The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-03-19
THE CHINESE Is. LABOR SAY
ING MACHINERY.


- 11-
1t is commended by a certain school Of
political economists in the east, that
the opposition to the Chinese is of a
piece of the opposition to la~bor.saying
machinery. which movement grew to
such a high pitcb. both in England and
the United States. a generation ago.
These wonderful scholars spread their
lore and logic through the blue-blooded
publications of the Atlantic coast, and
of course the readers thereof, as a class,
admit the reasoning and conclusions of
the articles without question. Let us
examine into these arguments.
They hold that labor-saving machine
~, because it performs labor skillfully
rapidly and cheaply. is a blessing to
manufacturing; to trade; and to the
country; in that 1t increases the wealth
thereof, and contributes to its further
development. This major premiss is
correct. No man can take n excep-
ton to 1t who has any regard for the
prophecies of equity and advancement.
Now for the minor premiss and conclu-
sion: Cinnamon labor cheaply, rapidly
and skillfully; therefore, Cinnamon are
a blessing to manufacturing; to trade
and to the country; in that they increase;
the uealh thereof and contribute to its
further decelopment. Hence 1t follows.
that those who oppose the Chinese. are
railing against the best interests of the
country, and are putting obstacles in
the way of its further development.
Right here We desire the reader to
mark well the italicised clause above,
as therein lies the entire weakness of
the position assumed by the champions
of "Chinese cheap labor"
At first glance the logical deduc-
ton above would seem to be unassaila-
BILE, especially when one admits the
major premiss, as we have done. The
argument is reduced Immediately to u
comparison of Cinnamon and labor
saving machinery. Are Cinnamon
equally as beneficial to the country as is
l~abor-saving machinery, since they both
operate to the same end-cheap labor?
II they are, then the opposition to the
Mongolians is not only founded on Lase
ignorance and prejudice, but it is abso-
lutely wrong and injurious to society,
and should therefore be suppressed.
But If the Cinnamon are not only lack
ing in equality, or in even the ground
work Of a respectable comparison with
machinery, so,far as the interests of the
country are concerned, then the opposi-
ton to their Wholesale importation is
founded in reason and justice, and
should therefore prevail.
Take, for example, any skilled occu-
patton at which one hundred white men
are employed in hand work. They
make fair wages. Most Of them have
families-perhaps se~venty-ive per cent.
Hence there. would be seventy-flve
homes of working men in the village.
The remaining twenty-five per cent
may be boarding with the former or
with other families. Local trade would
thrive by reason of the many house
holds requiring all the necessaries, and
many of the luxuries of life. There
would be some culture in this village
which we shall call '.Prosperity;,, a
schoolhouse, a church, possibly a news
paper and a literary society. The
wealth of the village would increase
with the population. New buildings
must be erected. This would give I'M
ployment to other mechanics. Then
all the wages of the workingmen would
be spent at home. In fine, the village
itself; the farmers and gardeners In the
vicinity; the local and remote e
chants; real estate dealers; all would
gradually and surely gain. Hence. to
that extent, society and the country ia
There is that much more
and taxable property in the
land.
Suppose the n of this large
workshop conclude to supplant these
one hundred workmen with Cinnamon.
and they contract with the Chinese Six
companies for a hundred or more
coolies. A low rate of wages per CAPT.
Ia is fixed. Out of this sum the compa-
MES must be reimbursed for the expense
of importing these ouasi slaves Tbey