The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-09-10

from weli-known gentlemen in 'Califerni,
and North Carolina on the sll engrossine
question Of the hour, will doubtless be reac
with especial interest ut the present time
AsnVnLE. August 10, 1870.
A. Z. CAMERON, Of me National Labor Union
DEAR SIR,-May we not look to youl
Convention for definition Of whatever
national difference may exist between the
African Slave Trade and the Asiatic Coolie
Trade, as the one has already vitiated, and
the other now threatens 10 vitiate, the
highest and best interests Of America II
is now seen, by almost every intclligen,
citizen Of the United States, that slavery
was the peril of our nationality in times
past. Is there not just cause for appre-
hension that COoIeJy, as it is now taking
root in Massachusetts, Louisiana, and other
States, may prove the peril of our Republic
in the 'ears to comcI Against this new
plague and plausible abomination, which.
if not speedily checked, will undoubtedly
make haste to cheaper and degrade the
labor Of most of our white people down to
the neighbourbood Of starvation, trust Won
will enter, 10y series Of resolutions, or
otherwise, a strong and determined pro-
test
Under a delusivc plea for cheap labor,
capitalists, who, in this ease, are lamentably
destitute Of pure patriotism, are proposing
to bring to this country, for their own se,-
fish aggTandizemcnt, vast hordes of heather
operatives, to he organized into gangs and
companies, under overseers, in opposition to
the most worthy workingmen and working
women of our own race 1t was delusiOn
akin to this, n delusion cloaked under a
clamor for cheap labor, that led ultimately
to the ruin Of the South The North, the
glorious free white North, with her dear
labor; her skilled labor; with a social and
political system that recognized the re-
spectability and the rights Of iabcr
and that honestly ana eheerfulIy
y;eI,lcti 20 labor its Just reward, has always
been far more peaceful, prosperous, and
progressive.
The demand now raised by the grnspins
and unpatriotic capitalists among us for the
cheap rude labor of heterogeneous and pagan
people, is but another black attempt to
corrupt and 1cbase the population Of an
entire Continent. 1t is one Of the most
! gigantic and immoral schemes of counter
teiting that the world has ever witnessed;
for it contemplates nothing less than the
palmng Oh in perpetuity OH the public, Of
myriads Of counterfeit human beings, as
compared with whom, in any enlightened
and refined community, counterfeit money
is but petty and evanescent evil.
That God may direct the counscls and
proceedings Of your Convention, and that
our whole country may eventually be the
recipient Of great good from your noble
efforts at much-needed reforms, Is the sincere
prayer Of your friend, .H.....
HINTON Rowan HELPER.
VIII by fellow workingmen of tho East
ern states, allow a Californian to warn them
of danger ahead one that is great IN
magnitude, aHd if not aserted BY prompt
and determined action on your part, will
quickly reduce labor to lower depth Of
degradation than you have ever dreamed Of
| refer tOykhe importation into our country
Of China Coolie slaves, for the purpose Of
degrading labor. | call them eoolie slaves
for such they are. A large number were
I shipped On the cars few days ago, and al
though the doors of the cars were guarded,
each by Chinaman and a white man, some
Of them jumped of after the cans were in
motion and fractured their limbs. They
are not free men, but forced to fulfill labor
contracts entered into by their owners
Their women are bought and sold daily in
California like any other chattel property,
and as | suppose you are aware for the
basest Of purposes. Do you ask are such
things allowed a California ? | know ofno
efforts being made to prevent them.
The sole object Of the importation ofthese
coolies is to cheaper and degrade labor.
} Do they improve the country? Clear out
: farms =? Build workshops and create capital
to DO expended in our country? They dc
none Of those things, as every Californian
will testify: The Europeans do all those
!, things, and become worthy citizens of oul
t. republic, with whom we can associate as
equals, and in whom we can find earnest
CO. workers, in the reforms which we have
! insugurated for the emancipation of labor
W .,y not choose the latter? Why The
enemies of labor reform will choose the de-
t graded and labor degrading Chinaman j:
| plain to the dullest comprehension. He il
patient, indus -ious, docile and submissive
! lie is all these u q eminent degree, anC
] besides will work lor pittance on which
white man would starve. Flood the Soutl
with them and the African must steal o
starve. And greatest recommendation o
Z all, he can not be corrupted with thos
notions of labor reform, Of such rank growth
and which il not checked will wrest frou
[capital the right { y which is now arrogate
to ITSELF Of taking into IFS ample Golfers al
the products of labor Why shall not 10
:. capitalists have laborers with all those desil
|. able qualities China contains 414,000
!, 600 Of them. They make excellent servant
! and day laborers There are only $4,000
4 servants and 100000 day laborers in Ii
rfU. S. (see census Of 1900 add l ,529, ,006
:, servants and day laborers- Let Us disp1ac
tkesc with the cheap labor Of China Chin
II would not miss ten times that number
J What a blessed arrangement Of !" Divir
Ut Providence" that zoe have such an incl
4 haustible reservoir OF cheap labor TO dra
from. Suppose the white servants an
.aEIaboren grumblei Let them work 4
China wages They can do nothing moi
~ than grumblei They have no organization
e through which 10 oppose oar interests. II