Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1876-05-08
CHINESE CHEAP LABOR.


awkward competitor possible in the la
Dor market. and Of this American work.
men are well aware. Not long ago it
was reported in San Francisco that one
of the largest watchmakers in that city
intended to employ Cinnamon to do
rough polishing. Immediately, without
warning. all the Americans in the man.
ufacturer's service struck work. This
seemed altogether unreasonable, for they.
did not even wait for the Cinnamon to
be engaged. Besides, it was well known
that the Cinnamon were only to be ask
ed to do ordinary work. In the discus
sion which ensued, however, it can hard
ly be said that the craftsmen had the
worst of the augmentation their point
of view, at any rate. On the capitalists
side, of course, the natural claim was
put forward to employ his capital to the
best advantage, and to employ the cheap
est labor, irrespective of nationality.
But the workmen stated their case much
as follows:
at is all very well for you," they
urged, ito say that you only intend to
employ Cinnamon to do common work.
Probably you do, for at first they can do
no other. But in very short time one
or other of them would learn enough to
accomplish something which requires
skill. You would then employ him on
that skilled work for the same reason
that you take him on now-because he
would work cheaper than we will. The
Chinaman wouldn't stop there. He or
one of his fellows would soon raise him.
self to the top of the business, until at
last he would understand how to put a
watch together as well as the best of us.
Moreover, at every round of the ladder
which he mounted from, another and yet
another Chinaman would pack himself,
each, like the man before him, intent on
making his way up, and each of course
elbowing one of US out At last you
would have none but Cinnamon in your
employ. They would do the work as
well and cheaper than we would ? Pos
sibly, and so far you would be the gain
er but that is not the end of it either
No sooner has Chinaman number one,
the superior Chinaman of the party,
learned by his keen-sighted observation
and marvellous adaptability all that be
can learn than another form of his prac-
tical sagacity will be displayed. One
morning he will civilly bid you good
day, and by degrees most of the others
will follow his example They have saw
ed enough out of their wages to set up
a store of their own. Then, within few
doors of your establishment, which has
served them as valuable school, All
Ping & Co. will notify to the California
public that they are prepared to sell the
best watches imaginable at 80 or so per
cent. below your lowest prices. Ere long
you will be forced to close your store /;
Cinnamon will work yet cheaper for a
countryman than they will for you. And
even your retirement from business will
not finish the mischief Twelve months
later the whole watch manufacture of
San Francisco will be in Chinese hands,
and all the skilled American workmen
in watches, to say nothing of American
capitalists, will have to 90 East, or de-
vote themselves to some other trade"
There may be triAe of the exaggera-
ton of fear in the above description, but
ii must be admitted that it has prece-
dent in its favor. Not so very long ago
all the boots made in San Francisco were
made by American cobblers. Cinnamon
were taken on. just as it was proposed
to take them in the watch business, 10
do the rougher work. What is the state
of affairs to-day? Bootmaking is los
ing business in San Francisco, except
for Cinnamon, and they do nine-tenths
of it to their profit And even this is not
a solitary instance. Nor can it be main
: tained that the capitalist gains much by
: employing Cinnamon if white men are
, to be had If there is nothing to be
: learned the Chinaman takes good care
to accommodate the amount Of work
: which be does exactly to the wages that
be receives. In mining. for example, a
European or American miner in Califor-
MIA is paid perhaps s. day and Chi
, naman sl.5O. The Chinaman viii exert
) himself precisely TO the dol. so cents
, worth in comparison with his 9 dol. r.
, val, but net a cents worth more will he
do. If be is pushed at all he will con
5 triEe some trifing accident as If through
: clumsiness, that will balance matters
! with his employer. 10 short. he plays
} for bis own hand, and has elevated the
: art Of taking care Of number one TO the
! level Of science. The Chinese are 50
: clever in imitation. 80 ready 70 pick up
2 new notions, so industrious and % par
simOniOus that they soon undersell Eu-
: ropean workmen at an ordinary trade
! which they can undertake on their own
account Ii is easy 70 see what will be
the effect Of this in America, and espee-
iallv in California. where every man Who