The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-11-23

labor unions are composed Of skilled
men IN various trades and vocations.
and that the Chinese are not skilled.
and therefore, are not formidable COM
petitors. In fact, he says:
The Chinese are wholly unskilled,
and are In the main mere laborers or
agriculturists. They could not under
any circumstances be called to the
places OF strikers in skilled lines; SO
that, even from the standpoint Of the
labor untonist, the Chinese could do
the labor unionist no harm.
contend that this is not mere
labor question. It is an American ques-
ton, affecting the perpetuity of our
institutions and the standard of our
civilization. But let us examine Ho
Vows allegations Of fact. ~
For the most part the Chinese who
have so far come to this country do
mental work and manual. labor; but
they also extensively engage in skilled
employments. They work on railroads,
IN mines, In fields and orchards and
forests. crowding out the white laborer
everywhere on account of their willing
ness to work for q smaller wage. That
Is the experience of the West. AS mere
laborers, there Is little to complain of
In them; but for all purposes OF sciti-
zenship their usefulness ends with their
days work; and whatever they are
paid, they are paid too much, because
they make no contribution by service
or citizenship or family life to the per-
manent interests OF the country.
The Chinese are to the last degree
initiative. They have taken up the
skilled work Of our white population,
and mechanically. duplicate it. They
are makers Of cigars, shoes, shirts,
clothing, women's underwear. overalls,
children's clothes; they have acquired
skill In dentistry and photography;
they engage in commercial electricity.
matchmaking, painting, bricklaying;
they are carpenters, broom makers,
butchers, and in the culinary arts they
particularly excel, supplanting white
domestic servants:>'.~ g.: ,....., ..,~'.
Whites, Cannot Compete.
In most of these trades and vocations
they have unions which are well known
in San Francisco. The Hong. Tuck
Tong, or Cigarmakers' union, contains
1,500 members, who, are employed
throughout California. The Shoe
makers union has. 1000 members. In
Chinatown. San Francisco. evidences
of their skilled labor are everywhere
seen; and in. the business streets OF
the city proper they, have opened nu-
merous stores inNtheir own names, in
which they sell their own products and
especially women's, and children's un-
1oor
been driven. out of employment; and
recently, on, the advice Of a large
dealer in dry goods who promised sup
port, philanthropic gentleman assist
ed in the establishment Of a factory
for the employment of white girls ex-
clusively, under the charge of a COM
petent superintendent. After a few
months trial it. failed, on account: of
the impossibility of meeting Chinese
competition. The Chinese work day
and night without cessation, subsist-
ing on the most meagre' food, and it is
physically impossible for white women
to turn out goods that will sell against
Chinese prices In the open market
This is very serious phase of the
labor question on account Of the small
number Of the fields in which women
may profitably3 work. y :: 5.s5>5 !,
Fruit canneriess throughout Califor-
MIA give employment to boys and young
women; but next. door to the consulate
occupied BY Ho Yow In San Francisco
there is an extensive cannery, which
is owned and operated by Chinese.
They run the steam engines; they
handle the cans and boxes made by
Chinese boxmakers and carpenters;
they pack the fruit; their tinsmith
soldiers the cans It has been known
that when they are short Of Chinese
labor they employ white boys and girls,
who work under conditions and amidst
surroundings which deprive labor Of a
great part of its dignity.
Let 1t be granted. for the sake Of
argument, that the Chinese are only
common laborers and agriculturists.
Shall they be allowed to enter freely
in unlimited numbers to stimulate de-
velopment, or shall the development
of the country be allowed to proceed
with equal pace with the settlement of
the country by desirable citizenship?
Worse Than Black Slavery.
The benefits accruing from the pres
ense Of a servile class. doing the rough