INTERESTING TO TEA-DRINKERS.
By S. N. Haskell
The Chinese immigration to this country is very great, and they mostly land upon the Pacific coast. It is estimated that there are at least fifty thousand in San Francisco alone, and in all the cities and small villages from southern California to Washington Territory, there are what are called “China towns.” Here we find them living in small dirty huts. Sometimes, although it is against sanitary regulations, they will line a room eight feet square with bunks, placing one above another. They frequently live in the lowest and filthiest part of the city or village. As soon as the Chinese die, their friends, if able, return them to China. This is according to their religion, and those thus sent are packed in tea. On their arrival the tea is removed, dried, sent back, and sold to Americans. The Chinamen are great tea-drinkers, but it is a universal and well attested fact that they never, after coming to this country, drink the tea Americans drink. They have their own tea trade. Frequently, after becoming acquainted with American families, they have been known to say, “Your tea no good;” but will give no reason why, unless compelled to do so. It is a secret among them. Since learning the above I have made much inquiry, and have found an abundance of proof to sustain the statements I have made. Indeed, they have been corroborated in every instance. If there are any S. D. Adventists who object to signing the teetotal pledge because they are tea sippers, may God pity them.