New-York tribune., 1870-08-27
CHINESE LABOR.


SAN FRANCIsCo. Aug al came here to study
the Chinese Watching gangs railroads. talking with
their bosses most of whom speak English going through
their aundre visiting the temple Of their god JOSS ana
seeing that pagan bell pounded Just SO times and that
heather drum struck just 3s blows visiting rooms where
scores OF the amondeyed busy with our sewing ma
chimes and running them well as the deftest girl in
Massachusetts, walking through their gardens seeing
how they raise hens and ducks handling their curious
hats jackets and that extraordinary hickory pole
with which they carry burdens their light but tough ana
durable baskets their roesque dolls and curious toys
have to certain conclusions about this strange
people whose relation to our labor system Is now the ap
sorbng question OF the hour And first to illustrate the
pressure that pushes them across the Paclnc ocean,
imagine tank full OF water In chamber, and tank as
large below only onetenth full Connect them with
threench tube, fitted with stOp-cock. The full tank
represents China with her 400 millions Of people; the
lower tank America, with 40 millions; the tuDe
s the steamship that from China to California and
discharges Chinese at the rate Of 1000 MONTH the stop
cock possible legislation that may cut of this In
ux The question OF the hour s whether the permanent
welfare of American society requires any legislative
handling Of this stop-cock.
1 asked good many Of them how much they weigh,
| and the most frequent reply was, "hun-thrt-fve."
| They little larger than the average American
country women. few who would weigh leo. Their
feet smaller they would buy ves and skies II they
wore shoes but most Of them do not Their hands
patience rather than Of strength. In short, China
man is about what an American woman would be as a
aborer she had accustomed for generations to
outdoor work They shave the hair from the front half
OF their heads and allow that the back TO grow This
tail queue greatly priced and the loss OF IT Is such
loss OF honor that many kill themselves when 1t is cut
II seldom grows than two feet long, but they exc
it out with black silk braid that the tail generally
reaches below the knees, and sometimes to the shoes
But they coil il around the OF the head giving
| them the look OF some poor woman whose front head
had been bstered for brain fever Their panaloons are
like ours and the shirt except that plain without
collar BOSOM cuffs over the shirt they wear in Sum-
mer cotton frock made just like plain shirt. 1t has
no collar and buttons close around the neck. As the
weather grows cool they add other jackets frocks just
like the first but made OF thin wooen thick wooen,
fur poor, plain Chinaman dress himself for about
$40 year. one better OF spends, say 80.
A common Chinaman has other idea OF life than to
work steadily, do his cooking washing, ironing and
mending and spend great deal less than he His
father and all his ancestors far back to the time Of
Aaron of Abraham, had no other idea OF life hut
yards OF cloth, double handful OF rice wheat
slice OF pork frying pan, and strip OF rush mating
for bedthese what he is born to- and with these, in
his land lie expects to die and die content. When
he comes to America his simple aim is to lay up small
OF money which he can live at ease when he
back. saw a mi1er 50 years Old he looked thin and
worn though he had known anything but steady
toll and rough fare. He has been here five years, and
has $500 in gold. Last Monday he took the steamer to
Canton. He will go home TO his wife, and be q man In
easy circumstances the rest Of his days They make no
eighhour protests they have strikes they cannot
understand VII at Trade Union means. They will work
for 80 cents till they hear OF some who gives CO.
Then they go TO work for him till they know Of chance
TO make rs. They have no bar-rooms, they drink no
strong drink they do not fight curse break things
But they love to smoke in the evening. and 1t
IN fhIO nil pofl hraea Of
which make cent, on the middle OF table,
| and bet that when the heap Ia counted of IL will
| turn out odd. Some bet q dime that it will count
out odd 81 Others bet 25 cents that the
will be did not anybody bet rs cents
but told that late at night they grow reckless and
bet their pipes and their clothes all their tobacco and at
last wife, But the class Of gamesters is not large
Most OF them after work cuddle down by a little fire
where rice and the legs and head OF hen boiling
and chatter about the days work. about what other
miner or ab0rer has found, about what some wicked
"Mecan man" has DONE about home, and having their
ashes carried back TO China to sleep beside the bones OF
their ancestors and under the grim smile Of ancient
wooden god Presently the chatter lus away the little
rush beds are spread and ChangTy in dreams is far
away in the Flowery Land But with daygh; be ties up
the little roll OF rush capeting lays IL on shelf, eats
cup OF boiled wheat and sucks chicken wing and anon
the pick with slow hut unceasng swing is hacking into
the bank the barrows filed the planks handled,
ue rais are spiked, ana the Work goes on as last as
though pushed by Irish muscle or American nerve.
Though they work railroads and In wheat fields and
work WELL think they will be found most useful about
houses and gardens and In factories They have
derful aptness for doing just they the "Meican
man" do For example, the Chinese Quarter in Sacra-
mento caught fire and burned down few months ago.
They hired American carpenter to put them up
cabin. A he worked they stood by and watched like
cats When the house done they paid him his price,
and then fell to with and hammers and put up
OF houses eraefy like the pattern They copied him
inch for inch and nail for nall This people do not reason
They have original ideas. They do thing not be-
they know why it should be, but because they
it 80 in the pattern they 80 by In remembering the
OF the teacher and following him with blind
obedience they have equals There Is with them but