Bridget and Pat [Irish names] and John Chinaman cannot get along together on the labor question. . . .

Such a thrifty, industrious, alien race, ready to work, are objectionable to other foreign populations, of course, as all the others are permitted to become citizens and vote, and thereby are courted and well treated by all demagogues and knaves. Could the Chinaman vote, the ruffian hoodlums and lawless villains, who are now scarcely restrained from assaulting them in the streets in day time, and who think it brave to assail their quiet homes at night with cobblestones and brickbats, would be dealt with in the most summary manner. The Chinaman's only sin is, he will work. If he cannot get a high price, he will take a...

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