SAN FRANCISCO.

Evening Star, Issue 4189, 31 July 1876, Page 4

SAN FRANCISCO.

hnr ¥>eti VerredfioitdiMi)- < • 5

**•' ; ) '‘ ::i June 21, 1876.

The Chinese questicmr'Cwhich has become a “ burning.quMtidd’ ’ on. the Pacific slope, »nd has been brought hafcre Congress, where liffgham bap .-Wen^adcipte^with the view of restricting Chinese immigration to those engaged in qommercial pursuitsj has a short paragraph ctekbted to it "iri the platform. Thus “it is tl»oimmediate duty of Congress to the-affect of the immigration ana importation of Mongolians upon the paprid ajxcl of the country.’' Touching material interests rnrpyftq laboif has l}e.6n favorable^-a Without;; it the Trans-continental Eailway would hardly have keen built, and it is wholly maintained VOHcht) ISboVhas also developed many industries on the Pacific Slope i d>ut the ,<yid ( 4}msa,n4, Alongdffans 'here are simply a" moral pest. Of the Chinese in £ap. J?raijpigg)4here are two thousand prostitutes=women ’ brought up bound to serve tbeir owners - and who are brought here und«iVthe auspices of Chinese capitalist or guilds,.who, derive a.reyenpe thfere-'afe khoWfl.dq’:be 103 %kf f <1? criminal clas|Y and these and their Wohiett dombined’ have developed; that ctsgpf.jpung Californians called “ hoodlums,”.which corresponds witl*the Colonial term “larrikins.-” Which' is worst,liher-Melbourne larrikin or the Safni Francisco hoodlum, it would be difficult to say, but''both are the product, in large measure. of the immoral taint of the Mongo-

lians. Thd'TreSd and people of this city are becomjpg alive, to'the magnitude of the evil, whlftkhaa sapped, the very foundations of virtue in those families jn which Chinamen hatfe beien employed. The quarter of the! city inhabited by the Celestials is not squalid,’’ from point of view ; but it is dirtyj ..wretched, immoral beyond conception, thfe seat of disease arid crime.' Outrages are common/murders frequent. Every raacaHtyrthat Qaq bs imagined is:practised here,'in the‘heart, of a : great:CcityUbetween the centres of connnereeHmd the homes of our merchants. The municipal laws, if erff oiced/; woald purify- Chinatown hot a little, but. the 'Bbard-of Supervisors appear to be indifferent on the subject. And 'yet, l I am’ told, that in the country towns ■- and mining districts matters.- are still worse. Herqfadvhite woman would be punished,; if found Chinese -saloons-; in -’-Nevuda and elßfctfhere th&lawislax, and-the young of bdfh fiekes ffieqhent these ;'den?,' klnoking opium, and lying insensible there till the effeSto "of the narcotic pass'away. Under these demoralising influences young America is growing up along the Pacific Slope. What -a dead letter, if family ties are loose, and home life is unknown. The Mongoliafriblight is to be removed.by a “ plank in the Republican platform,” and there an end. Bdt-the women’s rights advocates are to'"have their honest demands for “ additional' rightt and privileges, and immunities,, treated with respectful considaration. ” ; But while Mongolian nncleanness and lust, and free-love exponents, are to be. gently hhUdled, “that relic of bar barism r polygamy, is to be prohibited, and extirpated from the territories. - ’ Well, polygamy may be ba4» hut the settled communities-: «f the United States do not present any very inviting substitute - for ft. ’Regarded ’ from a, moral standpoint, and, judgihg by social effects, I ai *i inclined to think that polygamy, as practised in Utah territory, is altogether a more moral and desirable state pf things than that which has? grown up and is protected under the shadow of our marriage law. , I need not particularise ; hut when vice, clad in satin and Velvet, rides in chariots, elbows you }n the. st?&4ta, appeals to you from windows »nd ; balconies, Sits by you qrt the public dining table, confronts yon at every t Jjrn and corner by.day and'hight, it is' just possible that there may be. worse states of society than that depicted in an 'old Book, where seven women lay hold of one man and, declaring that they will be no incumbrance, beseech him that he would let them he called by his name. This I take to be Utah polygamy.;, but,n'o suph scruples influence female society in this quarter. “ The. relic pf barbarism” is decidedly clear and. more whole-

