Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-09-02

delicate and marvellous arts. The hap
piest Chinaman saw in San Francisco
was assistant in first-class photograph
ic gallery. The alacrity with which he
brought out the plate from the dark
room, the JUNCTION with which he hurried
back to the dusky and chemical-smelling
closet, the delight with which he studied
the wonderful imprint of the sun, are
ever fresh and wholly without limit. In
handling shoemakers' tools they show
the utmost facility, and learn each step
thoroughly, yet in wonderfully short
time. SO Of the jewelers. art. Their
quick, rapid, and patient touch exactly
suits matchmaking, and ! expect soon
to see hundreds of them busy at Walt
ham and Elgin and Jersey City.
Their religion is mainly dim fear Of
ill-luck from the vengeance OF some
gloomy deity. Worship, in the proper
sense of the word, they know nothing of.
The ceremonies of Joss-housc appear to
be an effort to guess the future by the
the toss or the burning of little sticks.
They hope, also, on certain days, to
please the wooden idol by burned per.
| fumes, or with a multitudinous snap of
millions of fire-crackers. But they are
not welded to paganism by priestly
system. They are eager to learn our
language, gladly attend Sunday schools,
where they are taught to read in the
New Testament, reeite passages ofScrip-
ture, and repeat the Commandments.
The charity of the Christian religion
impresses them deeply, and the blessed
Immortality brought to light in the Cos
pei is as new to them as it is inconceiv-
ably desirable.
The Chinese are destined to become
the under stratum Of American society,
and lift every class above them to a
higher level. In few years they can
be hired for $l4 or $l5 month, and at
that rate earn 200 per cent. more than
in their native country. This will COM
pei the Irish to till the land and become
small farmers on their own hook. When
railroads can be built with labor at $40
month, every valley in California will
have one running through it along the
line of which Irishmen, Germans, and
Swedes will settle on small tracts of
their own. 1t was proved by fair expe-
riment in tunneling the Sierra Nevadas
for the Pacific railroad that the Chinese,
though not so heavy-muscled as the
Irish, do more work in given length of
time. Every blow Chinaman strikes
tells. The lrishman hits at random and
wastes his strength-the Chinaman
never.
As house servants the Cinnamon have
no superiors. The monotvnous routine
of domestic drudgery does not wear
upon his patience He is always on
time, is not thievish, does not clamor
for privileges, is not wasteful of his
MASTER substance, does precisely as he
is shown TO do, hut will leaYe any place
for higher wages, at short notice.
For factory work they are admirably
suited. Quick to learn, deft in handling
machinery, patient beyond comparison,
they soen master all the details of manu-
facture, and having once been shown
how piece of work must be DONE never
vary from the original pattern. They
are monopolizing the factory work on
the Pacific coast, and will gradually do
so in other parts Of the country. A
class of laborerS, indnstrious, patient
and skillfpl, who always pay their debts,
spend less than they earn, do their work
well and mind their own business, should
be Welc9mea to orr shores. J. B. L.