ATT 3 - Perspectives of Chinese Immigrants and Whites

ATTACHMENT 3 Name: ______

Perspectives of Chinese Immigrants and Whites

Byron Johnson, a white gold miner, writing in 1872:

This much enduring and industrious race are generally to be fond in little clusters, at work upon diggings deserted by the whites…and will, doubtless, at the end of the year, by means of their frugality, save more than their white brother… It is the fashion on the Pacific Coast to abuse and ill-treat the Chinaman in every possible way; and I really must tell my friends (that)… they are hard-working, sober, and law-abiding….i

Judge Matthew Begbie, about 1865:

(The Chinese) are generally abused, and yet everybody employs them.ii

Mr. M. Ward, manager of the Bank of British Columbia, 1885:

The agitation (against the Chinese) has been chiefly political with a view to the labouring class vote. I think that it is mainly led by politicians…iii

Prime Minister John A. Macdonald, 1882:

I share very much the feeling against a Mongolian or Chinese population in our country as permanent settlers. I believe that it is an alien race in every sense and could not be expected to assimilate with our Aryan population. (But)… it is simply a question of alternatives – either you must have this labour or you cannot have a railway.iv

Leader of the Opposition Alexander Mackenzie in response to a motion to limit Chinese labour on the CPR, 1878:

It (the motion) is one unprecedented in its character and spirit, and at variance with those tolerant laws which afford asylum to all who come into our country, irrespective of colour, hair, or anything else.v

Testimony of Won Alexander Cumyow to the 1901 Royal Commission on Chinese and Japanese Immigration:

A large proportion of (Chinese men) would bring their families here were it not for the unfriendly reception….vi ATT 3 - Perspectives of Chinese Immigrants and Whites

Chinese merchants and Directors of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Associations, a report to the Chinese Prime Minister, 1899:

Your Excellency, We are Chinese merchants and Directors of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Associations in Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. We report to Your Excellency for protection to fight against the discriminating laws. We have been residing in British Columbia as merchants for dozens of years, but we never forget we are Chinese, and we cherish a deep love for our home land. We regard China as our nation, and we worship Confucianism. We dress as Chinese, and we are not naturalized in Canada. If we made some money we send back to China. These are the reasons out of which the local people hate us, treat us harshly, and even forbid Chinese workers to enter their territory. China is very poor, having deficit by million dollars every year. It is overseas Chinese who try to aid relief. There has been famine in the provinces recent years, and overseas Chinese contributed a great deal to help relieve the distress. Now that the overseas Chinese are suffering from the discriminating treatment, the Chinese government should protect and help us.vii i Barman, Jean. The West Beyond the West, University of Toronto Press, 1998, p. 82. ii Ibid, p. 133. iii Anderson, Kay, Vancouver’s Chinatown: racial discourse in Canada, 1875-1980. Montreal and Kingston: McGill-Queen’s University Press, p. 46. iv Ibid, p. 55. v Ibid, p. 54. vi Ibid., p. 79. vii Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association of Victoria as cited on Multicultural Canada, http://www.multiculturalcanada.ca/cdm_item/cba/49/100 [I keep getting the same answer: item cannot be displayed, accessed ‘ay 10, 2012], accessed May 15, 2009