Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-03-31
THE HORTlCULTURISTS.
The Question of Supplantins Chinese
Labor with White.

Labor with White.
a meeting OF the State horticultural So
ciety was held in San Francisco Friday.
Prot. Hilgard presided and t. J. Wickson
oificiated as Secretary. d. c. Feeiy, Of
Santa Clara, was elected a member.
long discussion ensued over the Heath
amendment, which provides for taxing
fruit trees and vines as part of the land
on which they are located.
1t was urged that all orchardists should
oppose the assessing of their lands at a
higher rate than the wheat lands adjoining.
II was asserted that Assessors assess wheat
land, for example, at $40 per acre and fruit
land at 800, and then add 800 for trees.
The next subject discussed was the prop
osition of the Anti-Chinese Boycotting AS
sociation to boycott fruit-raisers who em-
ploy Chinese.
1t has been publicly announced in Sac
ramento,' said Mr.. Aiken, THAT the fruit
growers do not need Chinese labor that
we can get all the white labor we want. |
wish it were So, and should like those who
assert it to show us how and where we
can"
Mr.. Hatch said there were not enough
white laborers to pick the fruit. Every
horticulturist knew that
Prof. Hllgard-The question now is one
of fact. The boycotterS say there are white
laborers enough; we say they are not
There is no use of discussing question
presented in that shape. Let us stop dis
cussion and have some facts let US pre-
sent the statistics of the question and rest
the case there.
AT the next meeting" suggested Judge
Black, each fruit grower should come
here with the statement of the number of
laborers required in his vicinity, and then
see II white men can be obtained to fill the
demand"
We have State Commissioner of La
Dor Statistics said Mr. Wickson Why
not call on him for figures which can be
used to prove or disprove the assertion
that there are enough unemployed white
laborerS in the State to take the places of
the Chinese we are asked to discharge" ?"
1t must be made plain to these men,"
said Mr.. Hatch that we cannot utilize
laborers who must be hired all the year
around. Until California shall be settled
TO some extent with a class which will cor
respond to the peasantry class of continental
Europe, where wives and children assist in
gathering crops, living on their own land
at other times, we will be compelled to
depend on nomadic class Of laborers-the
Chinese-for we could only hire them
few months in the year.
As has been said" remarked Senator
De Long, " it is waste of time to further
discuss the question without statement of
facts on both sides by which both sides
will abide. Now, l propose that TO our
next meeting we invite the Commissioner
of Labor Statistics, and some one authorized
to speak for the Knights of Labor and the
Executive Committee of the Sacramento
Anti Chinese Convention. They must come
here prepared to answer this question: To
what extent is the unemployed white labor
of this State able to supply men ior lin
tied employment to gather crops at n time
when the white labor Of the country is en-
ployed in the grain fields. They must nm
derstand that a discussion of the Chinese
question is not wanted for every fruit
grower will gladly discharge the Chinese
when substitutes for them are offered.
They must come to our meeting prepared
to submit plan to furnish Us labor, and to
state at what rates it will be furnished"