[Editor: This article, which is critical of Chinese immigration, was published in Newcastle Morning Herald & Miners’ Advocate (Newcastle, NSW), 28 May 1887.]
The Chinese.
In California, where Chinese settlement has had fair diagnosis, the result is “The Chinese must go.” Let us take warning, and say “The Chinese must not come.” They are coming in formidable numbers. Over a thousand have landed on the shores of Australasia within a month. Their ambassadors have been in Sydney, where they have been entertained by the powers that be, and those powers are Freetraders.
Burk the difficulty as we may, the Chinese are coming to us in shoals. They say that China is emerging from barbarism. So much the worse for us. However much it may benefit their empire and the world at large, the Chinaman, such as we get him here, is a curse.
True, he vends vegetables — grown by the application of fœcal matter — at our doors, and, in remote districts, saves perhaps the white man from scurvy. Notwithstanding that, the Chinese must not or ought not to come.
It may be Freetrade to give the people here in Newcastle cheap furniture; but it is a sad, solemn fact that, whereas there were not long ago some hundred men supporting families by furniture-making, the trade is practically ended for the white man.
In spite of the poll-tax, the Chinese are gradually taking an octopus grip on Australia. What is ten pounds a head? In the old slave days a “nig.” was worth a thousand dollars, and the Mongolians — those who come here — belong to “Hongs” who farm their services.
Besides this, they are “smuggled” here wholesale. We hear that a number of officers of ships trading between here and China have been discharged for appropriating the poll-tax, less a commission. The importance of the China trade has led to the establishment of more than one line of fine steamers between here and Hongkong. Better strangle that trade than have it the means of introducing the “yellow agony.”
The Sydney Morning Herald points out that they come without their wives. Well, we would rather see an influx of married men than bachelors. This is beside the issue. The evil is, the Chinese are invading Australia, and we want the cry “The Chinese must not come” to intercept that of the “the Chinese must go.”
Not long ago an “Anti-Chinese Association” was formed in Sydney, and held a few meetings. Where is it?
What with kootooing to ambassadors and a flourishing trade with China, we are getting an unhealthy influx of Chinese. The Chinamen amongst Europeans and their descendants are a curse. How are we to stop — to prohibit — Chinese immigration?
Source:
Newcastle Morning Herald & Miners’ Advocate (Newcastle, NSW), 28 May 1887, p. 4
Editor’s notes:
Australasia = Australia and New Zealand; in a wider context, it can refer to Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand, and neighboring islands
burk = cover-up, smother, suppress (also spelt “burke”)
fœcal matter = [see: foecal matter]
foecal matter = (also spelt: fœcal matter) droppings, excrement, faeces (also spelt: feces), manure, poo, shit; waste matter excreted from the bowels of humans and other animals
free trade = in economics, a belief in not having tariff barriers, or any other protective measures, so as to enable the free flow of goods into a country, state, or colony (however, some “Free Trade” governments may use a limited amount of tariff barriers or other protective measures); of or relating to free trade beliefs, ideals, or principles
Freetrade = [see: free trade]
— It may be Freetrade to give the people here
Freetrader = someone who believes in or advocates for free trade [see: free trade]
Hong = (Chinese) a boss, manager, or person in charge; (Chinese) a factory or warehouse, or a series of rooms or buildings used for such purposes; a Chinese surname; in the context of the Chinese province of Guangzhou (also known as Canton or Kwangchow), a factory or a commercial establishment owned by a foreigner
kootooing = kowtowing, to kowtow to someone (“kootoo” is an archaic alternative form of “kowtow”) [see: kowtow]
kowtow = (also spelt: kow-tow) to act in a fawning, obsequious, subservient, servile, sycophantic, or submissive manner; to display (especially to someone who holds a position of authority, power, or wealth) a servile deference, an excessive display of obedience, politeness, or respect; to be overly eager to obey directions, to be eager to ingratiate oneself; to grovel; the act of kowtowing to someone, to perform or carry out a kowtow; derived from an ancient Chinese custom whereby someone would kneel down and touch the floor or ground with the forehead, as an act of submissiveness, deference, homage, respect, reverence, worship, or apology; derived from the Chinese word “kòutóu”, meaning “knock (one’s) head”
Mongolian = of or relating to the racial classification “Mongoloid” (also known as the “Asian”, “Oriental”, or “Yellow” race); someone from a Mongolian racial background (may also mean: of or relating to Mongolia; the Mongols); a Chinese person
nig = an abbreviation of the word “nigger” (a black person; someone of black African racial background; in an historical Australian context, the term could refer to an Australian Aborigine, but could also refer to any other person with a black or dark skin, such as Africans, Indians, Maoris, Pacific Islanders)
nig. = an abbreviation of the word “nigger” [see: nig]
poll tax = a tax of a fixed amount which is levied upon individuals (regardless of their income or financial position), normally only levied upon adults (a poll tax is often, but not always, connected to the right to vote) (also spelt “poll-tax”; also called a “head tax”)
poll-tax = [see: poll tax]
scurvy = a disease characterized by various symptoms, including fatigue, lethargy, weakness, sore arms and legs, bleeding and swollen gums, and livid spots on the skin (scurvy is caused by a lack of vitamin C)
See: 1) “Scurvy”, Wikipedia
2) “scurvy”, Wiktionary
shoal = a school of fish, a large group of fish; a large group of sea animals (of the same type); a large group or crowd of humans; a large group of things
ten pounds a head = a reference to the poll-tax of £10 (ten pounds) levied upon Chinese immigrants who came to New South Wales
vend = sell; the activity of a vendor (a vendor is a person, company, or entity which sells products or services, e.g. an ice cream vendor, a vendor in real estate, a vending machine)
yellow agony = Asian immigrants, especially Chinese immigrants; an Asian immigrant, a Chinese immigrant
See: “yellow adj.”, Green’s Dictionary of Slang [see entry “yellow agony”, in the section “Pertaining to race, usu. East Asian or mixed-race”]
[Editor: Changed “in shoals,” to “in shoals.” (replaced the comma with a full stop).]
[Editor: The original text has been separated into paragraphs.]
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