The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-07-21
COLUMBIA, IS. G
wednesday HOrning, July 2l. 1859.
Tho Chancse Labor Convention ut i1sm-
phRs.

During the second days proceedings
Of this convention, one that has been
largely attended, and which has excited
great interest among the cotton planters
and railroad contractors in the States
bordering on the Mississippi and tribu-
taries, two Chinese gentlemen were in
troduced to and addressed the conven-
tion. Without comment, we publish
the reported speeches of these two Chi
namen, believing they will interest and
be acceptable to our readers:
Tye Kym Orr, a live Chinaman,
dressed American summer fashion, and
without the inevitable "tail," but with
the unmistakable Chinese features and
color, and bright olive eyes, on coming
forward received a hearty reception. He
spoke in broken English, and in the
course of his remarks, which displayed
considerable shrewdness, he said, that
he thought that it was very great .pri-
vilege to be allowed to address them.
He did not know till Sunday that he was
coming here, when Mr.. Greenwood told
him he wanted him to go to Memphis.
He was fsChinese" himself, but he left
China in 1868, and since that time he
had been in the West India Islands, and
seen great many of his countrymen at
work, and he could tell them much re-
garding them. The emancipation in the
West India Islands, he understood, took
place in 1880, and the colored people be-
came very lazy, and then they got labor
eTs from India and China, and they were
now in large numbers in British Guiana,
st. Vincent, Trinidad, Gaudnloupe,
Cuba, and other places. They are all
heathens, as the gentleman from Missis-
sippi said, But, then, there is the more
necessity to Christianize them. You say,
''Come over and help u.s." and they say,
'Lord, help rs, or We perish" They
are ready to till the fields, to build roads,
and to, be the brothers Of the people
here, and therefore the people of the
South may be the means Of turning
them from infdelity to Christianity, as
he had been. Although pagans in re-
gard to religion, they were docile, obe-
dient and afectionate, and would do any
thing for those who were kind to them.
IF they were only talked to kindly, they
were never tired of doing something for
'tmassa," as they called him. In reply
to sundry questions. Tye replied that,
although not SO strong as the white peo-
pie, they could do great deal of work
He warned the people of the South in
regard to bringing the Chinese here in
discriminatory, and when this was done
in the West Indies, nothing but misery
had followed. Agents had sent there by
the wholesale. the good and the bad the
industrious and the lazy, and the worth
less. If they wanted to get good hands,
they must go into the interior of the
country. and especially avoid the "town
rats, !" who were to be found in the cities
These ''town rats" left the country on
speculation to see foreign countries, and
would not work when they got here
BARRIERS, shoe-makers and tailors were
not wanted, and they must steer clear of
spectators, as they only worked for a
per centage He contended that the
Chinese were generally faithful to their
contracts, and few of the laborers were
opium smokers, as opium was luxury
like champagne in this country. Their
food was principally rice, salt fish and
vegetables, which they raised themselves.
He thought if they wanted good China
men brought to the South, they ought
to send some good trusty man to China,
who would go 200 or 800 miles into the
interior, and pick out field hands, and
turn out well. He said they generally
made contracts for about five years, and
the best place to get them from was the
Southern part of China, in the Provinces
of Canton and Amoor. If any of them
brought their wives with them they
would also work in the fields, for it was
only in the cities that women had small
feet. He went on to remark that field
laborers were about the middle size, and
worked best under Chinese overseer,
with white superintendent. Their pay
was about S15 per month, while the
overseer got $40 or $25. They were will
ling to do anything, and were not
treacherous or vicious. Very few were
fond of liquors, and they don't like
whiskey. He only knew one who liked
whiskey, and he only took one drink
every Sunday. They got along with the
white people very well, but when