The New York herald., 1870-06-18
strikes and the Asiatic Element.

The cordwainers in Massachusetts, have put
their foot In 1t. They have struck for higher
wages; and what is the resnltS The shoe
manufacturers telegraph to China or San
Francisco for workmen, and, presto as II by
magic, up pops gang of Oriental pigtails,
cooked and primed, and, with their unrivalled
initiative powers, within forty eight hours they
commence making shoes as handily as the
most expert waxend in the Commonwealth.
OF course this introduction Of foreign and
servile class of workmen into trade that had
become, as it were, native and to the manner
born In New England, created considerable
indignation among the Crispin societies, and 1t
was with no little difficulty that the intruders
were enabled to commence and proceed with
their labors.
But 1T is not only in New England that this
excitement prevails. 1t has already spread to
other places. In Troy, in this State,
mass meeting of workingmen has been held
and protest entered against the importation
of coolie laborers. Statistics were shown
where the Chinese had already seriously re-
duced the wages of certain kinds Of labor in
California, and predictions were made that if
the coolies obtained foothold in the
manufacturing towns of the East and
West an incalculable amount OF damage
would ensue to the native working classes.
This damage would not be confined
to the workinamen alone, but the working wo-
men, especially ia the shoemaking districts,
would feel its effects more seriously than the
men. There are many thousands Of females
employed in the shoemaking business In Mas
sachusetts aud throughout New England. The
delicate work they do can be readily initiated
by the ainty-fngered Chinese, who can live
and thrive upon what would not keep an
American girl in shoestrings. Hence If these
Asiatic cordwainers once obtain foothold in
tbe s6oe; manufactures Of the East The In
stincts of grasping capitalists will lead them to
dispense with natve-born labor altogether and
engage that of the foreign element.
In their strikes, then, the workingmen should
take full view of the situation and weigh
,,.,' /" Az" consequences. The market for skilled
labor is not now what it,was Qp.yy ;;yye q three
years ago. The Pacific RAILROAD and steam
communication with Asia have opened chan
| nels through which myriads Of the unemployed
people Of that region can find access to these
remote lands-even, as we have seen, to the
heart Of slave-abhorring New England ITSELF
Coolieism is but another name for African
slave labor, and as in old times Massachusetts,
was the first to reap benefits from the latter
her moneyed men will not hesitate to jump at
the opportunity and realize the most they can
from the new system Of servile employment
just introduced. Workingmen's strikes, there
fore, however justifable they may be under
the pressure OF extraordinary circumstances,
are fraught with new dangers and vicissitudes.
A new class of beings has sprnng up to take
the place OF the honest artisan or
mechanic who expects, nay, demands,
fair remuneration for his toll. This new
class are entirely different in their habits, reli-
gion, mode Of living, education and ideas of
free government from our workingmen. They
have no family ties, no patriotic love Of this
! land, no associations, no likes or diskes, no
sentiments whatever akin to our people. They
are ready to work for nothing and accustomed
to live on less. These points, we suggest,
ought to be taken into consideration before a
workngmen's strike for trivial causes is con-
cluded upon; for in the hordes of Asiatics
ready to swarm into our manufacturing vii
lagos, and into our city shops, stores, foun-
| dries, offices and elsewhere where cheap labor
can be proftably employed, We see both an
element Of apprehension covering the interests
| lence, if not Of danger and disaster, more gen
| eral and widespread.