some, morally and. socially, than the outcome of what is here away styled 1 ‘ the holy estate of matrimony.” The Republican manifesto makes a fierce assault upon the Democratic party for its sympathy with- treason : meaning thereby, its dat Spoken denunciation of the carpetand its desire for a general amnesty. It is a’ pity the Republicans have displayed the red shirt in their convention, because the.sore§ caused by the rebellion are, not extinguished, and it is not forgotten that although triumphant as a party, the Republicans have -caused America to stink in the nostrils of the civilised world by reason of its enormous corruption, which has been traced through every “department and in every rank up to the’ steps of—the Throne, I had almost written ; but to the desk of the President. Better have State Tights in the ascendant than unlimited corruption. There is one paragraph, however, which I shall transcribe“ The public school system of the several States is the bulwark of the American republic, and with a view- to its security and permanence we recommend an amendment to the constitution of the United States forbidding the application of any public funds or property for the benefit of any schools or institutions under sectarian control.” The has these remarks on the reading of this resolution Great cheering continued for several

initiates. In response to repeated calls, "Gerleral Hawleyread this plank a second time and delegates and audience repeated their cheers;” ! Thus, the key-note sounded by General Grant has been taken up by his party, and if he did not carry a third term with it, he supplied a battle cry for the campaign, which will have magic influence, But the denominationalists are •strong, and should the Democrats go in for denominational education, and a general amnesty for political offences, the chances .are . about, equal. As it is, the peace may be broken on this education (question. In the United States there is hardly suck a thing as faitli except in the Catholic Church, Free thought prevails everywhere, and the contest will thus lie waged between religious fanatics, allied-with a political party which has few religious convictions, and a political party which has mo religious convictions whatever. The “plank” above quoted loses the EepnbUcans the Catholic vote, and this vote, now That the. women are going over to the old faith by thousands, will be a political one. . In California the school law has-been Amended by excluding the compulsory •clause; and from want of funds, the com-mon-schools, have been closed. This enforced vacation' will last three months, although a great effort is made to collect the. poll-tax, which is devoted -to school purposes. - The new i from the mines is encouraging, I and although shares, are unduly depressed ! in Bonanza stocks' the yield from the divi-; flend-.paying c'aims arc ns large As ever. Over two million dolla’s wire paid in dividends in ’Friscolast week, and this is about -the average"monthly run ; but the bulls and "bears of the f" took Exchange make ;;ul havoc With ihycstQflr(Aspecul{vtiou j n mining stock

certainly very risky. Splendid fortunes nave been made, and the’ fortunate speculators, instead- of rimriihg off to Europe or clearing put, buy , city blocks, andj. erect buildings. Tier.e have. -been built iii this way, and ace, in course of erec- I rioij*., / ,sprae .' of ;the largeati :4iid 'hand-:

soin£st>.L buildings. I 'have--evenikseeiU. j add you are toldy'rt'it’h the addition—“lt came out of the When money is made' in tins country at is ncftatteem btf of it. A contrary p'ractibc obtains with you, which impoverishes the (Scdbnlhs.' f ik'Vhat 'e'f&jiWyment is found for skilled labor Ah J a large iafo.., and capital . circulates jrrAnejs.cd is rapidly ehjmgihgji.ta appeaifance. Ijt is hjo c longer "a wooden towq,. hnt-. a,. ci,ty built of granite and bricks in the most substahtiar and ornate mrpitier. •,And ,bhPc I ipay remark that the .nave been pedaled td'fhe minimum; jf^entthc dth&r 4py ~-ftdth c a Zealand visitors at the us u al' uo pn of; the Underwriters’ Fire Patrol, having been taken merebhyrthß'popular ageh't■ of-'the; Ne-vri Zealand Insurance Company/Mr Htighi Craig - / yell ppapt.. In explanation l my say.,tbat ;the, U. F. Patrol was established in April, 1875 i th& “ object being to

protect and ;aavh life and property in or contiguous to bttrning buildings, aind to remove or take charge of such property or any'part'thereof when necessary. In pursuance/orthis apatrdl has beeii"'organ'-’ iped, whidh, as 1 have seen, hitch on the' horses to the waggons and make a start for a fi?e, fully equipped, within ten seconds from'the alarm. At the sound of the electric bell, the horses, which stand ready harnessed, spring to their places in the shafts ; a single spring attaches the harness to the vehicles, and the men are seated in a moment, prepared wittmil- covers to protect perishable property from injury by water. The Underwriters’ Fire Patrol has always been first at fires since its organisation, and much saving has been made to the insurance edmpany by its services. On arrivingatthe sdene’ of a fire, they hook their waterproof sheets - ..over . all ..perishable - goods , ; that

