The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1869-06-24
MISCELLANY.
THECHINESE LABOR QUES-
TlON.

Sate letter from "Charlcs W. Lightner,
Esq., distinguished mining engineer,
of California" giving an account OF the
Chinese alorc,s in sulphur manufac.
tory under his control, with somc views
on the question of their employment at
The East. We quote as follows:
The wages paid them arc 81 25 (Gold)
per diem (,en hours) for working in the
mud and water, and in the sulphur re-
suing 81 20 (sold) for ordinary shore
and mining work-housc rent free, fuel,
free, they board themselves. This they
were conteut to do. Their grand STA
pies, rice at eight cents per pound, pork
eleven cents per pound, tea scventyhve
cents per pound, were furnished and
deducted from their months pay.
They bring to this country few ma
sionalprcjudic' s, principally n jealousy
of one party of different section; politics
or religion, am satisfied, have nothing
10 do with their difficulties. These are
rarely carried to any extreme, and are
developed moro in stubborn dislike to
work with a rival party and a total want
of charity or even pity for the troubles
of any one not from Their own Chinese
locality. I have found it better when
working one hundred or so to have them
uf two par.ies-ezci'ing the one by the
other. A few words from white over
seer will at any time qGcH adIsturbance
let them have separate quarters, and
fields or parts of work allotted TO them,
and there will be no difficulty in msna
ging them.
They care but little for holidays, and
are suprcmcls indifferent to the elective
franchise, whether at general or primary
elections; like tolcrbly bad article of
wbiskcy, if cheap, drinking 1t entirely
pnt of working hours, dr1css tolls and
taxes as fervcntly as Highlander
They arc all fond of fsambling, but it is
the policy Of the ovcrsecr to stop it, as
une will often gamble off months
wages in advance, and like ourselves,
hate paying fer dead horses" They
generally, when in large bodies, ask
for two or three days in February, (Ncw
Years one or two days in September
full moon (good days and will work
all the better for having these holidays.
They make but little the religion they
have and take no paius to make prose-
lyes tc their bell {, ignoring Il c id
that an outs d ,r can ever sect heir he en-
under any circum stances.
Now, as TO inducing any lnrsc Itr
tion of them to migrate to oyour district,
It is asking too much for 6 party to ven.
urc it An ageEt leaving this coast TO
canvass The older States for market
for their labor has too short Il time to
learn it in. While there arc here plcn-
ty Of men uho 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 20 ask them to 20 far
away from the only line of communica-
tion they have with their native home.
The uncertainty of the climate and tic
people they have to go among, the ne
turc Of the work they are to be employ
cd at, the facilities for obtaining their
favoritc food-ricc (and here let me sly
they have poor opinion of Car"lina
"swamp seed," and would starvc on it,
their small grained rice being murh
richer and more fairnaceous) and pork
(fresh)-will for long time, or until
they are satisfied in these respects, pre-
vent them from leaving here. Should
cothpay of men, in say Memphis or
New Orleans, rise fund of Of S5U0,-
900 I believe that, by sending out Il
proper agent, who would oe associ tied
with some party here in whom the six
companies have conf lence. they will be
able to secure from 1000 to 5000men who
would be willing to try the experiment.
/ assure you that arrangements could
be made for theirpassage overland, and to
Memphis at not to exceed SIS to 500.
This would be repaid out of their wages.
and the money being refunded would
20 towards sending on more. With
their immigration to your section, i,
will be necessary to have store at some