The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-10-01
FACTS ABOUT TIE CHINESE.
PROBLEMS THAT THE Pacific COAST
FARMERS MUST SOLvE
One Firm Welding 100000 Acre. of Land
Mortgages, shifliessress, and Di-connfort-
Whence Il Comiug the California TRAMP.

Mortgages, shifties-pes., aud Disco unfort-
Whence IL Coming the California Tramp.
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept 10 More than severn
cighths Of the settled land in California IL de-
votedto grazing purposes or the cultivation Of
wheat. Tho cattle and sheep ranches are held
in large blocks Of several thousand acres the
largest being the San joaquin cattle rancho of
Lux 4 Miller. covering 400. 600 acres on the San
joaquin river. In addition TO this immense
estate. Lux & Miller own 800 900 acres In other
counties making 100000 acres in all. They
began their California career as butchers. and
still carry on the business. combined with stock
raising on an enormous scale. They have at
the present time more than 100000 head OF cat
tie. besides immense herds of sheep and horses.
and are said to be worth s20.00O.O00. They are
buyers. and not sellers of land. saying that they
have not enough for their herds. They are
plain industrious Germans and thorough busi-
ness mon. liberal to their employees and more
popular than other large land owners.
Below the managers and oycrsccrs the labor
crs employed on their ranches are native Cali
fornians.a class Of men who understand the
management OF cattle better than Americans or
Europeans. But little Yankee or Chinese labor
is employed. Tho sheep ranches ranging
from 000 20 100000 acres. also employ native
Caliiornans almost exclusively rs hcrdsmcn
and shcnrcrs.
The largest wheat farmer in the State is DIR.
Glenn of Cous county. north Of Sacramento.
He farms 10000 acres. He sold his last years
wheat crop for more than 5000. 900, and will re-
ccivc ms much or more this year. Hi farms aro
constantly being improved by icncidg. the ercc-
uoh OF E9Ou, I'rmanonl buildings, w., ana ms
stock OF farming machinery Is extensive and
complete.
very different system prevails on the small
farms or 1000 acrcs, moro or loss. Tho build
ings are usually of the conimoncst and cheap
est kind; wooden snantcs OF three or four
rooms each. unscaled. implanted. and un ar
lffrl. rough wooden stables. through which
the wind blows us II listeth. pig sty"s, and
pumps. Tho a'rommodations are not decent.
much less attractive or comfortable Destitute
OF trees. shruhbcry. and gardens. these houses
have the look OF temporary huts rather than
permanent homes. and can inspire no home
feeling or attachment to the soil. The proprie-
tors. though often well-to-do men. receiving
several thousands Of dollars every year from
their wheat crops, I'VE in rude. squalid man
ner. and apparently have no ambition in lifeex-
cent 10 increase thcr holdings of land. which is
inortgaged ~ soon as II II bought TO pay for
more land. No matter how prosperous they
may be. they are always up TO the ears in debt.
decent homes. Many of these men have no
farming machinery and implements. and let
their ploughing. harvesting. and threshing out
by contract. The wheat Is threshed in the fields
rs II IL cut. the grain being put into sacks and
cariod on 70 the nearest abroad or river store
house. whence II r. shipped 10 san Francisco.
This system Of farming is carried on through
ont the grcat san joaquin valley twhcrc one
may ride for n hundred miles without seeing n
decent house nr BARN. and IN many other parts
OF the state. Tn" only seasons when labor Is
needed on such farms nre seed time and har
vest AT the latter season the demand in pro-
du'tive years II urgent The laborers are treat
.d with "a : nsl" "y" to getting from them tho
largest POSE .hlc amount Of work for the smallest
pos iblc wages. Every man Is required 10 bring
his own blankets, and find n bed on u soft spot
out of doors. ~ no sheltered slreplne ulne., is
provided. When the harvest II over. the men
are turned adrif 10 shift they beg, can. and
ms they find little 10 do in the country or the
towns. they nre too often forced to become
iramis ana yagshonds. wandering over the
state. burden 10 themselves and their fellow
men, and always railing at Chinese cheap Ia
Dor Dis the prime cause Of their troubles. Many
81 this class ar" good men when they come into
the state, hut they become discouraged and de-
mor9lized ana no wonder. A stchdy farm
hhnd hns Little or no chance 10 lind regular en-
rloymoni the year through, as In the Eastern
States. There Is no winters work to bc done,
no barn 10 be filed with hay and grain. no win
ter thrcshing. no horses and cattle to be housed
| fences 10 repair. no fertilizers to look after.
