The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1889-02-05

Gray says that they have no sym
patty with the lame, the blind, the
idiotic or those having any congeni
tai disease, saying that they are
justly punished for the sins of their
ancestors. He even has few of those
rather amiable weaknesses, that seem
to be the sporadic outcroppings of
a richer and more enthusiastic
nature
Is it at all likely, then, that the
unrestricted contact with the Chinese
will result in his being European
lied? Will the 400,000,000 of China
be elevated or is it probable that
those with whom he comes into COM
petition will be compelled to adopt
his methods of living? This is the
question to be faced, it seems to me,
in any restrictive measures by Euro
pean governments.
Wherever the Chinese go they
carry their methods of living along
with them. They have no assimila-
tive tendency. Their clothes, food,
manners, customs and habits are the
same. They may demand the white
mans wages, but his civilization they
will have none of. They are content
to live and to think as their fore
fathers lived and thought in the time
of Confucius. The product of their
labor may be very valuable to the
white man in the way of piling up
products, yet they will buy and con
sumo little of these things when pro
duced. Herein is one of the chief
objections to his becoming a denizen
at large among us.
Of course, it is not presumed here
that under peculiar conditions, as in
this country, OF perhaps in some
others, the Chinese are not desirable
in limited numbers.
Such l think to be unquestionable.
But l am trying to deal with the
question in its largest aspect, In an
unlimited way. Let us see if we
can, what effect Chinese competition
would have, say in the United States,
if left to natural laws.
In his ability, if it be so, to do |
cheaper work, that is to make a
larger product for smaller wages, he
would, if [eft free to compete in
sufficient numbers, displace those
now employed. His employers, as
long as a market could be found for
heir products at ruling rates, would
lrive a thriving bargain.
But when the great body of con
of these products are driven
1ut, or are compelled to live on
how will it affect the en-
oloyers of labor, those who have
Kings to sell 1t is undeniable that
/ wage earner's ability to consume,
depends on his wages as compared
With the product of his labor. If
lis wage is minimum, though he
ever so much for his en-
,loyer, his consumption Will be a
minimum. Thus, it seems to me, the
jhinese-cheap-labor-bus will act
S boomerang, returning to knock
hose out who expect most benefit.
1t is idle to speak of justice and
having any hold upon en-
loyers of labor while political eco
omy or economies remain what
hey are Adam Smith laid it down
5 law that when two employers
IN after one laborer, wages rise,
nd when two laborers run after one r
mployer, wages fall. I
Most writers on the subject adj
ere to the maxim at the present a
ay. Every one is going to pay as
tile as possible for labor, and sell
S product for the highest market |
rice. [ am now not considering
it'll the subject any moral question
hatever. My own opinion is that, !
) a universal principle, it is an eco
omical mistake, and morally mon d
rous. Yet, at the present time,
le rule seems to govern the ecOn0- al
ic world. :.
David A. Wells says that in most
those occupations in which the :,
borer makes use of modern imple- I
ents, one unit of labor will produce
ON ten to fifteen times as much as
did one hundred years ago. Most
suredly, the laborer does not receive
ages in like ratio. In the midst
plenty, poverty and want wall Z
rough the most thickly inhab-
ID parts of Europe and Amer
| already. Mr.. Henry George
tributes this state of affairs to the N
3 private ownership of land. This
iy have some bearing upon the
tie of affairs; yet it would seem
at a more reasonable solution is a
Oh efficiency of labor with low
is, the laborer's wages
, low compared with his product
therefore his ability to consume is U,
nparatively small. Hence when
to make people comforta- 10
is the most abundant, we usually
If of the hardest times and the NJ
st suffering.
f this is the state of affairs when
orers of our own kith and kin
y are competing with one another, IL
would be doubly intensified, if the
100000 Chinese were left free to
npete with them. Seeing then Re
It minimum of wages means a j
limum Of consumption, an econo- .
, view of the question, to say =
hing of q moral one, would sug- s.
t that Chinese COMPETITION. in a .
httA way, be absolutely pro-
tied.