Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1870-10-19
The ooaIla rraae.

One of the greatest a. well az one Of
tho most plausblc arguments against
negro slavery In tho United STATED
was that 10 was trade IN human
desh, and the slaves being 40 for life,
interiercd with the free labor Of the
North. 10 addition to this Il was also
argued that it retarded the industry
aud development of tho country, be-
sides being a sin IN the sight Of God.
Without arguing any Of the side issues
to which the question gave rise, LET US
see how far the Coolie trade bears re-
semblance TO it, and how inconsistent
those men are who argued against ne
gro slavery as an Interference with
free labor, aud yet advocate the sys.
tenn OF Chinese slavery which does the
same thing.
The negro was slave for life. All
he obtained, as remuneration for his
labor, was yicluals, clothes, aud the
necessary care and attention in case
of sickness. His victuals we place
equal to $3.50 per week or Sl30 .pcr
year. His clothes was equal to s1so0
per week or S52 per year, while all
other matters of expense, including
medical attendance, we place at $50
more. These sums in the aggregate
amount TO 1924. The Coolie is brought
to this country and hired out by con-
tractors at the rate Of s600 per month
and found in boarding This makes
Sl2 per year. We place his boarding
at the same rate we do the negro slave,
say $3.50 per week or Sl30 per year.
His wages, then, would aggregate
s2O2 or S32 less than that of the negro,
and consequently to the extent Of that
difference more interference with the
free labor Of the country But it will
be said that the Coolie labor il free
labor We say that il is not They
are just as much slaves during tho
contract which their masters have
made as were the negroes The only
difference is, one is a slave for life and
the other for a term of years But
their Interference with American labor
is more oeloterious to it than was ne
gro slavery, as the calculation we have
made clearly proves.
One Of the arguments used by the
STAKEHOLDER in support Of slavery was,
that the system brought the negroes
from Africa iuto a Christian country,
aud therefore il was giving these be,
nighted creatures knowledge of God
and TO that extent improving their
condition. The argument used by the
advocates of Coolie labor is precisely
the same, and docs seem strange that
strenuous abolitionists shonld be found
on the same side with shareholders
and using the same argument.
Another argument used by the
stakeholder was, that unless slavery
was tolerated the cotton, rice and to-
bacco fields would become waste land,
rs free labor was not calculated TO
make either Of these articles remuner-
ative in production. 1t so happens
that precisely the same argument IN
used by the capitalists of the North
who advocate Coolie labor They
say, we are unable to make our bust
ness productive unless we obtain cheap
labor, and as American labor is too
dear we must 90 to China and import
Coolies. So that the only difference
between them and the Shareholders in
fact is, that the one class went TO AZ
rica for labor and the other now 90 to
China.
Other arguments equally as strong
were used in support Of negro slavery
which apply with as much force to
the introduction Of Coolies under the
contract system, but il is unnecessary
to refer to them Suffice it TO say
that if such labor is tolerated in the
United States, we may look for an en-
tire and complete change in our labor
system which will be anything else
than beneficial to American mechanics
aud laboring men of every character.
-Bmier Herald.