The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-03

cody help. This bureau will not be in
operation before July Is, but the announce
ment that such an institution is to be
established has already brought forth over
| 1000 applications for work.
| On Saturday Laura de Force Gordon,
Mrs. Simmons, Mrs. French and John M.
| Reynolds. representing the ladies of the
Practical Progress League, took to the
| Labor Commissioners office at 215 San
some street 5000 applications of men who
are anxious to obtain work. President Sells
of the Cooperative Commonwealth was
also present, and he said that he would
double the number as soon as the facilities
of the office would warrant. These appli-
cations are all filled in on printed forms
which set forth name, age, nationality,
residence, occupation and whether the ap-
plicants are married or single. An ap-
palling fact was presented. At least two
thirds OF the applicants have families of
from one to six members. Comparatively
few have occupations or trades, and the
ladies of the League of Progress state that
the men appear to be worthy of assistance.
Commissioner Fitzgerald told the ladies
that they could establish their headquarters
in his Office and assist him in finding en-
ployment for the unemployed. The invi-
tation was gladly accepted and a stenog-
rapher will be set to work at once to ar
range plan of operation and segregate
the classes OF laborers. In all probable
many of the applicants who have regis
| tered will be furnished with work through
the help of the ladies' organization, even
before the bureau is open for business.
Before we can expect to give any num-
Der of people employment we will have to
make some vacancies in the cody labor
ranks" said Mr.. Fitzgerald. sSince COM
| ing into this office have gathered statistics
that are simply appalling. In this State
| there are 5000 japanese, all of whom are
| employed. There are about 80, 600 Chinese,
| of whom not over 200 are idle. Neither
class of coolies have families to support.
There are in San Francisco 10000 white
| men who are in need of work, and more
than one-half of these are married and
| have families of from one to seven de-
pendent upon them. The unemployed in
| the State number about $1,000. 1t is nom
sense for the farmers and orchardists to say
| that coolies can do their work better than
white people or that they are more relia BILE.
A man with family will work if he has a
1 chance, but while the coolies are worked
| under the present system the white men
cannot get work. The system I speak of is
the payment of cody laborers on the in
| stallment plan. An orchardist wants 200
| Japanese laborers to harvest his crop OF
fruit. He make contract with boss Jap,
one of the padrone order, for the laborers
and agrees to pay the boss for all of the
labor furnished when he gets his money
| for his crop. With this contract the boss
is able to obtain provisions and clothing foI
his gang from many San Francisco and in.
terror merchants and does not have to pay
for the goods until paid by the orch HARDEST
In fact, there is usually an understanding
between the orchardist and the merchant
so that the boss Jap is paid for the laborers
he has furnished in the presence of the
| merchant.
"This system often results in the or
toI,a l,c< Il. 49,
600 for seasons help. In this way the
orchardist gets the benefit of the interest
on the money, which he would not get il
obliged to pay white men by the month
Besides he has only to deal with one man.
Many of these Japanese and Chinese bosses
have the handling of the business of dozens
of large gangs of cody laborers in as
many orchards.
J 'How in the name of common sense car
white laborers, with families to support
compete with cody labor carried on in
this system. I mention the orcharoists
and vineyardists in particular as employ
ers of cody laborers, for it is fact tina
they employ more than any other class O.
employers. The majority of fruit crops il
California are harvested by Japanese, anG
as soon as laborers of this nationality ge
into this State they are shipped off at ono,
to the orchards and vineyards in the in
terror. In fighting the cody labor evil il
| the interests OF unemployed Wnite peOpl
we are obliged to combat with the wealth
| lest fruit-raisers in the State"
The investigations of Labor Commits
sioner Fitzgerald, his chief deputy, Clev
L. Dam, and Immigration Commissions
Stradley have led to the belief that there
either great laxity on the part of tn
United States Commissioner stationed il
Victoria, B. c., or a general collision OF
the part of people in high places for tn
| purpose of eyading the Immigration law
and shipping contract laborers into tn