New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-09-06
THE AMERICAN CHINAMAN.
CHINESE VERSUS WHITE LABOR.


t,RoM A sTArP CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIDUNZI
SAN Francisco, Aug. 25.-A few days after
my tho Opium dcns wanting TO see another sac Oh
the Chinanan went to the wharf OF the Pacific Mali
Steamship Company One OF the large steamers WAS ex
pectcd early in the morning 1t was just making ast 10
the wharf when arrived The Customhouse inspector
were swarming upon the wharf Prom 800 10 l'ooo I'M
namen were aboard 1t WAS something to acc them
land.
Each steamer once n month ian opposition line
now makes the arrivals two month";, brings from ooo
to 800 steerage passengers all Chnamen known mere
coolies Nearly all the Cinnamon along thc coaet ar
rive here under the consignment Of six commercial com
naties Few of the natives OF China, although
they have tho desire TO come. having heard 30
much OF the milk and honey flowing in the Streets
have the means to pay their passage The com
inereial companies ore very rlch ana eohtroi
nearly the entire Chinese labor upon the coast Ihey
have their agents in China and they regulate the emsra
ton These companies advance the money to pay the
n,ssore of the Cbjpaman aud be Is consigned to them
When he arrives he Is taken TO the store the propctos
Of which have paid his passage The company which
hos paid his passage controls hts labor until he has paid
his passage money and liberal percentage besides 80
these companies hire him out wherever they please ana
when he has paid their demands lie is free man. II he
knows enough to comprehend the bargain he has maze
II not the probability Ia that he pays HIS passage ny n
labor two or three times over. These companies arc
composed wholly OF Chnamen and they are large I'M
pOrters OF Inc Cinnamon, WITCH tHcy Hii'o,
Fired out by these compares, Some to miners others
10 manufacturers and factories, and some to farmers
The Chinese are better fitted for TIC working OF ma
ch;ncry than for hard manual labor They learn TO man
age machinery very quickly and in all the pranehes OF
light manufacture they arc more expert Than any Aet-
eau foreigner They are exceedingly APT IN "ofklhg
light machinery For hard manual labor they are not
equal TO white but at ligt worh they are uhex-
ceiled. Before the placer mneis were practically ex-
hau~ed the Cinnamon did very well III mining but now
when they scarcely maze " grub stake nj tha' 1e-
sciplion of mining they have gone into factories aHu
other pursuits The examination Of the Chnaman upon
his arrival is very interesting The passengers are IL
viied into squads Squad Ne Il In, ifs, march ron
off the steamer the wharf Each man brings Ills Dag
cnge-sonetimes more than he carry at ono time
They are checked 0 by Customs officer as they pass
down the gang plank. Each one PAGES himself Deh'lu
his baggage Some have trunks. Soms pichaSeS
wrapped in mating common duck, ana some
boxes and parcels tied with ropes. Each tunS'
box or parcel is opened 50 tlat tac whole contents are
exposed. The baggage OF each is gono through WIN
in manner chat would shame New-iork inspector.
CHINESE sMUGGLEGs.
