Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-06-18
JOHN CHINAMAN.
Is he q Desirable Accession to our
POpulation-T The Question Constd-
cred from q New England stand


Population The Question Consid-
cred from q New England stand
point. gR .ss.Erv T-r --Esffr.. e.
From the Atlantic Monthly.
The ever-present Chinese pique
our curiosity. We must look into
their homes-compact, simple, yet
not over-clean or sweet-smelling
quarters - into their restaurants
and their theater, if it is in opera
ton, and into their "Jos Houses"
Their stores invite US with open
doors, and tempt our pock-
cts with all the various spe-
cialties Of Chinese manufac-
ture at reasonable prices. A few
are men of stature and presence,
with faces of refinement and gentle
strength; the many go sneaking
about their work-a low type Of
mankind, physically and mentally,
imported here like merchandise,
and let out to labor under system
only half removed from slavery it
self Yet they are an important
element in the industry and pro-
gress of all this side of the conti-
nent. But for their labor the Pa
cifio railroad would have been at
least two years longer in building.
Twelve thousand of them have done
nearly all the picking and drilling
and shovelling and wheeling Of the
road from Sacramento to Salt
Lake. They furnish the prlnci-
pal labor in the factories; they
make cigars; they dig and work
oyer neglected gold gulches; they
are cooks; they almost monopolize
the clothes washing and ironing;
Yin all the lighter and simpler de-
partments of labor where fidelity
to q pattern, and not fiexibility and
originality OF action are required,
they make the best and most reli-
able of workers.
At least $4,000 of them are scat
tered over these Pacific States, west
of Utah and though our American
| and European laborers quarrel
with and abuse them; though the
law gives them no rights but that
of suffering punishment; though
they bring no families and seek nc
| citizenship; though all their women
here are not only commercial, but
expressly imported as such; though
they are mean and contemplate il
their vices as in their manners
though they are despised ant
kicked about on every hand, still
they come and thrive, slowly
better their physical and mora
and mental conditions, and suppl!
this country with what Utmost need
for its growth and prosperity
cheap labor. What we shall d'
with them is not quite clear yet
how they are to rank, socially ant
politically, among US, is one of TIL
nuts for our social science student
to crack, if they can; but now tha
we have depopulated Ireland, an,
Germany is holding on to its own
and the old sources of our labor sup
ply are drying up,all America need
them; and obeying the great natu
raj law of demand and supply, Asi
seems almost certain to pour upo
and over us countless thousands c
her superfuous, cheap.hving, slow
changing, unassimilating but yer
useful laborers. And we sha
welcome, and then quarrel over an
with them, as we have done wit
their European predecessors. Gu
vast grain, cotton and fruit field
our extending system of publ
works, our multiplying manufat
lures, all need and can emplo
them. But must they vote; and
so, to what effectP