The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-27
TIC CHINESE LABOR QUESTION.
COOlie Emigration and Stream Of Indus
trials from Asia.
e-Y-
The Trade In Co0lies---HOw and
by Whom Conducted.
Character, Habits and EcOnO-
mics of the Chinese.

Character, Habits and EcOnO-
mics of the Chinese.
The question OF Chinese emigration TO the United
States s at present attracting great deal OF public
attention. ana many or the leading men Of the South
Southwest and even the Northwest have earnestly
taken up the subject and are applying to all known
sources from which to derive Information. The
public press has thrown but little light the ques-
ton, for the reason that 1t has had means Of OBJ
tanning accurate and reliable accounts OF this vast
business, and our statesmen and leading men are
perfectly ignorant OF what they commonly cali the
cO0lie trade. Even Mr. Koopmanschaap, who as
sumes to be an oracle on this subject is unac
quainted with II further than In receiving Chinese
people In California, for he has never visited China
IN his life. The opposition to this coole movement
arises from this general state Of ignorance in
regard to 1t, ana it was through this
ignorance together, 1t must be admitted
with good deal Of fanaticism, that the
act OF Congress Of January, 1862 was
passed Ito prohibit the coole trade" Many OF the
leading men in the New England States protest
against the importation Of coolies to this country
because they believe the c0ole trade and the slave
trade are Identical; and even were they convinced
that the c00e is simply emigrant, who comes to
make fruitful the barren wastes throughout the
length and breadth OF the South the Southwest and
the West; that he comes to build our railroads and
canals. and even 10 Ill our workshops and factories
and make them busy with his industry Still the New
Englanders would oppose him. for they are opposed
to everybody and everything that Is likely conflict
with their interests. That this coole emigration
terprise Will ultimately be perfectly successful no
one can doubt after being enlightened on the sub
1ect The next ten years will give us an enormous
Chinese population, particularly in the south; and
In view Of this fact the purpose Of this article Is
ply to give an exhaustive, comprehensive and
impartial history of the coOlie trade in all its
qualifications.
Nearly all nations have been, and are now deal
ing in the cooe business and every nation that has
permitted these people to labor for it has become
enriched thereby. England, France, Spain, Holland,
Portugal and Peru have long since acknowledged
the benefits they have derived from Chinese labor.
The largest business that was done for some years
was IN the Cuban trade, and number OF first class
houses in Havana were engaged In it, such as Drake
Co., Jose Maria Morales Campbell e. Co., Torrices,
Puente h Co., Ferran & Dupierris &c. About the
year 1868 the Spanish government put some impede
nents In the way Of tins tralc, and 1t fell OF little
for year or two, but afterwards began again with
fresh vigor The business until 1864 had been prin-
companies OF Havana, but in that year some OF the
planters began to receive coolies on their own &C.
count. Don Miguel Albania sent an agent to Macao
IN 1864, and until 1861 received large shipments.
Other planters followed his example, but only on
small scale. The leading houses before the revOlu
ton in Cuba were the Alianza Company and Messrs
Lonbillo MontalvO Il Co. The French house OF
Caro- Herms & Watson recalled their agent last year,
az did also all the other Havana houses.
COST AND PROFIT.
Up to the year 1858 the cost of landing cooe in
Cuba was about $120, Mexican or course there
expenses after the landing to be added to this
but at that time the brokerage in China was seldom
over five dollars per head. while in 1851 1T was
eghty-nve per coolie. Cooie contracts have been
sold high twentysx ounces (S442) and as low
twelve ounces The Importers make great many
bad debts ana from this cause and also from the
occasional great number OF deaths on shipboard
their profits are not so large as they otherwise woud
be. In 1865 and 1857 coolIe contracts disposed
OF on as long credits as two years and without in
terest. The most experienced coolie trader is an
American, Captain Francis Bowen, a native OF New
York, who has for the last sixteen years been ell
gagged In the coolie business IN China. he formerly
commanded number OF cOolIe ships, but for years
past he has resided In Macao where he has been the
agent for the shipment OF cookies to the Spanish
"
Chinese laws and customs and with International
laws governing the coolie trade, and has been very
successful. Probably there is no person engaged in
the trade VINO has greater experience than captain
Bowen, and he certainly is more extensively known
than others 10 the business.
SUPPLY AND DEMAND-THE PERUVIAN COOIJE
TRADE.
IRE Peruvian cooe trade has, without doubt,
been the cause OF the prejudice which most people
feel against this business, especially those who do
not understand how 1t Is carried on. That great
cruelty and injustice have been practlsed towards
coolies In the Chncha Islands cannot be contra
dcted Ships engaged in this trade are mostly owned
IN Peru, but sail under the Italian nag and are COM
manded by italian captains. They arc generally old
American clipper ships, and IN this respect are
superior to other vessels in the trade. But on &C.
count OF the bad management on board there has
been more trouble through mutny, assassnatons
and mortality than Oh other ships The Peruvians
obtain their coolies from Macao at present. take
the intermediate season between April and October
for their shipment Their trade, however, is COM
paratlvey small. The principal house engaged in
the business is that Of Carnevaro--a very rich
Italian, who went to Calao many years ago as cook
Of q snip. lie has number Of sons who are wei
educated high toned. gentlemenly men, and who
now carry on the business
ENGLISH AND SPANISH cooLrE TRADE.
~ silt5'ion ovo pCcu cuBoecu CCOuc lIaUc
ior many years. aud are, In lac the first people who
started tins system OF emigration They have al.
ways objected TO other nations doing this business,
desiring to keep all the profits in their own hands,
snd, characteristic or Their hypocrisy and selfish
called upon the philanthropc 10 take measures to
stop u. Thc Old cry OF the thief 10 the crowd 10
stop thlef put II has been Of little avail, ana they
have been detected and thwarted In their .'lltte
game" which they believed they could monopoze.
The English take coolies from China India ana from
Africa and their treatment of them while on shin
hoard and after they are landed Ii not nearly 80
good as that shown toward these people shipped TO
CHba,
The Spanish coolie trade has been largely confined
TO cuba, and coolies have been shipped this island
slnce 1852. At that time and for number or years
aiterward they were shipped not only from Macao.
but from Swallow and Annoy, and AZ The expenses ia
China were at that time much less than at present
great deal OF money was made by the parties con.
corned. or late years the agents for the shipment Of
these abOrers Tor Cuba have been obliged to restrict