The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-05-18

build up entire companies of foreign
settlements.
The plan, however, suggested, could
be commenced on scale proportiouate
to the amount OF stock subscribed, aud
bureaus established only in those coun-
ties in which sufficient amount of
stock had been subscribed to guarantee
it, and this would doubtless induce
subscriptions ofgreatcr numbers as we'll
rs amounts. The number of agents en-
ployed, both in Europe and in the State
should be in proportion to the amount
of business transacted.
The report concludes with an cxhaus-
tive review of the history of immigra
ton, as applied to the settlers of the
United States, from tho landing Of the
first colonists to the present day.
CHINESE LABOR.
The Special Committee to whom was
referred resolution on the subject of
Chinese Labor, ask leave to report:
That the limited time allowed will
not permit the preparation of an elabo-.
rate report, but they believe tho subject
Wcii ucSeIVeS IHc uuC COuSIucTatlOQ OF
the Convention.
Your Committee arc of tho opinion
that tho introduction of Chinese labor
would be of great benefit to large por-
tion Of South Carolina. In the lower
part of the State aud on the islands,
where rice and long cotton is cultivated
and where it is supposed white labor
cannot be permanently or profitably en-
ploycd, it would seem to be great ac-
QUESTION.
The Chinaman is reported to enjoy
almost perfect health on the low river
lauds in the most unhealthy regions of
the South and Southwest.
Chinese labor is not an experiment,
because in Louisiana it has been tried
with great success, and very much to
the satisfaction of those who have pro.
cured it,
til is important however that this
labor should be procured from tho ru-
raj districts, since the labor brought
from tho seaport towns is likely to be
very much dclnoralized, and not likely
to sivc satisfaction.
The Chinese laborcr has shown himself
Industrious, frugal, obcdicnt and attcn-
tive to the interest Of his employer. Ho
is, by nature mild and pacific. His
shrcwdncss and wonderful initiative
powers enable him rcalil, to acquire
the necessary information and to per-
form with facility every kind of farm
labor.
Admiral Scmmcs, who has had OPP
pottupi,y to see these people at homo,
says in his most interesting work-"Scr>
vice Afloat-that "thc Chiuaman is born
to Industry" that Che is the cheapest
producer on the race Of the earth, be-
cause his habits are simple and frugal"
The same distinguished gentleman,
speaking of a visit to an English mcr-
chant, residing in China, at whose coun-
try scat he dncd and spent the night,
says {: ellis household was pattern Of
ncatncss and comtort-thcre was an air
OF cleanliness and neatncss throughout,
which one rarely ever sees in bachelor
establishment. His servants were all
Chincsc-and males. Chihi and IIu-
Chin, and the rest of them pIoughcd his
fields, moved his bay, stabbed his horses
cooked his dinners, waited on his guests,
washed his linen, made his bed and
marked his game of billiards. If there
had been a baby to nurse, it would have
been all the same" We think that the
Cinnamon cannot be surpassed, either
as servant or laborcr, by any other,
whether you place him in the house, the
garden, the field, the workshop, or on
the rail road.
It. is gratifying to your Committee to
be able to report, Oh reliable intoIma-
ton, that the Chinese laborcr can DC
brought into our State at price within
the means Of mos: OF our planters. Say
at an expense Of not more than one
hundred and twenty five dollars per
head, the whole or greater part of
which would be refunded by the laborcr.
In one instance, when number of
Chinese laborcrs have recently been
brought to New Orleans, the cost per
head was sixty-five dollars, all of which
the labOrcr contracts to refund from his
first earnings These people have con-
tracted for five years at fifty cents per
day, and all lost time to be accounted
for at the same rate. They work from
sun rise until sunset, allowing one hour
for dinner, and agree, to obey, unqucs-
Toned, all orders from the owner or
manager. Your Committee think that
it is only necessary to use the same
means to introduce the Chinese as is
employed for the introduction of other
foreign laborcrs. Money and concert
of action will bring them.
] And they arc needed. ~ vast portion
OF our lands are lying waste and uncul-
tivatcd. We can give employment to
all who may come and whilo giving a
hearty welcome to others, wc hope the
Convention will not overlook that source
from which an almost incxhaustiblc sup.
ply of labor may be obtained. and which
pcrchancc, may do rs much toward de-
vcloping the resources of our State as
any other.
INDUSTRIAL RESOURCES.
Your committee feeling assured that