American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1869-09-18
John Chinaman.


ton engages the earnest attention |
of rejecting men. The following
extract from a letter received few
days ago by a gentleman who re
sides in this city is worth perusing
with care. The writer resides in
San Francisco, California. He says
of the Chinese laborers: "They can
be engaged in China vt from s. to
$40 in greenbacks. Their passage |
is paid by the parties who engage
them, and they sign contract to
work for a certain term of years, say !
two or three, at certain specified |
amount per month. and to pay back
| their passage money and any other
expenses that may occur, with n per
centage added on. After that they
can go where they wish. The gov
eminent cannot deny any one the
right of bringing them into this
country, as they come of their own
accord. Reduce it down to this:
The Chinaman desires to come to
America; the company pays his pas
sage because he is not able to do it
himself; gets him to sign contract
pledging himself TO work for a GER
| tain time and be under their control
during that time The Chiuaman is
only carrying out his contract. The
planter who engages them will have
better labOrers than ever have been
in our country. There is no danger
of the Government interfering, for
you have the signature of every one
and n certificate from the United
States Consul at Hong Kong that
they leave with their own CONSENT.
AS tor any trouble with the negroes,
that will soon be settled, for by the
late treaty with CHINA our Govern
ment is compelled to protect them
In the South their votes would coun-
teract the vote OF the negro. They
would be opposed to them; but the
Government considers the rich trade
with China, which is increasing ev-
cry day, of too much Importance to
be given up for few lazy, worthless
negroes, and will stand by the Chi
naman. AS to the Chinaman's ca
pacity to work, they had several
thousand on the Central Pacific
Railroad, and they were cons dered
as good laborers as any. They are
employed in wooden mills in this city
(San Francisc0.) They are in the
mines all over the State, and 1 saw
them as far north as Montana, Idaho
and Oregon The house servants as
general thing are composed of
them. They do all the washing for
the city. They can live on ten cents
day, and get fat at the same time.
Their principal diet is rice, tea and
pork. Give them that and that is
all they wish. They are perfectly
conversant with the culture of rice,
and they understand to some extent
r that of cotton"
Beyond doubt this cheap and
valuable class of laboreIS will sooner
or later come here. What will he
it's influence on the prosperity OF the
State, nay, what the effect of its in
PRODUCTION into the county of Mnbleg
1t is now accepted as demonstrated
, fact that there are now in this coun-
ty thousands of acres now lying idle
, which are admirably suited to the
culture of rice, cotton, sugar cane
and tobacco. Give US cheap labor,
and those thousands of acres will be
, at once rendered highly productive.
The negro too will be forced to aban-
don his Idle habits and become a
, steady and reliable laborer; the gain
, from this cause alone. will he great.
! To make these results certain in the
a shortest time is the question which
should receive the attention of our
: business men, of all who have an in
terest in the development of our
resources, in the prosperity of our
city. Yet the solution is easy. Let
, those who design planting cotton,
hext year in this county, take the
f initiative in forming a company with
: bonds to pay the passage money of
, certain number of Chinese field
, hands. Other cities will doubtless
f take stock in the company, not only
as means of developing the resour-
ces of Mobile county, and therefore
the prosperity of Mobile city, but as
matter of direct profit for there is
money to be made in it. If a few of
: our intelligent business men will
, take hold of it, a thousand or more
+ Chinese can be set to work next Win
ter preparing ground for cotton
/ alone in Mobile county. The result
will be that in few years this city
will receive from the counties in
f close proximity to it staple products
exceeding in value all it now gets
9 from the entire State.
MORE ANON.