It must be confessed that the Chinese are clever SNUG
gInrs Tea bein bulky article is not Snug lied 10 any
great extent. The inspectors ordinarily ihi ''r III inc
Chinaman's baggage tAat is contrahand. SOMETIMES
few sens Of silk sometimes package OF t"Dacco ana
now and then Iii de tea, and rarely piece vt SILK Iht
named, of which there Is goou utii htuSSC' 10
scarcely ever found in their baggage. 1t is generally
wrapped around their persons or concealed Ia thelr gar
,nepts The silk Of the Chinese il very VauIDc. and II
i sieiaee passenger fortunate lie MAJ smuS5e enough
the liner grades to pay ms paSl5e "fe'' lie great
statIe of smuQglcTs is o iun which, next to diamonds
and laccs, is the most valuable ana We easiest
| IN conceal Ti,, Chinaman is the shrewdes OF
snrralcrs. II ho las trunk, hc loads it with
opum False bottoms, false tops. ami false sides
are not new t. him He will split ioard dig out the IN
tcrior uuii ii noing hut shell, and III II with TIE
precious drug He fills bags with IL ma places mem
about s person. undor his arms. in bis shors, and every
where tat ingenuity suggest VITA all 'he care ana
saacity OF long experience which thu Custom. Officers
nave had beaten into ibcm the Chinaman S't5 IA WIN
large Quantities Of plum Each Csiom-hons" inspector
cvaruiruga cargo Of Chinese with lin large
uie bag. Into it lie throws whatever Dc hhcs OF "a
du.i,le charactcr After he has examined chainans
ogyayc and marked il with lis gh"r lie 90 ior Tie
,binaap He first looks al his shoes and fc IL of thel
and then with great fonude and patience he icsls mp
the Cbinanaus legs from his ankles 80 his hips, 10 sec
that 10 ouum or silk il concealed within the rrihihy
IinoihiGG Is found after careful examination oi cOnes
| and pcrsou. iacda:ng even tie La Tho Cniainah II
passed like his baggage. Ard tIls IS the interesting
uort OF IT, What would American think
! If on arriving in NrwYok y Customs officer should 20
over him in tho same way and vet what money won"i
the United states nike il the examination were ~ siIc'
with AncIfC ans rs with thrGmrn! Ator the CuAln n
is ua ,e-aDd this ana. ler DDg Mt cJn'epe cd III
the tlIiT 1ws-tSc inspector marks him, Ike "a tcc "l
baggage with Ids cipher, ana 40 Chinaman ~ allowed to
ps, ont OF the customs lines without The marx on the
hack OF III. coat Think o! oil the ightoncj snueAlers
N New-Yort having to pass ont wit the br-nd Of the in
srectOr tl,ir fuc coats!
! From Mr. Shannon, formerly member Of congress
from this city, and present Collector II the POit
hive ontaircd much Information IN rc-ari 10 the snug
urg q tue Chin, e. From him Learn tElt rcA mef
citt- int. ~
trade conceived the idea of smuggling clothing from
China wi re Tho finest wooden frhric3 are surprisingly
! chelD Tue scneme was to purchase or have nud
fariur,d w. Cla the finest - broadceh end other ex
pcnsiye b.cs to SHIN them on Tie 81 amer and H."
hours bcor. the steamer arrived in the san Francisco
Larb0r 20 call th" Cinnamon her, take of Their M
tive clothes ana dress them IN The Ane clothes destined
for the san Francisco market Upon TIE arrival OF the
steamer ne ncw ciolncd Gilman H. hurdrc / in number
we're marched the that 10 profit by the in
position aud stripped ~ everything They had on ai the
clothes thus removed placed on the shelf and, o.
course the merchants could afford to sell them below any
lelh innate dealer The Customs oicers soon dropped
on this fraud a. the detectives SOY, and when she
next steamer came in the inspectors asked them
selves whether many Storage pas enc rs could ahO
10 wear such fine clothing The decision WAS very ar
traEy bat was right Tho clothing wa stripped from
them and conascaied aud since that time there has been
no effort at smuggling in that way. As stated above, e
most article is opium. and although
large income on lat 10 be derived from the duties on that
article the fact very little il receivod No, long ago
opinm to the value OF 10000 captured, hut now
some other method VIII be adopted Due credit ought
10 be gwen 10 Mr.. shannon. the Collector. There is al
inmensc amount of opium smuggling 10 Puget Sound
and Treasury asent has been sem ~ ooS ht) Tue iaols
and report the results.
| CALIFORNIAN DISLIKE TO THE CHINESE.
10 whether the importation OF Chinese 10 tb" Urit9d
States should continue there division Of opinion, but
not faras California CONCERNED There is nothing upon
which Cafo1ians are sensitive. An body in favor