The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1870-05-13
1EsosTs On g.iliflgFaEs.,
! Chinese lmnagfation.

\ Chinese Immigration. IS, s. ~
!; The spsoiar sun,nstssss ,ao whom,
Vas fcisffsd arcsolatlon ,ou tbe sub
ject Of. Chtness labor, ask leave to re-
ports. -
s. That the.limited time allowed will
not permit tho preparation of an elab
orate noport, but they believe the sub
ject well deserves tho consideration O,
tho convention.
Your committee arc of the opinion
that the introduction Of Chinese la
Dor would DO Of great benefit to q
large portion of South. Carolina. In
tho lowor part OF tho State and on
the islands were rice and long cotton
is cultivated, and where it is supposed
white labor cannot be permanently OF
protitably employed, it would seem to
be great acquisition.
The Chinaman is reported to enjoy
almost perfect health on tho low river
lands in the most unhealthy regions
of tho South and Southwest.
Chinese labor is not an experiment
because iii Louisiana it has bccn tried
with great success, and very much to
tho satisfaction OF those who have
procured it.
1t is important, however, that this
labor should be procured from the ru-
raj districts, since tho labor brought
from tho seaport towns is likely to
DO worry much dcmuralizcd, and not
likely to give satisfaction.
The Chinese laborer has. shown
himself Industrious, frugal, obedient
and attentive to the. interest of his
employer lie is by by natnrc mild
and pacific. His yhrewdncss and
wonderful initiative powers enable
him readily. to require the necessary
information and to perform with ia
cility every kind of farm labor
Admiral Scmmes, who has had op-
to see these people at home
says in his most interesting work
Service Afioat"- that "the Chinaman
is born to industry" that "he is the
cheapest producer on the face Of the
earth, because his habits are simple
nnd frugal The same distinguished
gentleman, speaking of q visit to an
English merchant, residing in China;
1T whose. country seat he dincd and
spent the night, says: ellis house
hold was pattern of neatncss aud
:omfort-there was an air Of cleanli-
1css and neatncss throughout-which
)nc rarely ever sees in i bachelor CO.
.ablishmcnt. His servants were all
males. Chihi and Hu
Chin, and tho rest of them, ploughcd
his fields. moved his hny, stabbed his
horses, cooked his dinners. waited on
his guests, washed his linen, made his
bed and marked his game OF billiards.
Ii there had been q baby to nurse, it
would have been all the same" We
,hink that the Chinaman cannot be
ed, either US servant or labor
,r, by ANY other, whether you place
him in the house, the garden, the
Held, the workshop, or on the rail
roud.
1t is gratifying to your committee
70 be able TO report, on reliable infor-
nation, that tho Chinese laborcr can
20 brought into our Statc ut price
within the means of lnoset of our,
'iantcrs-say at an expense Of not
more than one hundred and twenty
i've dollars per head, the whole or
greater part Of which would be rr-;
uhded by tho loborcr.: In one in:
'tance, where a number Of Chinese Ia
'orers huve recently been: brought to
New Orleans, the cost per head WAS
'ixty-tive dollars, all of which The Ia
'ordr contracts to refund from his
irst earnings: These people have con-
;ra6ted for FIVE years at fifty cents
1er day, and all lost time to be &C.
counted for at the same rate. They,
work from sunrise until sunset, allow
ng one hour for dinner and agree to
obey unduestioned all orders from the
owner or manager. Your committee
think that it is only necessary to use
the same means to introduce tho Chi
nesc as is employed for the. .introduc
ton Of other:foreign .laborcrs. Mon.
ey and concert Of action wii! bring
them. : =. .--.,,.< -: 4. =.
And they are needed; A vast por.
ton of oar lands arc lying waste and
nncpltivated. We, ngiye employ
ment to all who may come; and while
giving a hearty W eicome. to Sothera,
we hope the convention. will not over
ook that source from which an al-
most in6xhaustible supply Of labor
may be oktained, and which, pcrchance
may do assmnch5 5,to wards developing
the ,rcsoarces ofrous. State as any