The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-07-17
The Chinese IN oaliior nia.

War and commerce have dealt telling
blows upon the barriers behind which ex
elusive China was for ages secure against
the innovations of external civilization.
European and American merchants have
conquered foOthold in the Chinese ports,
and the steamboat has in the last few years
assembled the rivers wherein for centuries
the traditional junk was the only vehicle
of commerce. The inlet thus made for
European ideas and trade is also an outlet
for Chinese population A people like the
Chinese, numbering 400, 100000, so dense
ly packed that many Of them are compelled
70 spend their lives upon the water, are
ready at the first favorable occasion to en-
gage in great emigration movements.
They need only a glimpse Of the outside
world ~ 90 in search of more space than
they have at home, The Cinnamon has
taken deeper root on the Pacific coast than
is generally known 10 the people east OF
the Rocky Mountains. lie has evidently
come 10 stay, and he demonstrates his abil-
ity to stay by making himself indispensa-
BILE in almost every occupation from the
the highest 10 the lowest, in spite Of the
universal prejudice against him He can
live comfortably on little, and performs
equal labor for one-third the wages de-
manded by Americans aud Europeans.
He excels the laborer Of all other races in
those emplOyments wherein attention, pa.
tience, and manual dexterity are Of more
importance than knowledge and Judgment
AS a mauipula4or Of machinery he is UNI
equalled, and hence enjoys the preference
over the white operative in the woollen
and Gotten mills Of California. The Chi
nese make the shoes worn by almost every
one on the Pacific coast. The first China
man tried his hand at cigar making in San
Francisco in 1860 and now there are near
Is six thousand of them who monopoliZe
this industry exclusively They operate
and repair sewing machines of every de
scriptiOn; and there are now 2. 100 Chi
nese sewing machine operatives in San
Francisco, taking the place OF sewing girls,
who are almost unknown in that city. As
launderers, domestic servants. farmers.
gardeners, BARRIERS, and laborers, they per
wade every employment onthe Western
coast with such efficiency and at such wag
es as often hopelessly to defy white cou-
petition
But the wonderful aptitude of this
strange people is best shown by the rapid
ity with which their numbers have increas-
ed in some occupations since 1870. Ac-
cording 10 the census of that year there we're
POO Chinese shoemakers in San Francis
co now there are 100 The butchers have
increased from IL to lOU the ttilors have
multiplied from 10 l2S, and the cigar
makers have rolled up from ,6j7 to 1920.
In all employments wherein dexterity and
patience are the prime requisites the Chi.
naman seems TO gain ground inevitably.
All that has been said about the degra-
datlon and the criminal propensties Of the
lower class OF Chinese is mainly correct,
and Il Is no matter for surprise that the
people Of California should look with zeal.
busy upon their invasion Of the industry Of
the State But the Chinese merchants Of
san Francisco are very far superior a. the
Chinaman Of the more numerous class In
California. With that 6dse air which is
characteristics of the race, they are affable
obliging self-cOntained and shrewd With
an aggregate capital of about S25, 100000
they control Almost the entire Chinese trade
OF the country, and rs this trade increases
they must continue To grow ia wealth and
influence The inevitable punctuahty with
which they are said to meet all their obi
cations Is doubtless the result 0f caution
and OF that narrOwness and restraint in
which the race has been nurtured.
but it is nevertheless a qualification which
would make them formidable rivals in any
mercantile community where they were
allowed fair competition.
Chinese immigration is not pleasant
subject of contemplation 10 the average
American laborer. and the question has
generally been settled in this part of the
country by making things too hot for the
tastes Of the few Pacific Celestials who
have been imported todisplace white labor.
But il is evident that the Chinese feel un.
comfortably crowded at home, and that the
European races have henceforth new ri
val 10 encounter in settling the uuoccupied
lands of the Pacific coast and of Central
and South America Nor is it improbable
that the Southern negroes will in few
years have TO contend against the man Of
peculiar ways and bland smile for FREEDOM.
nance in the cotton-helds The question
OF supplying the place Of the negro with
the Chinaman was widely discussed at the
South some years ago and when the
Southern Pacific Railroad shall be compile
ted the way viii be open for a practical
experiment Whether the negro is ever
displaced by the Chinee ur not, il would
still be any easy matter IN double the cot.
ton crop by accessions Of Chinese labor.
" y World