Smyrna times., 1870-07-20

when MIR. Wilson denounced the introduction
OF servile labor, and Mr.. Sumner and others
spoke in favor of law to regulate the coolie
trade. Throughout the country, one party
controlled within no political limits, imagine the
influx of all the 4OOO0O000 of China, 20 dis
possess us others anticipate only a supply ap-
pOrtlOned to the demand, that will furnish la
Dor III manner equally beneficial to employers
and employed. Some forbOde paganism in
America others Christianity in China; one
class, the degradation of labor here; others its
exaltatiOn here and there.
Much OF all this agitation is unqucstiOnably
wasted. Something similar has assailed every
change IN the channels of labor When Geo
Stephenson invented the locomotive, it was
urged that horses would be worthless and farms
a drug; when steam was applied to weaving,
the Weavers anticipated starvation; when
threshlng- machines and sewing machines came
IN. labor was popularity supposed to have re.
celVed fatal wounds. In every instance the re-
verse has been true. And. there is such
held for labor here, that were all China
poured into our great wastes, labor would be
taxed to meet new demands, and aided by
fresh contributions from the instant. Other
results are not so clear The educating of de-
termlned races and Chinese passiveness is as
resolute as any pOsltiviSm-is not an easy
work much less 1t is cheap when the educa-
ton amounts to total rcmoulding, mentally and
morally The fusion Of contradictory bloods-
and the Chinese and American are antagonis-
TIC eXtremes-ls quite as difficult We, too.
are seeking homogeneity that ever newy ship
load poStponeS; while here are untold millions
threatened, drawn by the difference between
two cents wages per day at home and two dol
lars per day here. But if the Chinese are
mere machines, as one side represent. they will.
as the introduction OF other machines has done,
increase production, and business and wages
whereas, II they arc as shrewd and skillful as
Is stated on the other side, they will add to the
variety OF our resources, our production, con-
sumption and wealth. In one event, they will
perform the drudgcry and enable white labor
to reach higher level in the other, they will
institute an emulation that will compel this,
and more.
The question is one that may be left for ex-
perlence to settle Ill many of its bearings We
cannot bring phi lloSOphical principles to bear
where one quantity is unknown in some of its
fundamental features. While it is pepding this
at least is certain, that it deserves 10 be
thoughttully considered. 1t may be found
proper to place the whole movement under re-
strlctlonS. Ii so, they must be of principle and
not passion. The first step would seem to be
Tor those who oppose the ingress to en-
deavor to reconcile the relations between en-
ployers and employed, where rupture is caus-
ing the former to assist in the Introduction of
Chinese. Anotheris is tomaintain the laws that
We have rather than threaten lisobcdicnce and
murder, as Was done at New York. We are
tar from ignoring the sound sentiment cf Gold
smith, that "a bold yeomanry. a country 5
pride, cannot be trifled with with impunitv.
But the problem here is whether the whole
people Of the country, of all occupations, are or
are not benefited by the Introduction of fresh
labor. The doctors disagree Political action
has not been taken. There is no precedent for
the case. While we are slowly feeling our way
toward the solution, passion should be restrain
ed and judgement and right alone consulted.
We have no faith nor fear that ASiutic labor
can be detrimcnt to our own directly. The
danger Is moral and political If there seems
reason to anticipate this seriously. Congress
has power to prevent it, and will cert riny en-
pIOy that bower -NOrfL 1D,or;c1u