The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-11-04
Greenbackers and Chinese.

ITGGnDdChSIS SIlASl S4lAAAOSS.
Postmaster-General KEY has recently Wis
tied California, and while in San Francisco
ayailed himself of the opportunity OF look
inc into Chinese character and habits. He
became quite an admirer OF their docility,
industry, and frugality, also their faithful
ness, temperance, and promptness. He
represents them to be generally liked by
merchants, manufacturers. farmers, and
nearly all the employing class OF men; and
no wonder, for the Chinese work for such
exceedingly small compensation.
And this brings out resemblance be-
tween Chinese economy and Greenback
policy. The Chinese are enabled to work
for the lowest compensation because their
standard Of living is the very cheapest. MIR.
KEY says:
cit is wonderful to see how little Chi
naman can live on. Their economy struck
me as something marvellous. Large num-
bers or them sleep in single. ill-ycntilated
room. They constantly violate the funda-
mental laws of health, and yet they are
seemingly very healthy"
This is the key to their "cheap labor"
Now, the ChinaiDan as shoemaker, or
halter, or tailor, ETC., Is competitor
with the white man who has never learned,
and can never learn, how to live so poorly as
he docs. Therefore il is impossible for him
to compete with the labor of him who lives
on nothing, so to speak. II we may assume
that 1t is possible that competition may be
established between the races, we must as
sumo that the white American can bring
himself to live on rice, rats, and other CHI
nese fare, and to sleep in crowded and ILL
ventilated rooms on boards and in boxes
and on the floors. Imagine community OF
Caucasians and Mongols all living so lowly
and so poorly paid for labor. That would
be picture Of squaid misery and vice the
like OF which nobody in America ever
dreamed Of.
We have here to,o life and cheap labor.
Now, what else but this would come OF
"cheap money"-that money which the
irredeemable Greenbackers want to force
the Government to issue? In the Chinese
case cheap labor is maintained by cheap
living. The Chinese were educated to the
poverty Of life which they bring with them
into this country. But the Greenbackers
differ from the Chinese in making the mo-
ney that is paid to the workman cheap. They
both reach the same result in different ways.
To this condition, honest workmen, the
cheap money of the Greenbackers would
inevitably bring you. Do you think that a
depreciation OF the money Of the country
could change your habits? Would you
come down to that degradation OF your
spirit and manhood? Then remember that
with a deprecated paper you would get less
compensation for your work and be forced
to live on less or starye, for it cheapens
labor while necessaries rise in value.
The Greenbackers are as great enemies OF
the Caucasian-American as are the Chinese.
The Chinaman lives low, and thus works
cheap. But the Greenbackers' cheap money
would reduce the compensation OF the work
man, and he would have to live low to live
at all.
The ChiDau.an cheapens bis labor volun-
tari!y by living cheaply. The Greenbacker
would cheaper your labor by depreciating
the money inwhich you would be paid.
And, mark you, the money is cheapened
for the purpose OF beneiiting the impecu-
Nous Greenbacker, that he may sell his
mortgaged property, pay the creditor who
holds the mortgage in the cheap legal
tender paper, and thus relieve himself of
debt, while YEN artisans and laborers would
be- compelled TO labor for low compensa-
ton.
Which is the most honest, the Chinese or
the Greenbackers? The Chinese are honest;
the Greeubackers are not. 81 ..,.si !; I
What q monstrosity it is to assume that
Greenbackers are the poor mans friends!
Cheap money will drive the community of
laborers TO Chinese economy, will bring
upon the community the moral life that lis
engendered by low and stinted livelihood.
and disgrace the land. Public virtue would
4 be ont OF the question In land Ike that, aud
the moraiity and standing OF private life
would be sad md monrHful. 81
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