, 1864-04-09
THE WASHINGTON STATESMAN
FRIDAY EVENING, APRIL 2, 1864.


IMPORTING CHINESE LABoRERs.-Sh
Lee, one of the tyee Chinamen who has been
engaged in the "wholesale washing and iron
ing business" in the upper end of this city
for the past year, left for Portland and San
Francisco on Tuesday last for the purpose of
engaging "troupe" of Cinnamon to 90 up
to the Orc Fino mines. He stated that he
had been employed for this object by persons
in Orc Fno, and would bring up about two
hundred of his people. Notwithstanding
the miners law prohibiting Cinnamon from
working in the Orc Fino mines and the late
action of the miners there disappearing Of
the policy of introducing that class of peo-
pie as laborers among them, it appears there
are some parties in that section determined
to disregard the law and the will of large
majority of the people in this respect and
have the "Johns" at all hazards 1t looks
as if there is to be an "irrepressible conflict"
growing out of the matter, sort of war of
conflicting interests between the large claim
holders and the laboring class of citizens
the "mud sills." The heavy mining opera
tors-landed arstocrats-have purchased
large number of cheap claims and expect to
realize handsome fortunes by getting the
cheap Johns to work them out A very
feasible way, certainly, to procure fortunes,
and the heavy operators might sit idly by
picking their teeth and building air castles
while their fortunes were being piled up
around them. 1t could hardly be expected
that men, having such rare chances for a
"good thing" by adopting cheap John sys-
tenn of labor would have any very great scru-
Piles in regard to the effect such a course
would entail upon the country. So long as
no serious objections might be interposed
they would fill the country With any class of
people-no matter of what type-that would
labor for them cheapest and make them the
largest fortunes. But it seems to u.s. look
ing to the future and the welfare of the
country, that the introduction of Chinese
labor into the mires of this section would
be about the worst move that could be made.
While it would work benefit to a few persons
pecuniarily, it would be detrimental to the
interests of the industrial white classes OF
our own country, and curse instead of a
benefit to large majority Of our people,
Let Cinnamon be hired in one mining camp
at 81 per days labor and who can doubt that
in a short time white labor would be entirely
suppanted and driven from that camp !!
And if permitted in one camp how long
would it be till contiguous mines would be
worked in the same manner? Certainly not
a great while. 1t is said by those persons
who have the scheme on foot that the Chi
namen should not be allowed to run over the
mines and work the best ground, but that
they should be compelled to work on the
poorest claims. We submit then that if
the Cinnamon, when they arrive at Orc
Fino shall be restricted to work only upon
such grounds as are pointed out to them by
the whites, they will be driven about from
place to place at the will of the citizen. If
they are proper class of people to be en-
couraged to come to our mines they certainly
should be entitled to the same privileges that
other miners have. IF they are to have
overseers and to be restricted in mining
privileges it will be little better than sys-
ten of slavery. But we deprecate the pol
icy of encouraging Chinese labor in this
country in any capacity, and believe such a
course would be productive of evil, and only
evil to the future progress and development
OF the country.
When the two hundred Cinnamon arrive
at Orc Fino it will not be surprising if they
should have to "turn tails" and seek more
congenial quarters. 1t would De rather a
rough joke upon the Johns if such should
be the case, but those who sent for them,
contrary to the expressed wish of their
neighbors, will be held responsible for any
troubles that may arise in regard to the
matter.
A NUMBHR of persons have lately arrived
here and at Lewiston who have been driven
out of the Beaver Head country by the
Vigilance Committee. They report that
there is an "irrepressible confict" going on
there between the Pixies Peak miners and
the Californians, Oregonians and Washing
tonians. Thus far the "Pikes" have the
best of it, they constituting majority of
the Vigilantes. Any one hailing from this
side of the mountains is at once set down by
the Pixies as Suspicious character;" and