The morning call., 1894-04-08
CONTRACT LABOR.
Heavy Importations of
Japanese.
Other Classes of Undesirable Immi-
grafton Arriving Daily, but Jap
anese Are Most Numerous.

If you ever visit the water front and are
seeking information as 20 the class of
immigration that is coming into California
Just take a run down to Broadway wharf
when steamer from the Northwest is
coming in, or stand watch at the Oakland
ferries when the northern overland train is
due. You will be surprised. indignant
and Immediately inspired with patriotic
sentiment strongly in favor Of home in
dustries and the employment and protec-
tion OF American labor.
The Canadian Pacific Railroad is stealing
march on us. the japanese are defying
our immigration laws, the Chinese are
doing likewise and Castle, Garden is find
ing an outlet for its oveTcrowded stock
AIDES via Montreal. Victoria, Vancouver
and Seattle.
That is not all. The hordes Of Asiatic
invaders who have been temporarily
barred from entrance to our land OF prom
Use through the Golden Gate have worked
their way over the northern boundary OF
the United States, and for the past six
months poured in upon US in manner
never before witnessed.
japanese laborers especially have been
in the majority among the new arrivals.
and it comes TO public attention that ille-
gal contract labor, bargained for in the
Orient, is being shipped to this city, then
hustled off to the fields and farms OF up
country localities.
II is a serious problem that confronts the
people of California-more serious than
most people have any idea of.
To the eastward marches vast army OF
.- unemployed whose cry is work. To the
southwark from OuT neighbOring northern
cities marches another army of work
0f LOTT
ployment Immediately, while others must
take chances with hard times and charity.
1t Is the Asiatics who obtain employment.
Only last Friday the steamer Umstilla
arrived With large number of JapS direct
from Vancouver, where they were dumped
by The Canadian Pacific steamers.
At the steamer they were met by
boss" and this boss furnished all with
tickets to San Joaquin Valley points,
where all went to work under contract to
a certain vineyard company.
The attention of the represen tative of
The CALL was first drawn to the steady
importation of contract labor in violation
of the laws of the United States by a rail-
road official.
An investigation was N ade which clearly
shows that Japanese and Chinese labor
ers have been steadily pouring into Cali
fornia within the last half year.
reference TO statistics for the month
at the enormous influx OF Japanese un-
skilled labor. The importation of other
classes OF foreign labor will be mentioned
later.
Relative to the arrivals from Portland,
Seattle, Tacoma and Port Townsend a
special investigation was made by CALL
reporter, which establishes the fact that
the Asiatics hailing from those cities were
nearly all brand-new arrivals in the United
States who probably have made their
headquarters at the places named simply
rs a clever excuse to eVade the immlgra-
ton laws and to create the impression !
that they were all ''old residents"
In eight cases out of every ten among
the Japanese there was not man who |
could sneak word of English or give |
satisfactory account of himself through an |
IN terpreter.
The Chinese were a little more crafty.
most of Them having mastered mo sabe" |
sufficiently TO protect hemselves.against |
interviews.
By railroad the number of .Japanese |
brought to town and subsequently semi |
into the country TO work during the first |
week in March numbered 112, second week |
116, third week 115. fourth week 3d. Total. |
435 By steamer the arrivals were as fol, |
lows: First ten days of March 81: sec |
0nd ten days, 50; last eleven days. 81. |
Total. 2l7.
These figures do not include the immi- /
grafton OF Japanese Dy man steamer.
Not quite so many Chinese came from |
the north, but sufficient number arrive |
from there TO make the months totals of |
Aslatic immigration into the State mount |
up to nearly 1000 souls.
Another matter for the consideration of |
the people of this city and of the State is |
the rapidly increasing influx of European |
pauper laborers. Castle Garden is divert |
ing many of its undesra Bile arrivals in the |
direction of the Great West Several poy-
erty-stricken Italian families arrived here !