The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-06-16
TEE CHINESE LABOR QUESTION.
-
The Real state OF the CSssse -HEosv Coolies
can be Observation-Disclosures and Inn.
p0rtant Facts.

Inc memphis Appeal pub ublisheS private let
ter from "Charles w. Liahtner, Esq, distin-
guished mining engineer. Of California" Civ
ing an account of the Chinese as laborers in
sulphur manufactory under his control,
with some views on the question Of their
employment at the East. We quote as follows :
The wages paid them are 81 as 1gold) per
diem (ten hours) for working in the mud and
water, and In the sulphur refining; 81 20 (gold)
rent free, fuel free, they boarding themselves.
This they were content TO do. Their grand
staples, rice at eight cents per pound pork
eleven cents per pound, tea seventy-five cents
per pound, were furnished and deducted from
their months pay.
They bring to this country few national
preiudices. principally o jealousy OF one party
OF different section; politics or religion, / am
sat!sfed, have nothing to do WITH their diff.
culties These ale rarely carried to any ex-
treme, and are developed more in stubborn
dislike to work with rival party and . total
want OF charity or even pity for the troubles Of
have found 1t better when working one Aun
sdred or 60 to have them OF two parties excit-
ing the one by the other. A few words from q
white overseer Will at any time quell q dis
and fields or parts OF work allotted to them,
and there will be no difficulty in managing
them. p
They care but little for holidays, and are su-
whether at general or primary elections; like a
tOlerably bad article Of Whlakey, il cheap.
drinking itentirely out of working hours, and
detest tolls and taxes as fervently as High
is the policy Of the overseer TO STOP il. as one
will often gamble of Q months wages 10 ad-
vaEce, ard, like ourselves, hate paying Tor
'dead horses" They generally, when in large
bodies t y ask for two OF three days in February
ber full moon (good days. and wlll work all the
better 1cr having these holidays. They make
but little show ofthe religion they have, and
take no pains to make proselytes to their be-
Lief ignoring the idea that an outsider can
ever see their heaven under any circumstances.
:, Now. ss to inducing any large portion of
them to migrate to your district, it is asking
too n.cs; ssoT psrty here to venture IL. An
States for q market for their labor has too
much to learn, and too shorb time 70 learn it
In. While there. are shdzB plenty Of men who
are familiar with the method OF getting any
contract; and while the ''six companYes'' are
able to turn them Out by the thousands. t is
another thing to ask them to 30 SO far away
from the only line Of commu nication they have
with their native home. Tue uncertainty OF
the climate and the people they have to 20
among, the nature OF the work they are to be
employed at. the facilities for obtaining their
favorite food-rice (and here let me say they
and would staxve on it, their small graioed rice
being much richer and more farinaceous) and
pcrh tfreshl will For q long time or nntii they
are satisfied In these respects, prevent them
from leaving here. Should company OF men,
In say Memphis or New Orleans, raise q
fund OF $500 600 believe that, by send
Ing ont q proper agent, VINO wOnid be-
associated with some party here In whom the
SIX companies have confidence. they would
be able 10 secure from 1900 to 5000 men who
would be willing to try the experiment.. as
sure y0n EhaS arrangements could bs made for
their passage overland, and to Memphis at not
to exceed 975 TO e100 per head. This would be
repaid ont cf theiy wages, srd the money being
retanded would 60 towards sendiag on more
With their immigration TO your SEXTON, 1t wall
be necessary 70 have . store Of H0tne point
where their traders csa supply fiiSm with the
curious ash, clothes, me .icii,es ard nick-nscks.
which they consider indispensable 10 their
health and comfort. The agent gofai0g hare
should be well guaranteed, and acquainted
wisa tho quality oe labor 70 te done In yonr
sectson, and should b. prepared 70 give bost-
tive assurances ae to the good treatment and
pfopnpt pay 0f the In0n le&vinE hsrp, 90 the
comp Anies ara ahrewd and intelliR3nt and are
10 hgreat degree reeponsible fox sheteturn OF
the men to ChinA, dead or alive. IL baliov6s
that p enty Of e00e iield iAbofefs Co,Sd 30 M
dnoed 90 go--all other things Satisfactory -~at
mot 70 exceed go (gold) per rnanfn. thG bOarcs
ing themselves, and fts III pOHBIbiA flat they
may be hAG az d Sauch lCwef pk1ce. q re 3