The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-07-19
SPIRIT OF TEE PRESS.
Editorial Opinions of the Leading ,o,D. So.,r"'
Upon Current Topics COinpleu HNerS
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CONDITION OF THE LABOR MAhkEf'
From, the San Francisco Times
The mass of information relative 10 tne
industrial condition OF the Sldle' Iu'rnlsneu III
tbo onnnal report of the Labor exchange, Is
~ ,eas interesting than important; and seeing
tbo immense benefits which that institution
hos conferred upon employers and employed,
n becomes matter for surprise that we
sbould have so long neglected to avail our
eoIves of its advantages. The first thing that
strikes us, in perusing this report, Is the ex,
traordinarily large number of applications and
orders filed During the time the Labor Ex-
change has been in operation-a period OF
aome fourteen months only-employment has
heen found for 1S,600 persons, of whom
IA GEO were men and 1927 women.
The Labor Exchange of New York, during
tbe past wear, found employment for 81, 143
nersons. of whom Is, la were males and
2 O20 females And yet upward of 100000
immigrants arrived last year in New York.
II will be seen that the proportion of women
is much larger in the Eastern labor market
than il is here, though we must not forget
that there are in this city many employment
offices, which probably withdraw large
number of women from the operations of the
Labor Exchange.
The most significant fact shown by the re-
mort however, and the most interesting, in
connection with question which is destined
to enter largely into the politics of the time,
is the effect of Chinese labor upon the labor
market. During the last year demagogues
have been busily engaged in prognosticating
all kinds of evil from the influx of Asiaties.
We have been told that they were taking the
bread from the mouths of white men and
women We have been assured that the en-
ployment of Cinnamon as domestics was
driving away industrious and capable
white girls, whose places were filed by the
hateful, economical Mongol. Pictures
have been drawn of able-bodied immi-
grants reduced to beggary in our streets, and
an attempt has been made to create the
impression that SO far as the labor market
was concerned, John Chinaman had emu
lated Cesar, and had come, seen, and con-
quered And now what are the sober facts
as shown by figures which neither labor
leaguers nor politicians can get round? The
Chinese element has eC6rted no dppreciGbLe
influence up0n the labor market. All through
the year the demand, in every class of
occupations has been steadily in advance
of the supply. Although it is known that
Chinese are largely employed as cooks
and house servants, the demand for white
girls has been constant, and invariably in
excess of the supply. Nor has the rate of
wages been affected at all. The prices paid
to housemaids, laundresses, nurses, cooks,
seamstresses, chambermaids, ETC., vary from
500 to $35 and $40 per month, with board,
and still the cry is for more women. Over
four thousand have been absorbed during the
past year. and the demand is as active as ever.
The report of the Labor Exchange contrasts
the wages paid to demestics here and in Eng
land, and, as we think, rather overstates the
amounts paid in the old country. We believe
that from $25 to $35 year is nearer the
average than from $40 to $50; and though
domestics in California earn more in one year
than their less fortunate sisters can in ten
years, they are not content.
But there is another stubborn fact for the
consideration of the anti-coolie leagues, to be
found in this report. Not only does it appear
that the labor market has not been affected
by the importation of Chinese, but we are
told that ''the fact is that both skilled and
unskilled labor has been for some months
past rising IN gaIue." The needs of the coun
try, now beginning to be opened up in al
directions, cannot be supplied by the tide OF
immigration; and though resort has been had
to Chinese labor, the fact that the supply OF
white labor has been inadequate to meet the
demand for it, proves that at least no bread
has been taken out of the mouths of any white
persons who have passed through the hands Of
the Labor Exchange.
The opening of the Pacific Railroad has not
brought the great influx of laborers that was
expected. No doubt large numbers of those
who were employed on that enterprise have
been retained in the interior to assist in the
construction of other lines. Some have gone
East; some have drifted off to settlements
along the railroad; some have gone to White
Pine to try their luck.
In comparing the statistics of the Califor-
mia and the New York Labor Exchange, one
significant point of difference is observable.
At New York the excess of applications for
employment over engagements last year was
1888 In San Francisco the excess of orders
over applications during the same period, was
4S38. That is to say, New York was unable
to find employment for nearly five thousand
applicants, while San Francisco was unable to
fill nearly five thousand orders.
In considering the expectations of large
emigration over the Pacific Railroad, the
difficulties of the way must be borne in mind.
Three things are absolutely necessary to the
establishment of such an immigration, viz.
convenient emigrant ears, low fares and quick
travel. Up to the present time the railroad
companies have seemed to consider that they
had done their whole duty when they furnished
emlgrant trains, and no regard has been paid
to the question of speed or the comfort of the
passengers The cost of provisions is gen,
orally an important item with emigrants, ye
they are Systematically delayed five and six
days on journeys that should not occupy more
than two at the most The report of the
New York Exchange of last year, alluding to
this question, says;-
Sat present fast freight trains occupy less time
travel than those carrying emigrants, and some G
these trains, freighted with human beings, are com
PEELED to give right OF way to cattle trains."i
1t is evident that with such a system we ca
never hope to secure our share of oVerlan