Branksome Hall - Slogan Yearbook (Toronto, Ontario Canada)

Page 18 text:

16 THE BRANKSOME SLOGAN Sports ' Day, Rosedale Lacrosse Club Grounds May 27th, 1921 Upper — Wand Drill. Middle — Junior Balloon Race. Lower — Visitors at Games.

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iiranksame Slogan EMtor tn Cbief : MARJORIE SHERLOCK, Form V. 3f orm IRepresentatives : TREMBETH LUKE, Form IV.; CATHERINE McKAY, Form IV., Special; JESSIE WRIGHT, Form HI. Hlumnae IRepresetitativc : AINSLIE McMICHAEL, ' 13

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THE BRANKSOME SLOGAN 17 THE MENACE OF THE ORIENT IN CANADA. Much has been written in the past few years on this question, but we feel that Canadians do not yet reahze the menace to their country, which is found in the influx of Orientals into our most Western Province. The question is not the less of great national importance, because for the moment it obtrudes itself mainly in British Columbia. It is rather the graver because of that, for British Columbia is far from the populous centres of Canada, and its representation is so small at Ottawa, that protests seem of little avail. When in the West a short time ago. Lord Northcliffe was- not only startled by the facts, but astonished at the lack of interest shown in them by Eastern statesmen and publicists. Historically, the immigration of the Orientals difl: ers greatly from that of our European immigrants. The Canadian Government frankly paid Europeans to settle in the country, gave them grants of land, and has cared for them, when, leaving the farms for work in the cities, they became the victims of industrial s tress. In contrast with this money expended on these settlers, Canada has derived an enormous sum every year from the head-tax imposed on Orientals. Does part of the lack of Federal interest in the danger of these immigrants arise from the fact that they bring in annually such a substantial revenue ? The circumstances under which the Chinese first came to Canada are of interest. Although now they present a great and pressing problem, at the time of their first coming they filled a great need, and performed a service to our country. The great influx of Chinamen came with the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway. This company ' s contract stipulated that the line be built across British Columbia in five years, at a time when there w ere no labourers to be had. The wages were good, but only bartenders, and riff-raff from the mining camps of California, who knew nothing of the work, and were worse than useless, were procurable. Then in April, 1882, two thousand Chinese labourers were brought across the Pacific in sailing-ships. No sooner had they landed than scurvy broke out, and hundreds of the poor wretches perished, lliose who remained were employed in building the railway.