This essay has been written by Name of Student of Class of Student of Name of College
“Appeal from California. The Chinese Invasion. Workingmen’s Address” is an article written by Dennis Kearney and H.L. Knight and was published in Indianapolis Times in February 1878. In the given paper, the article has the main heading of “Our Misery and Despair. The other article “The Chinese Must Go” was written by Joseph McDonnell in June 1878. The essay attempts to analyze the articles with a view to bringing out arguments offered by the writers of the articles.
The first article describes the problems being faced by white Americans due to huge influx of Chinese cheap labor in a very strong way showing a lot of resentment to the Chinese presence in California. The second article highlights a balanced viewpoint about the Chinese presence in the state of California and gives out a rationale solution to the problem.
Kearney and Knight in their article sound very racists and appear to have a lot of hatred for the Chinese working in California. Their arguments of non-availability of labor jobs for the white American due to the presence of Chinese cheap labor is logical; however, it is due to the policies of the state government. The state government is elected by the same white Americans who have their representation at the state and federal level. Policy making at federal and state level is always in the better interest of the people of the state and country. Chinese in California must have been allowed under some policy and rule. The writers need to object to the policies of their government instead showing racist approach towards Chinese people (Kearney and Knight, 1878).
There is a connection between the labor and the race in the state of California. The Chinese labor is available in cheaper rates as compared to the white Americans. People prefer to hire Chinese for their work and pay them less money instead hiring local white Americans and paying them higher wages. Chinese do not have enough of obligations on account of standard of living, eating food and having sex, like the white American people. The white people have to maintain their living standards, eat good food and wear presentable dress, therefore, they need more money. But Chinese presence has troubled their way of life, and they are no more comfortable working in the huge Chinese presence.
McDonnel arguments about the Chinese presence are rationale. He described the cry of “Chinese Must Go” as narrow and unjust as it represents no universal principle. He describes the cry as a repetition of the cry that was raised years ago by the Native Americans against the immigration of Englishmen, Irishmen, Germans and others from European countries. He reminds the white Americans about the time when they migrated to America and Native Americans had objected to their presence the same way.
He suggests to the audience that instead of making a cry for Chinese to go, they must raise their voice against the low wages and long hours offered to the Chinese labor. He advises the audience to organize themselves. He reminds the audience about the other states where there are no Chinese. He tells the readers that the situation in those states is equally worse. He refers to China where despite huge Chinese presence, situation is no good.
The articles highlight the connection between the race and labor in view of the existing immigration laws of the state of California during the time of writing of these articles. Principally, the relationship between labor and the race indicates no good trend as it is equivalent to being racist.
Reference
Dennis Kearney and H.L.Knight. (1878). Appeal from California. The Chinese Invasion. Workingmen’s Address. Indianapolis Times. Print.
