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Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
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superior to all others. That was the impression: you never could bother with them, because they think they're so superior. They won't treat you right, and they won't deal with you. They give you a brush-off. They don't talk with you. They're very polite, but they feel so superior they won't come down to earth.

Of course, you know, they used to meet the Clipper ship people. They wouldn't allow them to come ashore, you remember that. They didn't want them in the country. It wasn't the “foreign devils” so much. They just didn't want them around. They didn't want them prying in. They sent “Hwa Kwa,” the merchant out to meet them and to deal with them, is how Hong Kong got started, really, you know.

Interviewer:

I wrote my Master's thesis on a guy who went to China in the 1850's. Very interesting tale. He brought back some of the first coolies to work on the railroads.

Perkins:

Really? Oh, it's a fascinating yarn. And did he know Hwa Kwa? It was before Hwa Kwa--before Hwa Kwa was set up as the intermediary. He was the man who was set aside to deal with these people.

Interviewer:

It isn't a man's name, is it?

Perkins:

Yes, it's a man's name. Hwa Kwa. I'm sure that's the name--I mean, it just springs to my mind.





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