Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-02-17
CORPORATIONS AND THE CHINESE.

of the constitutionality Of the law just en-
acted prohibiting the employment OF
Chinese by corporations, the statute viii
apparently be submitted to by those who
are affected by it. But it does not appear
from the developments already made that
it is likely to help white labor in any way,
while it is evident that in specific cases 1t
will injure the very element it was in
tended to benefit. 1t seems probable that
in a number OF cases where the force OF
workmen employed was partly white and
partly Chinese, the business conducted
will be closed, thus reducing the employ
ment of white labor No doubt it will be
alleged by the Sandlotters that these cor
sporations ought to fill the places of the
Chinese with white men, and continue
their business, but that is obviously
matter which the corporations will decide
for themselves, and if they conclude that
it will not pay to continue work under the
new conditions, there is no way by which
they can be compelled to act against their
own Judgment. There are many young
and struggling industries in the State
which have only got foothold through
the advantage of a particularly cheap
form of labor. In most of these cases 1t
has been the practice to employ white men
for all the less mechanical and servile op-
erations, and Chinese for those which de-
manded only steady application. As with
out Chinese labor the fair presumption IS
that none of these industries would have
been projected at all. it follows that the
employment they afforded to white men
was so much clear gain. The theory of the
Sandlotters, that it makes no difference to
the profits of manufacturer whether
white or Chinese labor is employed, is, I'M
fortunately for them, one which can only
be tested by the employers; and if they
declare that they are unable to manufac-
ture proftably if forbidden to employ Chi
nese, we do not see how any appeal from
that decision is to be taken.
In regard to the railroad companies, in
quiry shows that they are not now employ
ing more than score or so of Cinnamon
in the State, and therefore the new law,
even if constitutional, could make no open
ing for white labor in that direction. In
fact it seems probable that the corporations
generally either do not employ Chinese
at all, or employ them in such relations
with white labor that one cannot be dis
carded without the other. It is tolerably
clear that no gain to the Sandlotters is
likely to come from the strictest applica-
ton of the new law, therefore while it
is equally plain that in certain instances
positive injury to the cause of white labor
will result from it. OF the Chinese in Cal
ifornia very small percentage would
seem to be employed by corporations.
A considerable percentage is no doubt alb
sorbed by domestic service and the laun-
dry business When the manufactures of
cigars and boots and shoes are added to this
list, the bulk of the working Chinese will
be accounted for The corporation law
therefore cannot be said to exercise any APP
preciable influence upon the labor situa-
ton, but what influence it does exert is
prejudicial to white labor. This is curl
GUS outcome of sand-lot legislation, though
it ought not. perhaps, to surprise those
who have noted the vague and impractical
tendencies of that kind of craftsmanship.
The first effect of the passage of the
statute is to increase the number of
unemployed white workingmen in San
Francisco. So far there is no indication
that it will make single new
opening to compensate for this direct
injury. If manufacturers close their fac
tories now. moreover, the chances are that
that they will keep them closed, for if
cheap labor is indispensable to the con-
FINANCE of their business, and they can
not employ Chinese, it follows that the
only way white men can secure the
vacated places is to accept Chinese wages,
and as they are not prepared for that,
the prospect of restoration of manufact-
uring industry must be regarded as very
poor. The Sandlotters are now trying a
series of experiments of a very dangerous
kind for themselves and the community,
and if these experiments produce unex-
pected and calamitous results, they will
only have their own folly to blame for it.