New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-05-01

tions aud impOSitiOns beside fOr loH' w. my
nust always pay more than the WHITES AheS "o
fair game for all sorts Of Tascals nom highway no
"a camp-robbers to those who 90 round win re
olvers in their hands personatng tax collectors 10
I'll those timid people who even in their own ue-
tense will seldom fight unless in Oyerpowerhg nun
hers. is comparatively safe nor, unless VINO
man happens to witness the operation, Is tloio "Iy
danger of subsequent punishment LOT III 'ii0 'o"'9
of Caforna the testimony of ChlnauiaIl cauno'
lie received against white. strong eiiort was
made at the last session of the California Legislature
to GET through law permitting Cinnamon 10 Iesu'y
oeinst whites in cases of outrage upon them but
though the bill passed the Senate, 1t failed IN the
Assembly the real cause of the defeat being the anti
Chinese feeling though the opposition was ostensi-
bly based upon the ground that the Chinese have no
regard for the sanctity of an OATH winch indeed Is
fine case In any matter in which they are interest
cd they can bring up cloud OF witnesses ON either
or both sides. -,
ciic coast have been treated badly enough. most
exaggerated idea upon this subject prevails IN the
East 1t is not true, is sometimes asserted that
Chinaman cannot walk the streets of a Pacific town
without being insulted or assailed. One cannot
walk half block III these towns without meetings
Chinanan and in any part OF San Francisco, al any
time, day or night Cinnamon Though boys Occa-
sionay shy stones at them) are much safer than arc
strangers in New-York 80,
As the competition of Chinese labor with white
labor has become more general and threatening, the
feeling against them has become corTesponuingy
intense But cOmteractIng feeling IN ther favor
has also been developed While making enemies OF
the wOrkmen with whom they come INTO cOIpetl-
tOn, they have made friends Of the employers, WHO
found profit in their labor and as they have become
massed in the employ OF great corporations anu III
the cities they are more easily protected
There is now more reason for an antlCmneSe tecl-
ing in California than at any time before and that
feeling though less general may be more intense,
but it certainly not as powerful asithas been and il
Is doubtful if IL could at present secure the pfOhlD
zion of Chinese Immigration, even were there no
mt nal oh n tnOunn
such issue fairly before the people the pro-
hibitOniSs would have a clear majority. There are
too many interests becoming involved IN the employ
ment OF Chinese labor to make TINS feasible unless
by some sudden awakening to their danger the work
ing classes should be led to such thorough union as
should make numbers count Tor more th3n
capital From the great corporations, like
the Central Pacific Railroad and Pacific Mail
Steamship Company, or the large manufacturing es-
Francisco Rope Works. to the families of moderate
incomes who employ Chinese servant or the Jour
neymen harness maker, who takes his Work nome
aud teaches four or five Cinnamon to help HIM there,
very large and powerful class, rapidly becoming
larger and more powerful, IS drecly lhleI9sleu III
maintaining their right TO aNall themselves %
Chinese labor; and this class Is further REINFORCED
by those who will prOspectvey profit by the cheap,
pning of wages, and those whom poItlcal sentiment
has led TO an acceptance in all It's fulneSS OF the doc
thine of the equality of races. And further sun, the
preiudices of race and religion are, strange il may
Seem, TO certain extent themselves enlisted in
Johns" defense, and there are not a few stanch
supporters of Chinese immi gration and employment
ton that "a Chinamau Is as good as lTiShman"
with the implication that he is good deal better
THE WAGES QUESTION.
1t is ObviOus that Chinese competition must reduce
wages and it would inst as obvious that to the
extent which it does this its introduction is to the
interest of capital and opposed TO the interests OF
labor But the advocates upon the Pacific coast, of
the free introduction of these people hold that tins Is
not So and insisting upon the literal acceptance CT
the half truth that the interests Of labor and capi
fal are identical" argue that reduction of wages by
fhis means win be of real benefit to the community
ara hN az n
ductiOn. while it will do no harm TO the working
classes the essening of the cost of production will
reduce prices that the labOrer Will DO able to puT
chase with his lower wages much as before. Ac-
COrdng TO them. the saving effected by the use OF
lOw-prced Chinese labor is precisely the same that
effected by the of machlnery and as the intro
duction of machinery has resul ted in increased com
fort and employment for all classes they argue.
will the Introduction OF Chinese labor result For,
say they the occupation of the lower branches of
industry by the Chinese will open opportunities for
the displaced whites in the higher, giving them en-
plOyment fOremen, superintendent. clerks, etc,
when they lose it as jOuTneymen mechanics.
This, believe is fair statement of the opinions
held by large and powerful class and, inasmuch as
they the opinions of such class put forward
by the most influential portion of the press and adj
vOcated by many who claim the position of public
teachers. they are worth an examination III detail.
And rs in examining them we touch upon questions
which are and would be of general interest, even if
there was not single Chinaman IN America or any
prospect Of coming hero land also for the sake of
greater cleamess let us eliminate at first the Chinese
and local considerations and treat the general prob
lem If a general reduction of wages would as is
claimed work no hardship to the laborer, because
prices would fall IN the same proportion then the
cOnveTseis true that il would work benefit TO his
emplOyer-as his receipts would diminish in the
ratio his expenses while the of his capital
would not appreciate, and no increase in production
could take place IL this position is correct then the
knOty labor question is indeed solved the interests
of labor and capital are indeed identical. Provided
the movement be general to raise wages as high and
rs often as asked would be only an act of empty |
cOmplaiSance the part of employers TO submit |
willingly TO any reduction only cheap courtesy
the part of the employed
This fallacy rests upon the assumption that all |
profits rents, sc, would be reduced by and in the
same proportion the reduction in wages, which Is
manfestly absurd. Nor, when we speak of general
reduction Of wages" in the sense the term is used IN
this discussion, do we mean all wages; but only tho
wages of manual labor. Wages of superintendent,
the professions etc, would be unchanged. and could
only be affected indirectly and after some time by
reduction in the wages of manual labor.
And rs consumers constitute a larger body than
labOreIs. even If consumers got the whole benefit OF
the reduction i'm the cost of production consequent
on the lowering of wages, it is evident that the la
bOreTS gain "a consumer wOnld be less than his loss
as a laborer. II requires no argument TO show that
TO take g. day from five men, and to divide again
between them and two more, would be losing opera
ton TO the tive.
But consumers would not necessarily get the bene
fit of any part Of the reduction IN cost Of production
The whole benefit would at first go to employers IN
increased profits Whether any would subsequently
come TO consumers wOnld depend upon the cOmpetl-
ton which increased profits caused. The more gene
Jal the reduction Of wages, the longer would 1t take
for this competition to be felt; for If wages sank
equally and profits equally, there would be no
lnducement for capital 70 leave one occupation and
Heek another and the fresh accessOns of capital to
produce competition could only come from abroad or
from new savings
Plainly, when we speak Of a reduction of wages in
any general and permanent sense, we mean this If |
mean anythlng-tlat in the division of the joint
production of labor and capital the share of labor is
10 be smaller, that Of capital larger This is precisely
what the reduction of wages consequent upon the !
mi ro( a (fllupcQ