cannot- be removed - readily, or pile them in h ea P s on . tlie floor and make them., secure by ’covering them. When the fire brigades arrive on the scene to hack and hew and acattar water about, they find preparations made for them, and they have ohly to confine their attention to suppressing the conflagration, which, from the ahundjant water pressure, they easily accomplish, lisaw the other day a valuable stock of steel Ware protected from injury by the Underwriters’ Patrol, which otherwise would beenia total, loss. L 1,200 worth, of additional, coverings have been ordered fromBostpu. ■ The force lives at the station, and every provision is made for their comfort; ahd amusement. Every day at noon a fire alarm is given at all the fire stations in the city, as a precautionary measure to test the efficiency of the corps. The city has a fire brigade and twelve fire steam-engines, besides 1,073 hydrants in various parts for extinguishing fires. Improvements are being steadily made, and with the more durable stylo of building now going up, San Francisco may soon be regarded as fire-proof. It is remarkable, however, that insurers prefer foreign offices, from their larger capital and prudent management. The local offices start with small capital, divide profits close, and have no backbone, as the Chicago fire demonstrated. The insurance companies are. bound to file a schedule of business yearly. ' From this it appears that the New Zealand has done uncommonly wreH, a#d its office.looks as if it were as busy as possible- .A rare stroke of business policy may be mentioned in this connection. I refer to the presentation to the Regatta Committee by the company through its agent, Mr- Cra'g, of a -handsome cup, to be sailed for on the centennial, July 4 The clip, which cost 250d015., is manufactured by Kohler and Ritter, San Francisco, and bears a suitable inscription. It is of chaste design and workmanship, surmounted by a figure of -Victory, and having the seal of the corny any, flags of the United States, the Master Mariners' Association, and New Zealand cast into bus relief; on the reverse side of the cup is the inscription and a ricoly' chased model of a favorite coasting schooner. The wheat production of California and Oregon will be larger this season than any former year, and the crop is in splendid con dition. Barley and oats are likewise a heavy crop. There are now in harbor fiftyfive vessels of (>3,000 tons register to load with wheat before the end of August, but over 500 ships, of 1,500 tons, will be required for the shipments of wheat, flour, and barley this season. To give an idea of the magnitude of the grain trade of the Pacific Coast, it is estimated that 25,000,000

grain bags will be required for this season’s crop. This includes 2,500,000 bags for Oregon, ami 20,000,000 bags for California wheat. When it is stated that these hags fetch 131j to 14i cents., the stimulus given to manufacturers by the agricultural development of the Pacific slope will be seen •to be enormous. Since January 1, 1870, the bag imports have been large, the City of Peking, from Hong Kong, and City of Sydney, from Panama, bringing one million and a-half grain sacks. 4,500,000 sacks are on the way from Great Britain (Dundee), and four millions from Calcutta. The Oakland factory hero will furnish three millions more. Now, here is an outlet for New Zealand flax which some enterprising firm should take up. The machinery would not cost much.; bags could bo woven seamless or hand-sewn, and shipped here to a certain market. If requisite, I would willingly furnish every information on the subject. A s the tariff favors the foreign manufacturer in this branch, I .''think New Zealand colonists should try and compete with Hast Indians in the Californian market. There is no fear of a falling oil’ in demand. The contrary will be, the case. When wheat can be harvested, and put into grain hags, at six cents a bushel, and the soil remains productive, California will practically remain ;fche granary of the world. New Zealand can’t compote, hut it can furnish hags and bagging, ami thus turn its indigenous products l into good account. Xew Zealand cordage, Ijin diameter and upward, fetches ten cents per pound ; discount to retail dealers one cent per pound all qualities. I think, however, that a coarse fabric for hags might he manufactured from phormium teuax which would go into immediate consumption and command average prices. This would give considerable employment in N T ew Zealand and increase its wealth. Coal is another product which Xew Zealand might very well ship here. I refer liiorc especially to Westport and Grey river coal. There is none in this market crpial to them. Indeed so pregnant is this -matter in my judgment, that I think the Government should assist in developing those mines. If 1 nglish vessels and ships from Eastern ports could fill up at Wellington, Dunedin, or any prii>. cipal port with coal for San Francisco, where charters are certain the grain season, freights to Xew Zealand would be reduced, and the general trade of the Colony stimulated. The magnitude of the coal trade will appear, when I state that whereas New South Wales sent 7,853 tons in 18(!0, it. sent 13!), 1(!4 tons in 1575 ; English coal bcing*Gs,G34 tons last year. These figures and a certain market should stimulate production in Xew Zealand. I {To be continued.) /