New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-07-13
THE NEW ISSUE.
CHEAP LABOR FOR AMERICA.

FACTS ABOUT THE CHINESE, BY A CALIFORNIAN.
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
SIR: The importance which the question OF
Chinese Labor has assumed In this part OF our
country IA but the beginning OF an exciths CONTEST
There ia but the diminishing Of the outposts as YETI
viii NOT mo long before the engagement will become
general That the well grounded principles OF fOhucai
Economv will have much influence In deciding the co
test is hardly TO be supposed that political eApeueny
and partisan policy will serve 10 determine l"o
conflict "a not improbable Whether desirable OF oecuo
able the introduction OF Chinese Labor Will be made po-
ltica question: each party will bid for the votes OF ne
laboring universally opposed to the introduction
OF supposed Of artisans and hporerS' ana
the marty which baws Anti COole Win the greatest
ertinacy viii probably the larger proportion
OF the workngmens votes. From what nave seen III
California and what see here OF the manner In which
this important question ia discussed or rather TAXED
and written Of am convinced that there is little pros
meet that il will receive impartial hearing and an I'M
biassed Judgment from the country Demagogues VIII
ride to places Of power upon the AntCoohe horSe anu
you will see as in California have SEEM nearly the
entire press bowling down before the howl oil the LABOR
Leagues.
There an apparent ignorance of the Chinese charac-
ter on the part Of those who endeayor to instruct the
peope concerning through the public prints IL seems
10 ne assumed that the Chinaman slave both at nome
and abroad that he is the inferior Of our lowest CLASS oi
aborers that morals OF the worst that he IS ns
honest that he brings with him disease ana pesehce
that his mode OF life is ignobe that II must nave an
Objectionable influence upon our own that he VIII de
crease our wealth by boarding his earnings ana
sending them TO China; and that by reason
OF his fewer requirements, the white laborer
ia unable to successfully compete with MN.
The Chinese ingenious, not an inventive people
They initiate but do not originate They have made no
progress In either manufactures agriculture or tera
ture for centures but contact with the races OF E
that hnNyT ma "a n
start in civilization. Already they have shown their
ability and readiness to adopt the improvements wch
they find i'm America. They more industrious, ana
possessed OF greater intelligence as Glass; 'hah
the immigrant laborers now employed In
our cities. In all branches OF industry
where expertness Is required where deAteiity
is necessary rather than brute strength they excel the
operatives of Europe and America They are admirable
field aborers and actually capable OF performing
heavy work. Although generally OF slight rather IMAM
muscular build they possess great powers OF endurance
and wonderful vitality. They will work a greater num-
Der of hours each day and accomplish as much as the
average white. They thoroughly Trustworthy III
their work accomplishing without the need OF an
oyerseer and rarely attempting to cheat the employer
lazy Chnaman Is a rarity. Ihey comply Iatnuiy
with the terms of contract. II Chinaman agrees to
work for year at a stipulated price, he will work faith
fully and at the close Of the twelve months VIII present
himself for renewal Of the agreement.
California one OF the richest States in the Union IN
natural resources to-day poor for lack ofaborers to
develop her mines and cultivate her soil Her profits IN
mining and in wheat almost the only available resources
of the State all swallowed up in the purchase OF ne
cesstes and uxuries Of foreign lands Her condition
natural consequence OF scarcity Of labor China oilers
a supply The thousands in California are doing
much to increase her wealth, notwithstanding the mis-
representations of large proportion OF her press But
by the opening Of direct communication with the Atan-
tic seaboard, California ia brought in direct
competition with the East where the average
price of labor Is less, and now finds
that Chicago and NewYork undersel her, even in
the few articles domestic manufacture with which she
has heretofore supplied herself She must import moro
Chinese or else grow poorer each day Yet she oudest
in the outcry against the importation OF Coolies"
The word Coolie simply "laborer," though
nearly every suppoSes to imply condition OF in
voluntary servitude and that the Chinese in America
virtually slaves Nearly all who have arrived in Califor-
under contract with the wealthy Chinese com
panes that advanced the passage money The immigrant
agrees to work for certain time. The Company con,
tracts TO provide employment and in case the employe
dies during the contract TO have his remains returned 10
his friends China. There is slavery but voluntary
specified conditions. At It's expiration, both contracting
parties free am aware that there are instances OF
the Chinese having been taken by force and made slaves
in other countries but never believe, In the United
States. The Chinese have come here freely and vOlun
tary Cuba has Chinese slaves, but they were brought
chiefly from Macao and other Portuguese settlements
and the unfortunate victims sold into bondage
Wherever Coolies have munied on board ships and muir
dered the it will he found that the muneers had
been forced board the vessels at Of these points,
against their desire. They captives striving 10
cure their freedom These mutines have been much
msrepresented that the statement above made may not
be considered irrelevant.
Assuming that the material wealth OF the country will
be increased by the coming of the Chinese have we any
reason TO believe that we will suffer corresponding
degradation in morals The mode OF life of the
Chinese disgusting TO those accustomed to the homes
and comforts Of civilized Europe and America yet IL Is
not much than that OF the lower order OF peas
antry in Ireland and far preferable to that OF the coal
miners OF England speak Of the Chinese in California
particularly San Francisco where they reside in dark,
dismal rooms, crowded together like sheep In pen,
where an American could not live fouT-and-twenty
hours. IL is their custom; they have lived so in
their country. Those OF them, however who have
been domestic servants OF white people in California
have shown their appreciation OF comnOdOus apart
ments and the comforts OF civilized life. It will not be
harder to educate the Chinese into appreciation OF
the Injuries OF civilization than IL has been to teach
Hbernian importations the deirablity OF hoopskrts
and chignOns. They are inyeterate gamblers on q
small scale. II does not follow that they will
operate in gold and railroad shares, attempt
to control the highways OF traffic TO their
own advantage and to the detriment OF the public.
They are not drunkaTds consumers OF alcoholic
beverages but their consumption of opium is immense,
and entails great injury upon their posterity as well as
much crime and misery In China alcohol Is in our own
land Is debatable question: The status OF their women
is undoubtedly low compared with that OF the women
OF country, but the specimens in California
be taken fair representation OF the mass Only
the lowest class OF Chinese brought over.
The Chinese San Francisco will already compare favor
ably In morals and industry, with their prosecutors
To legsate against the Chinese Is % annul OF the
first principles OF our Government We have invited the
and color The Chinese d0ce, Industrious and
intelligent need them; have ample territory in
which TO accommodate tben; ana as simple matter OF
supply and demand, the day will come when the problem
will have solved itself. TN.
Albany, N. " July 3, 1870.