The record-union., 1895-06-03
WHITE LABOR AND THE FRUIT
GROWER.

GROWER.
There is already good deal of roaring
at A. Z. Hatch, the fruit-grower, because
he stated at the Fruit-growers' Conven-
trouble with white workers in harvest
time on account of the disposition of the
larger portion of them. outside of his
regular employees, to get drunk and bring
up liz Jail, leaving him with insufficient
force to gather the fruit in the most criti-
cal moments.
Instead of growing at Mr.. Hatch and
arraying him as the enemy OF labor, it
would be far more to the point to ascer-
tain how far this complaint applies
along the line generally. Certainly We
have heard it before for years. and often.
as applying to nearly all classes OF labor
on farm and in orchard lands.
II rum and the shiftlessness of white
workers do, to the extent claimed, men
ace the fruit-grower, he is not to be
blamed for employing labor that will
give guarantee of stability and relia-
bility. The friends of labor have in this
direction large and open field for in
quiry and action. Let them organize and
direct efforts to the correction of the
abuse referred to. Let the labor element
that thus imposes upon honest employers
understand from decent labor that it and
its organizations will neither sympathize
thus cheat agrioulturists. and the evil
will come to an end.
We undertake to say now and here
that the trouble is largely in the fact that
these very men who GO drunk upon the
hands of fruit-growers, who leave with
out moments notice. who prove unre-
liable, are encouraged by the belief that
they will have the support and sympa-
thy of the labor sentiment behind them
whenever the grower complains.
It will be conceded that no journal has
more steadfastly and from the outset
done battle against the importation and
unrestricted immigration OF the coolie
classes to displace white labor than this
paper. 1t has always stood out against
the reduction of white to the level of the
coolie labor and it's wage, because it has
believed and still SO holds that we cannot
expect from the American wage-earner
that state of living demanded by our civ
ilizstion, if he is forced into competi-
ton with the wages and manner of iv-
ing of the Oriental coolie labor. But
when 1t comes, as it does from many parts
of the State, that the white labor which
goes into the country fields imperils the
producer by reason OF its habits and IN
reliability, what shall we say to the agri
culturist and the fruit-grower who dis
places such labor with the coolie and
finds in it safety and reliability.
We repeat that labor organizations will
conserve honest, sober labor If they unite
in a crusade against the drunken and
shifsless men who impose upon the fruit
growers. Let these fellows understand
once Tor all slak III L0er6 Is not f6lOTLn2-
ton organized labor will stand by the
producer in his act of displacement, and
that these shiftless men, who care more
for Sunday nights carouse at the cross
roads groggery than for their agreement
with the fruit-grower to be on hand bright
and early and competent Monday morning
to aid in gathering the crop In time for
quick shipment, will receive neirther
sympathy, countsnance nor aid from
honest labor, and that if they prefer their
vices to their duty faithful workers will
repudiate them, and there will be refor-
nation.
The fruis-growsr must take labor as it
comes, he cannot undertake to inquire
Into the habits of the men who offer. It
is impossible for him to pick and choose,
and hence he must consider all employ
ment of workers to harvest his crop
in the nature of risk. If 1t is
true, as Mr.. Hatch openly asserts. that
the average California laborer IS inferior
to either Chinese or Japanese. then there
must be remedy, and it is the duty OF
labor's friends to apply it. falling to do
which will tend to defeat those who are