Evening star., 1897-03-20
CHINESE LABORERS
Rapidly Disappearing From the Pacific
Slope.
NO LONGER 4 SERIOUS MENACE
Their Place is Being Taken by the
Japanese.
RESULTS OF EYISM
Correspondence OF The Evening Star.

Correspondence OF The Evening Star.
SAN FRANCISCO, March II, 1897
California is the most cosmopolitan state
in the Union, and as San Francisco is its
western gateway to the orient and the
South sea it is natural that among its
aliens should be a large percentage of Chi
nese and Japanese. The Chinese have had
a great influence on the swift material
development of California. They built the
first overland railroad across the snow
covered Sierra Nevada mountains. But for
them the road would have been constructed
far more slowly, as white men could not be
hired to work in the regions of snow and
ice, where the rudest accommodations were
lacking. Chinese labor was also largely
employed en- the Southern Pacific railroad
which was built across the burning Colo
rado desert and through Arizona and New
Mexico at an average rate Of two miles a
day. Those We're the days when the Chi
neSe were welcomed to California ard their
labor was looked upon as valuable Soon,
however they came In such great numbers
and they ousted SO many white men from
employment that the cry went up, The
Chinese MI st Co..
This cry was taken up by shrewd poll
ticians and it became the party shibboleth
of the thousands who trained under Denis
kearney, the orator of the San Francisco
sandlots. kearney preached the doctrine
tlidl tile oHiy way 10 save 1dHlOtIitd n
the condition of Mexico with peon class
willing to work. for I. few cents a day,
was to prohibit absolutely the entrance
of any more Chinese coolies into this coun-
try and to depOrt those who We're here.
The eastern philanthropic and religious
soc'ations fought kearneyism on prin-
ciple. but their influence was not potent
enough to break down the mass of statis-
tics which showed that Chinese immigra-
ton a positive menace not only to
the Am ercan laborer and mechanic. but to
our laws and morals 1t was proved very
clearly that no business could Withstand
Chinese competition and that white
laborers could meet them in rivalry with
out defeat. simply because the coolies had
no families to support and lived in a way
that the rawest and poorest immigrant
would despise. So all Chinese were barred
out except merchants and travellers and
residents who were returning from visits
to their native country.
A Peculiar Race.
1t would seem that where SO mue,I popu-
lar excitement had been raised against the
Chinese they would find it difficult to exist,
but the Californian Is peculiar creature.
Many of those who were loudest in their
enurciation of Chinese cheap labor pat
ronized Mongolian laundries because they
were less expensive than the white steam
laundries, and others employed the mated
coolie in domestic work because one goHd
efficient Chinese will do more work IN the
without a word Of complaint and with a
mathematical regularity that is delightful
to witness. Hence the Chine sc who remain
ed in California after the exclusion act
was passed actually benefited by this pro-
hibitorX legislation against their country
men in China. Their number diminished by
constant returns to the mother country,
and they were able to command better posi-
tions and better pay. Thus Chinese cheap
labor literally became d myth, for the
efficient celestial secured as good wages as
the white man. All that makes the Chinese
desirable now as field hands in the country
Is that they can be counted on 10 appear
promptly on Monday morning: that they re-
quire 10 comfortab BILE qusrters or bedding or
any of the other requisites of the white
farm laborer, and tina, they board them
selves.
In many Of the trades the Chinese have
ousted white competition. They practically
have the monopoly of the manufacture of
shirts, overalls, boots and shoes, cigars and
cheap clothing. Many large wholesale deal
ers employ Chinese to make their goods for
whei. properly taught the celestial is an
ideal hand on sewing machine. He
makes every bit of work absolutely accord
ing to pattern and he works steadily ten
hours day like a piece of machinery. But
most of the Chinese goods are maGe in
large factories run by Chinese. In several
of these establishments the curious specta-
Gle is presented of white boys and girls
working under Chinese bosses. If you ask
these white girls how they are treated hey
Will tell you that they prefer to work ua-
der Chinese overseers because these men
never annoy them with personal attention
or show any favoritism.
The Chinese in Business.
In business the Chinese is known as one
OF the sharpest traders, as keen and as
sure to get the better of his competitor as
a Yankee; but even his enemies admit that
he is square. What the Chinese agrees
to do he will do to the letter, though you
have only a verbal contract with him, and
he will supply you with the exact quality
Of goods of which he shows you sample
1t is the failure to adopt the same course
with him that has cost many California
merchants valuable trade. for the China
man never forgives the white man for any
intentional deceit in business. Speculation,
embezzlement fraudulent bankruptcy, all
are unknown to the Chinest merchant. He
looks forward to his New Year festival
as the yearly accounting time, and he
strains every nerve to settle his affairs and
pay all obligations. 1t is regarded as the
deepest disgrace to be unable to present
clean balance sheet at that time.
With such qualities. and with patience,
perseverance, industry and economy, the
Chinese is not bad fellow if he could be
separated from his vices and made to con-
form to our civilization But as this is inn
possible, no community can afford to have
too large percentage of coolies. AT the
present rate Of decrease the Chinese will
soon be memory in California. The CEN
sus of 1890 gave the number in the state
as 71,O66. In six years this has been cut
down to $4,000. San Francisco's China town
twenty years ago had many residents
as there are Chinese today in the whole
state. This Chinatown is the great show
place of San Francisco. and naturally, for
1t gives the tourist as good an idea of Chi
nese life and customs he would get in
the native quarters of Hongkong or Shang-
hal. The old business buildings have been
converted into huge lodging houses, some
nf n1otf iy