Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-05-01
STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.
The Session Occupied in Considering the
Labor Question

The State Horticultural Society met at
Irving Hall, San Francisco, yesterday.
Professor Hilgard presiding, to discuss the
subject of labor in accordance with the
resolution passed at the last meeting.
Mr.. McGlashan. Chairman of the State
Executive Committee of the Anti Chinese
Convention, stated that the committee is
urging the displacement of Chinese by
| white labor. but advocates the crippling of
no industry by depriving it of laborers.
A. S. Sbarboro had informed the COM
| mittee that every day he has large num-
bers of applications from farm laborers who
offer to work at so, SIS or $50 per month
and board. There are he says, many idle
laborers in West Oakland, and he will fill
any orders sent him. J. +. Crossett & Co.
w. d. Ever Il Co, c. r. Hansen Il Co..
and Ward & Co, offered to Mr.. McGlashan
| to furnish within ninety DAYS from mott
fication from 10000 to 10000 men at $50,
| S25 or $50 per month and found. In CON
clusion. Mr.. McGlashan said 'If 10000
Cinnamon are gathering tine fruit and grape
crops of California, we offer in their stead
10000 white men whose earnings would
provide food for 10000 men, women and
children of our own race"
Labor Commissioner Enos stated that he
had begun the investigation by summon
ing the employment agents in this city,
| who were asked to give facts concerning
the number of unemployed white laborers,
| and the likelihood of securing enough to
take the places of Chinese
He then addressed circulars tc the differ
ent County Clerks, asking for information
concerning the number of Cinnamon en-
ployed on farms, in vineyards, hop-felds
| ETC.; how many unemployed white people
there are, etc. A circular to the County
| Assessors was also sent out, asking sub
Stantially the same questions. A similar
letter was also addressed to the largest fruit
growers and yiticulturists in the state. A
statement was then read showing the rate
of wages paid TO farm hands in this and
| other States By this it was shown that
! the rates paid in California are the highest
He also exhibited table showing the rates
paid to farm laborers in Europe. These
| are very low-under 500 per year in most
cases.
Statistics relating to the amount of fruit
raised in this State last year were read, the
] total value being Sc, 100000 The number
of acres planted in vines in California is
100000, of which 10000 were planted last
year. In the State there are IS ,000, 900 acres
suitable for vineyards, against 6,26O, 900
IN France, which produce 74S,00000 gal
Ions of wine.
Letters had been received from J. 3.
II. II. iAtllS anu OlntIS Vi Elttl
township, Alameda county, stating that
about = 800 Cinnamon are employed there
TO gather fruit during the fruit season The
evidence given by these employers of labor
was that there are not white men enough
available to gather one-fourth of the fruit
crop. Cinnamon are better than white men
in picking and packing hops, currants and
other lowbush berries, while whites are
better for tree fruits. 1t was the unani-
nous opinion of the fruit-growers of this
section that it will be impossible to sup
plant the Chinese at once. Opinion as to
the time necessary varied from two to ten
years. J. Gawne, of San Leandro
stated that Chinaman will average
fifteen per cent. more in picking c.
w. Hathaway thought that there is not
one-tenth enough white labor to pick the
, fruit OF this State, and it will take three
years or more to educate our BOYS and girls
| to the fruit business. Mr.. Rose, of Los
Angeles, was of the opinion that it would
| be destruction to the fruit interest to dis
| charge all Chinese this season. Charles
kohler, the well-known viticulturist, who
has never employed a Chinaman in his
| life, stated that to discharge Cinnamon at
| once would sacrifice several millions of dol
lars this year. White labor can be substi-
tuted for Chinese in time, but as the bust
| ness is one of skill and experience, it
| would require time to educate white labor.
Commissioner Enos, from the informa-
ton he had received from many varied
sources, was forced to conclude that there
are 10000 Cinnamon engaged in this State
in hop fields, vineyards and orchards, and
thaeit is impossible to supplant them with
white labor this year. He had also come
to the conclusion that farmers and others,
to secure white labor, must make changes
in the accommodations made for help, as
white men can not live as Cinnamon have
been accustomed to do.
The Association adopted resolution de-
claring it to be the sense of the meeting
that they desired to dispense with Chi
nese labor, and will do so as speedily as
they can fill their places with white men,"