The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-13
JAPANESE HELP FOR VIVA,
The Labor Commissioner Of
ferS Mrs. Stanford White
LabOrerS.
He Asks Her to Say Whether or Not
She Will Employ Coolies
on the Ranch.

The State Labor Commissioner has taken
notice of the letter of John Dunn, who last
week wrote from Vina relative to the
management of the Stanford vineyard and
ranch. Dunn stated that the superintend-
ent of the premises had been instructed by
Mrs. Stanford to get rid of all the white
help and TO employ japanese in their stead,
and that she had contracted for 300 Japa-
nese coolies to pick grapes and harvest the
crops.
On Sunday Charles G, Lathrop, the man
ager OF the Stanford estate, informed THE
CALL by telephone that he void not be
interviewed upon the subject, and dec med
to affirm or deny the truth of Dunn's state
ment relative to the employment or Japa-
nese coolies.
Deputy Labor Commissioner C. L. Dam,
who is in charge of the bureau in the alb
sence of Mr.. Fitzgerald, now in the south
ern part of the State, wrote the following
letter to Mrs Stanford:
Mrs. Leland Stanford-DEAR MADAM: am in
receipt OF letter from Vina which states that
you have made contract Tor 800 Japanese to
pick grapes etc., upon the Stanford vineyard
at that place in preference to the white labor
ers who have applied for work.
] desire to call your attention to the fact that
ct the present time there are thousands OF un-
employed white persons apDIylDR TO me IOT
assistance, many of whom are in distressed
condition and suffering for the common neces-
saries of life, to whom this employment would
be very acceptable and who would prove bet
ter qualified and more trustworthy in perform
ing the work than the said cody labor.
1 think it is the duty of every employer in
California TO give white labor the preference
from business as well as moral and patriotic
stendpoint-as the testimony of nearly every
employer In California is that reliable white
labor viii accomplish at least 30 per cent more
work in given time than the Japanese labor.
Should the statement relative to your hiring
Japanese be untrue please notify me to that
effect and l will be pleased to correct the i'm
preston that has gone abroad in that matter.
desire to further state that should you re-
quire any amount of white labor l am in
q position to furnish same if you will make a
Tequisition upon me, stating number required,
wages paid and accommO dations you may have
for them. l take the liberty of inelosing you
herewith blank applications for same.
Z. L. FITZGERALD, Labor Commissioner.
Per G. l.. DAM, Deputy Commissioner.
Mr.. Dam, in speaking upon this subject,
said: IF an injustice has been done Mrs.
Stanford, it is only right that she should
have an opportunity to give the public a
true statement of affairs. In thus address.
ing the lady, it is without the least desire
to be offensive or intrusive into her private
business. However, the condition of labor
and the labor market does come di-
rectly under the mission of this commits
sion, and if 800 Japanese coolies are to be
employed in the place of that number OF
white laborers, it is the duty of the COM
missioner to ascertain the fact. Without
this knowledge his statistical report upon
the condition of laborers in this State will
be incomplete. 1t is the facts that we de-
sire, and at the same time let Mrs. Stan
ford know that we can furnish any num-
Der of deserving white people to harvest
her crops and do all the other work re-
quired. If it is fact that Mrs. Stanford
has determined to hire Japanese or any
other class of coolies, it Is her business
alone, and aeither this nor any other COM
mission has right to interfere with her
or her business affairs"