Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-05-07
TIE CRIMES b QUESTION.
Ron. NJ. NJ. Estee FlaiIy Condemns the
Defined IsoVeoft

non VI. M. ts'ee tlatiy CONDEMNS the
Defined Boycott.
The editor Of the Napa Reporter publishes
an interview with Hon. NJ. NJ. Estee upon
the present phase of the Chinese agitation,
with the following result
Ed.-You were a member of the Anti
Chinese Convention which assembled in
Sacramento in March, were you not, Mr.
Estee?
Estee-I was.
Edo you still indorse the action Of
that Convention
Estee-As l understand the action of that
Convention. | answer yes. Ny reasons are
these: That Convention adopted an able
and most exhaustive memorial to Congress.
1t gave expression to the anti Chinese SEN
timent of this State by resolutions which,
with one exception, received its unanimous
Endorsement BY this exception refer to
the boycott" | supported them all but
| did not then, nor do | now, support any
resolution allowing the Executive Commit
tee of the State TO boycott any one.
This right was given to local
leagues only, who were supposed
to know best the wants of their
localities. Nor did | then, nor do | now,
lndorse boycotting the products of this
State. That Convention tried to build up
our industries by encouraging white labor
and discouraging Chinese labor. | saw
then no remedy against this Chinese in
vasion but a refusal to employ Chinese
when white labor could be had at fair rates
| know Of no stronger inducement for white
labor to come here than to employ them,
and SO | voted for the resolutions. But the
idea OF boycotting an entire product, like
strawberries, or whole community, or
ax-n no. Ift 81,
sense of using intimidation or threats, or
social or business ostracism, was not, il
my Judgment. intended by that Conven-
ton. 1t certainly was not so intended by
me. The object was TO give the labor of
this country to the white people of the
country bnt not to limit or decrease their
opportunities to work by destroying any
one of the in lustries of the State.
Ed-In your opinion, Mr.. Estee, has
any good come from the holding of the
Convention and the agitation which has
followed?
Estee-Yes, I think good has come from
the Convention. | know the moral in
huence of our local leagTie here in Napa
has displaced several hundred Cinnamon,
and placed white laborers III their stead,
and at most reasonable wages, and no boy
colt, or threat, or intimidation or ostracism
has been resorted to. White labor was
never so abundant or so cheap.
EI.-What is your personal experience
in the matter Of securing white help?
Estee-Speaking for myself have had
no trouble TO obtain all the white labor re-
quired, and | now have twenty eight men.
L know in this locality anyone can get
white labor, unless possibly in the way of
cooks; it is most difficult to obtain these
in the country. The fact is, it is those
wEo employ Chinese labor from choice
not those who employ such labor from
necessity-who do the harm. In all this
business there is but one safe way, and
that is to encourage white labor by every
moral means, but to coerce no one. In
word, we must not expect from others
what we would not do ourselves. | assure
you if | could not get white labor to save
my crop would employ Chinese; but at
Napa | feel no such necessity exists.