The farming industry Of the State is cursed
with erasping land owners and nomadic labor.
much AT other seasons. SO long ms tho present
system Of farming IL the rule. II is better for
| white labor y keep away, and for Chinese labor
| 10 come. The Chnaman's harvest wages go
! further and last longer thnn tho white mans :
| and. II they are exhausted before he can iind
| other employment his Chinese company must
! take care Of him he does not become burden
| uion the peopi" OF the towns. II the present
| system continues " must end il the farming
lands ~ the state falling into the hands Of few
! proprietors employing servil" Chinese labor
not "A desirable consummation, hut inevitable
unless II Is checked 10y the immigration 81
| families with money and muscle able and will
INK 90 own small farms and do their own work
Many such families are coming from the
! Eastern and Mis- issippi State but they pass
! hy California and & 10 Oregon. A. n wheat
| growing country Oregon vii surpass California
before many years. IL much OF the best land 81
| this state is already showing signs Of cNhaus-
| ton and the droughts are great drawback
| Millions OF acres were unproduetve last year.
| ana ~ II not sure that they Will fare any better
TINS year. Many OF the weather wise are al
| ready predicting another dry winter
The only safeguard against these recurring
| years 81 drought l. III IN extensive system Of
| irrigation, aud many attempts have been made
| To- lrri gate lands ON III san Joaquin aud King
an average outlay OF s25 per acre. The farm
ors are unwilling 10 pay their share. and can't
| ta-ts. who are not interested in the ownership
OF and. are not inclined 10 invest money IN
| irrlgNilng canals though whore capitalist land
| owners have tried H. their returns have been
| large.
Hey" that Chinese labor can he dispensed with
IN the state NJ this time. or for several years to
come. without reducing production and rclc-
shtinE much arabic land back 10 It's former
condition Of pnsturc land. Possibly this nltcrna-
tive would be u benefit t. the state In the long
| run. Ies'WG ienfe II provcrb that CAliiur-
ninns may proilt Toy IN more pursuits than
! lnrning. In IN" towns, particularly in san
| Francisco the withdrawal If the Chinese would
be- simply "A temporary Inconvenience, while II
would be an UNREASONABLE and much desired
relief from inlpenl ng danger Ia lie and prom
lowers the true estimate OF tho responsibility Of
labor in the minds 81 the native working classes.
!
ThegrHnd danger OF hinesr immigration into
the Pacific States lies ia tn" enormous surplus
/ population which China can spare. and the itcil-
iiy and comparative cheapneSs of bringing II
hero. China can spare MS forty or fifty mill ions
Of needy people, and they can be- brought 10 us,
with profit 10 the shipowncr. for $50 per head
which Is reudily advanced 10y the Chinese capi-
tulists who control the trade. Remove all OBJ
staclcs TO their coming, and supply them with
work M even $40 per month, and We shall soou
Ice overrun with Mongolians. who will MI every
avenue Of lHhor in town and country. and ulil-
mnlciy own the land and control the industry
and government of the state.
The Chimes" are an aggressive peoplc--ponoo-
ful} so, tits true lat ~ ably and st,althiv AZ
ElrtSlNr. mo Chinese managers ut tho mON'-
meut nre acute ana patient. bowling before tn,
storm of opposition when II rlgos, rising and
Iioiding onward IN It's lulls. They retain theii
sriQ, Hud o4otyi'ld9n IN IN OF vantage ground
ana Will not dn 90 unless compelled by Legal ol
gul force that cannot be- contested with Huy
hope of SUCCESS. II the immigration IAN ht
confined 10 narrow limits. II wall Ice harm less
perhaps useful; hut how TO keep il within tho-,
limits. and at the samc time alny tho hatred
with which our working pcople regard this
alien race. IL Il difficult problem for our lrGiS
| lulors To solyn. Ii may bee best and east, - I,
stop their migration altogether. For the pres
ent farm lnhorers on your side of the cont nCu
had better stay there rather than come here.