The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-06-16
THE CHINESE LABOR QUESTION.
The Real State OF the Case-How Coolies
can be Obtained-lntcresting and Inn
portant Facts.

The Memphis Appeal publishes private let
ter from "Charles w. Lightner, ESQ.,, distin-
puished mining engineer, Of California" Civ
ing ON account OF the Chinese as laborers in
q 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 Is (gold) per
diem (ten hours) for working in the mud and
water, and IN the sulphur refining; 81 20 (gold)
for ordinary shore and mining work-house
rent fee, fuel free, they boarding themselves.
This they we're content TO do. Their grand
staples, rice at eight cents per pound pork
eleven cents per pound, tea seventy-five cents
per pound, we're furnished and deducted from
their months pay.
prejudices, principally q jealousy Of one party
OF different section; politics or religion, l am
satisfied, have nothing to do with their diff.
culties. These ale rarely carried to any ex-
treme, and are developed mole In stubborn
dislike to work with rival party and total
want Of charity or even pity tor the troubles OF
any one not from their own Chinese locality. l
have found 1t better when working one hun
dred or so to have them of two parties ..excit-
ing the one by tho other. A few words from q
white overseer will at any time queu dis.
turbance. Let them have separate quarters.
and fields or parts of work allotted to them,
and there will be no difficulty in managing
them.
They care but little for holidays, and are su-
premely Indifferent to the elective franchse,
whether at general or primary elections; like q
tolorably bad article OF whiskey, il cheap,
drinking it entirely out of working hours. and
detest tolls and taxes as fervently as High.
lander. They are all fond OF gambling, but it
ls the policy Of the overseer to stop 1t, a5 one
Slll often gamble off months wages In ad-
vance, ard, like ourselves, hate paying for
''dead horses" They generally, when in large
bodies. ask for two or three days in February
New Years, and one or two days 10 Septem-
ber full moon (good days,) and will work all the
better f.r 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, as to inducing any large portion OF
them to migrate to your district, 1t is asking
too much for a party here to venture it. An
agent leaving this coast to canvass the older
States for q market for their labor has too
much to learn, end too short time to learn it
in. While there are here plenty OF men who
are familiar with the method OF getting any
number together for any mining or railroad
contract; and while the SIX companies are
able to turn them out by the thousands, it is
another thing to ask them to go SO far away
from the only hne of communication they have
with their native home. The uncertainty OF
the climate and the people they have to go
among, the nature OF the work they are to be
employed at, the facilities for obtaining their
favorite food-rice land here let me say they
have poor opinlon of Carolina swamp seed"
and would starye on 1t, their small gralued rice
being much richer aud more farlnaceou.) and
porL (ftesh)-will for long time, or until they
are satisfied in these respects, prevent them
from leaving here. Should company OF mcp,
in saw Memphis or New Orleans, raise o
fund OF $500 600 I believe that, by send
ing out a proper agent, who would be
associated with some party here in whom the
SIX companies have confidence. they would
be able to secure from 1000 to 5000 men who
would be willing to try the experiment.. as
sure you that arrangements coulo Dc mace tor
their passage overland, and to memphis at not
to exceed s75 to 500 per head. inns would be
repaid out of their wages. ard the money being
refunded would go towards sending oa more:
With their immigration to your section, 1T will
be necessary to have store at some point
where their traders can supply them with the
various fish, clothes, me .icines and nlck-nacks
which they consider indispensable to their
health and comfort. The agent coming here
should be we'll guaranteed, and acquainted
with the quality OF labor to de- done 10 your
section, and should be prepared to give POSI-
tive assuranc, as to the good treatment and
prompt pay of the men leaving mere, as the
companies are shrewd and intelligent, and are
in q great degree responsible for the return OF
the men to china, dead or alive. believe
that p enty of good field laborers could be in
duced TO go-all other things satisfactory at
not 10 exceed $50 (gold) per month, they board
ing themselves, and 1t ie possible that they
rav he had at much lower price.