The Chinese Problem - Softcover

Luther Tracy Townsend

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0461334879 ISBN 13: 9780461334876

Publisher: HardPress, 2021

Synopsis

The Chinese Problem by Luther Tracy Townsend. This 1876 pamphlet surveys the anxieties surrounding Chinese immigration to the American West, especially California, and argues against excluding Chinese migrants from the United States. Townsend divides the issue into five topics: international politics, political economy, education, morals, and Christianity. He contends that the Burlingame treaty and the principle of free migration should not be overridden, and that discrimination against Chinese would violate international rights and undermine republican ideals. He extols Chinese labor for its industry and thrift, noting their contributions to railroad construction, agriculture, fisheries, and urban development, and argues that suppressing immigration will harm national wealth by impeding productive labor and economy. The author defends a policy of inclusion, insisting that the United States should fulfill treaty obligations and instead promote assimilation through education. He highlights Chinese educational enthusiasm and missionary work, reports on hundreds of Chinese Christian converts in San Francisco, and argues that educating and converting Chinese is the surest path to integrate them into American civic life. He also condemns moral excesses and violence against Chinese communities, urging humane treatment and Christian compassion as models for national policy.

Edition details

• Publisher: HardPress
• Publication date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0461334879
• ISBN 13: 9780461334876
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 102