The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1871-07-08
The Chinese Labor Movement.

Increased interest on the subject of
Chinese immigration is now being
taken by planters throughout various
portions of this State, from the fact that
wherever the Cinnamon have been en-
ployed as field hands, they have given
entire satisfaction.
We learn dbat II Mr.. PAYNE, formerly
manager OH the plantation of Mrs.
james Porter, is now in China, where
he has engaged 1000 laborers, and ex-
poets TO return with them i'm time for
planting the next crop. OF these, Mrs.
Porter has engaged 100; Mr.. Pringle,
her neiShbor, will take 60, for his Mis-
sissippi cotton plantation Mr.. II. j.
Shatfer will receive ten more in addi>
tion to the Twenty-Five he is now work
ing; Mr.. T.. j. bronson date Walker
4 Bronson) wishes to get 100. We
learn that Mr.. Payne has selected the
laborers from the agricultural districts
of China, aud engaged them for II term
of years, ut So per month in gold.
Wishing to learn from Mr.. Shatfer
himself how his Cinnamon worked,
we last week visited his plantation, in
Irish Bend, and with him rode all over
his plantation, saw them ut work with
plOws and hoes, visited their quarters
and had every opportunity of Judging
them for Ourself. The Twenty-Five
Cinnamon are working in the same
field with ten negroes, all in one gang,
and there has never been the least
trouble between them, nor among them
selves in their quarters, which are on
the opposite side of the bayou from the
negroes. They arc nearly all young men
and those married have left their f:,mi-
lies behind.
On entering the field the first thing
which will attract the attention of the
visitor will be the good order in which
the bitches are kept. Mr.. Shafier in
formed us that the Cinnamon could not
be cXcelled as ditchers. The clean con-
dition Of their crop plainly shows that
they are good cultivatOrs They handle
the hoe we'll, and we saw Il half dozen
of them plowing as the negroes, from
whom they learned. They talk to the
mules in English, although all appear
to have no other knowledge of our Ian
guage. One feature in particular struck
us: They are the most cheerful body of
workers we ever saw, and Mr.. Shatfer
says that some of them are nearly al
ways singing. BY the opponents OF
Chinese immigration they are repre-
sentcd as being Il sullcn and revcngeful
| people; but they are very polite, al
ways smile when spoken to, and SO far
from being rcvengeful, Mr.. Shatiers
WI goes VI prove Lnt
We had previously given the China
men credit for possessing ali the above
named qualities, Notwithstanding what
has been said to the contrary; hut we
We're really surprised when we learned
from Mr.. Shnflar that they actually
spent their money as freely as the ne
Gr0"s themselves; and as evidence of
this, took Us to their quarters, where
We saw expensive mosquito netting,
cans < ucS."it, ETC., which they had
h,n,. Il -,,frti, move; one of til
strongrtst objections agaIus.
Chinese labOrerS, who were suppOseuesc
hoard mp their money to he sent back
to their own country. Mr. Shuifer
pays them $t3 per month, in green
backs, and every dollar of it il spent
by them.
We found the quarters of the China
men very clean. Thirtec: sleep in one
house, and twelve IN the other. They
all eat at one table, their food being
prepared ny one of their number de
tailed for that purpose.
Several of those we saw had been en-
Plpy"h several years in Martinique,
speak French, some have cut hair, and
one or two have become Catholics.
They are all remarkably cloanly in
their persons, bathr every day, and
shave Oftcn.- (.Hcusjrn ErhO.