Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-09-19

lAAlG AAlNAAA LII ~ ACLNAoA
IN an article commenting on the
subject of Chinese immigration to
America, the London Times Of the 1st
inst. has the following:
Alone among the races Of the world,
they confront the Englishman, and pro-
duce as much work with less pay. Other
laborers are often found to work for less
wages than the English laborer, but they
prove in the end the dearer w0rkmen to
employ. because Of the insuficiency Of
what they turn out. The Chinaman in a
large range of employment overcomes
this difficulty, and shows a balance in his
own favor. and the resentment of the
manual Iaborer he Underbids is a neces-
sary consequence. 1--WE cannot 1--we, the
Californian in effect says, "upon that
which satisfies a Chinese and, in pursu-
ance of that self-preservatiOn, which is
the first law ofnature, he proceeds to beat
and stone him in the streets.
We venture to think the conflict Of
races in California viii not be solved by
import duties or street outrages. II
would appear that in California Itself
there are persons who find the presence
of the Chinese useful and convenient.
The California sections of the Pacific
Railway were made with their assistance,
and while the work was thus eheaply
done. it bears comparison with the Sec
tious completed by ~"navvies' from
another world The same mail which
tells US of the vigorous steps X IN
California, informs us that a Convention
has been held at Memphis to devise
means of bringing Chinese into the cot
ton. sugar, corn and rice fields Of the
South. The Mississippi and Missouri
valleys. the mines of Colorado, Nevada
and Arizona. the prairies still haunted by
Indian tribes, may be contested between
Chinese and American immigrants. It Is
imDossible to suppose that the Chinese
can be kept ont, and speculation may be
| better employed in contemplating the
functions they may hereafter discharge
i'm the wonderful policy into which the
states are destined to grow. Inheriting a
civilization more ancient and economic,
methods more perfect than the european
can boast, but destitute Of that strength
and tourhneSs Of moral fibre which sup
ports authority, the Chinese may be wei
coined as assistants in colonization; they
need not be feared as the dominating race
of the future.
In relation to the character Of Chi
nese labor, S. H. GILMORE writes as
follows to the Galveston Nei0s;
During the years Isl7-iS I had two hun
dred and fftv Chinese labOrers in myem-
ploy on a sugar plantation in the island
or Cuba. They came from the port OF
Annoy, under r contrast to work eight
wears at four dollars per month, payahie
annually. on the same plantation were
$50 native African and 300 negroes, natives
ofthe island. The Chinese were remark
ably dncile. industrious and intelligent;
all could read and write their language
huentlv. and from their peculiar tact and
dexterity would perform about double
the amount Of the labor of the negroes,
and with much less apparent effort. When
oncn shown how their work IS to be done
they require but little overseeing They
are all botanists to the extent Of knowinG
enough of the merits of every species Of
| vegetation to cook il into savory dishes.
They will pull the common grasses and
nick the leaves from forest trees t%archnice
dishes. Their ratiOns were jerSed beef
and corn meal. but they always had more
or less vegetable dishes from the fields
and forests. and understand the art OF
making the most of everything better
| than n people that | have seen.
NV experience with them lasted nearly
| three wears. and satisiedme that one Chi
naman was worth at least two negroes for
any kind ofIabor. In 1853 I was on the
| island of Cuba, when some of my friends
were paving a premium Of $50 per head
! for Chinese labor contracts, besides pay
inc them their regular wages, proving N
| the most positive manner that after ten
wears experience they were valued at
| more than double the price of negroes.
| Who we're not worth $1,000 for the term OF
their natural life.