New-York tribune., 1870-09-28
LABOR EXPERIMENTS.
CHINESE AND COOPERATION IN NORTH |
ADAMS


NORTH ADAMS, Mass, Sept. A-The time
when the second company Of Chinese laborers has come
to the Eastern States, the call Of capitalist decD
stimulated by the example set here, seems to be
able juncture for investigating the results OF ' 80,
Adams experiment as tested by three hoh'n' -
trial. Whatever may be the growth OF ChlheSe
ton whatever the degradation or elevation oi i" "
HOw from il, whatever political compnoa''o"s i''
due In IL North Adams will he remembered as 'o
Plymouth Rock OF the new pilgrimage hoio 'u''"'
harkcd amid boots and jeers rs thiea'en'ns a. INV" VI
King Massasoits Indians, the little colony ol severn! o
smoothfaced apprentices here was furnished the 'e&I
for thousand editorials, and countless resolutions of
excited gatherings of men, not to speak OF chorus OF
sroecbe from the Senate Chamber itself to the Fourth of
ply platform; hither came great swarm OF reporters
seekng interviews and material for description, OF man
ufacturers OF every class, rendering sympathy, and
desiring advice and instruction and Of tourists from
every part OF the country eager for new sensation
And here TO day while the rush of nQurers and OBJ
servers continues almost unabated, the Cinnamon work
quietly on az their benches gaining steadily from week
week in the amount and quality Of work DONE know
ing nothing and caring nothing about the sur thef
presence las created taking nfnitcsimal steps toward
becoming natiOnalized and Chrstianized and living
meanwhile orderly temperate, decent, laborious,
cleanly economical lives any IS citizens OF American
birth who could be picked out OF the Of the whole
country.
The first object Of interest, in material point OF view,
is Of course how the new worlmen work While the
skeptcal white shOemakers OF the village, having sensi
bly, laid aside threats ana predictions Of fire and saugh
ter the shoes which have been left on
the manufacturer hands, and the meager number Of
cases which his establishment is able to turn ont in
week. Mr. Sampson himself is full Of enthusiasm over
the dOngs OF bis wOrmen. They have far exceeded
his sangune expectations AS to the quality Of the
shoes produced, this at first OF little below
standard all the work Of green hands though
int nj
ing. But the shoes fully equal to the best
made in Mr. Sampson's experience by white labor As
TO the number produced this is stin advancing from
week TO week. it is not yet time to gauge the capacity
Of the Chinese shoemaker But point is to be
noted. While the Moncolian mechanic is not
yet able TO make so many pairs Of shoes
in single day trial week, the lrishman French
after several years at the bench, he nevertheless
turns out many in series Of days weeks
together He has no OFF days He does not reward him
self for big effort by interval Of leisure employed in
patronzng the beer saoon the bowling alley, the livery
stable. lie works right along, like a seam-engine.
He makes as good tally on Friday Monday;
good in CatteShOw week. as in any other week in the
yeara state OF affairs without precedent in the en-
pOyers experience. To the trait is also due a
greater in the quality of the shoes. When the
shoemaker Of the old regime did big weeks work, got
his pay for it on Saturday night and did not return TO
hsp place until Wednesday morning at the end Of pro-
his eye inaccurate his interest in his work dull and the
shoes made on the Wednesday reflected his condition
faithfully as mirror No such ups and downs
in the work Of Wo Lee and All N.Y. their shoes all show
an equally neat and careful workmanship, with steady
progress Of improvement from month 10 month.
The way in which this progress is ruled is OF the
curiostes Of the new labor. The Chinese shoemakers
emneuty ambitious, and anxious TO do all they
On certain week the foreman gives them permission TO
accomplish all the work they can do. Every "team"
shows emulation, and Saturday night the record shows
gain of eight or ten from the former average
But to experienced eye there certain marks of
haste in the completed shoes Then the order is given
that the week there will be expected increase in
the number, but improvement in the quality
Of the aggregate. When the men able
TO make as many and all unexception-
able shoes, then the word is given TO "let OUT
little, and the total again takes upward leap. In
this way progress is made even, and neither quality
quantity gains at the expense Of the other Already
Mr. Sampson gains two dollars in the cost of his
shoes the old tariff Of prices, and he expects
duce the cost by at least six dollars before the
year. He has spent s3OOeOi his experiment. that
it will be time yet before this reduction turns
the result of the investment to the profit side of the bal
ancesheet He feels that the investment well worth the
it has cost and so far from regreting it from any
cause that he coutempates speedily reinforcing his fac
tory by set of Chinese apprentices from California
The fresh hands, mngng with the others, viii learn
the comcrs; and the business can be enlarged to
any desired limit As yet comparatively little has been
heard Of introduction Of Chinese elsewhere in the
Eastern States; but steps have been taken in more
places than one, in NewEngand and out Of it, and the
immigration Of Chinese in the North will soon keep
pace with that which has for several months been going
On in the South.
The next great question to the general bearing Of
The new people and their adaptation TO their cir
cumstances. The climate agrees with them They have
gained IN weight since their coming. They have known
little sickness beyond one two Of rheumatism.
They have suffered from the extreme heat Of the
lust as so many Of citizens would suffer, and
heir foreman they will be able to turn out much
more work as the cool days come. They stick 10 their
home diet Of rice and tea but gradually substitute beef
and mutton for the pork TO which they at first par
tial and eat very largely Of vegetables. They live
heartily and freely under all circumstances, and
never scrmp themselves at their table They cenly
in all their habits, bathing every day, and
taking the most scrupulOus Of their bedding and
clothing They begin, with the gradual change Of
national conservatism, TO adopt the clothing which ex
ample shows 10 be best suited 20 the climate and the
life OF gland. Their foreman All Sing, and one
other have TO shave the head and the growth Of
fine black hair makes wonderful change in their ap
pearauce but the long braided cue is still carefully
retained Many have adopted the boots OF our ciyiza
ton but the readymade article as sold In the shops
not good enough for them, and they have ordered the
best boots made to by the village shoemakers at
nearly double the price. few have made more radical
change OF clothing, and North Adams amazed few
days ago by the apparition Of Chinese dandy in black
broadcloth suit fine sewed boots, starched bosom shirt
with collar and nccktie complete felt hat Of the period
lounging gracefully about the street, and making pur
cbases fastdousy at the furnishing for the
ther adornment Of his person. In the requirement Of
Language there has been slowness restraint no
conservatism All learning, and all are learning
rapidly They learn TO read and write our language at
the same timeIhey learn speak it, and with equal
facnitv About their quarters posted variety
of the placards with alphabets, figures, notices,