The Saint Paul globe., 1902-05-04
Australians Want to Exclude
the COlOred Races From
Their Continent
PROBLEM is A VITAL ONE
In q Selfish One, and HandI-
caps the Future of the
Colonies.


Special Cable to The Globe.
SIDNEY, N. 8. W., April 27.-The An
tipodeaI Continent Is beginning to tackle
its big questions early. One of these now
to the forefront Is the cry, "A White
Australia" Labor is the great opponent
Of negro or Kanaka immigration and
labor here occupies a very different po-
sition to that which it does in the States.
The federal government, at the dicta-
tion of white labor, has abolished Kama
ka labor and, as a consequence, the inn
portation OF South Sea Islanders must
cease.
The question is raising a huge amount
Of discussion here. Many believe this
to be a most short-sighted policy, claim
ing that without the aid of millions of
colored people the country can never be
developed
The most vital objection to the legis-
lation enacted is that the fourishing
sugar industry of Queensland is threat
ened with ruin unless this cheap and
suitable labor be obtainable
The wider problem embraced, however
involves the prosperity of all tropical
Australia.
1t is claimed by those best able to
judge that Northern Australia can never
become properly developed without the
aid of the colored race. 1t is true that
white men can live there and that they
have done So but not under similar con-
ditions to those under which black men
would thrive. Each generation, however,
finds the race so deteriorated that in the
end they become inferior to the blacNs
Remembering that almost half of this
continent is situated in the tropics, this
becomes a serious question and IL the
color line be drawn, the question is not
saved, for the whites themselves, in a
tropical country become black after
few generations. People that part of
the continent with white people and in
short time, comparatively, the popu-
lation without intermarriage will have
become yellow or copper like the Mon
golian race.
Say Working People Are Selfish.
Those who look ahead claim that this
argument in favor of at once admitting
colored persons under certain conditions
is unanswerable. They say that the
whole future of the country will be sac
rifced to a few selfish working people.
The estimate given is that Australia
with proper care of her water supply and
the scientific handling of her vast culti-
vateable area is capable of supporting
four hundred millions of people
That four hundred millions of people
will ever possess Australia if whites only
are to be admitted is far from probable
The present population, after over a cen
tury of settlement amounts only to four
millions.
There has been some talk of inducing
the Indian government to promote emil
grafton schemes and In that way counter
act the terrible effects of over-popula-
ton in India, but the protests made by
the labor unions have so far acted
against this as also the disinclination of
the Hindoos themselves to leave the
country to their ancestors, a feeling COM
mon to all Asiatics, which accounts for
the congestion of population in such
countries as India and China.
The discovery of the fact that the
enormous spaces in the northern part Of
Australia hitherto marked on the map
as deserts contain millions Of miles of
fertile lands. the wealth of which under
cultivation is carcely computable, should
hasten a consideration of this important
topic.
Can Bid Defiance.
In this very fact that there are such
vast areas Of uncultivated lands in
Australia lies the secret Of the power
the laboring classes here possess to en-
force their demands for high wage and
legislation favorable to their interests,
They know that if wages are reduced to
a point below that fixed in their own
minds as their due they can become till
ers Of the soil and thus bid defiance to
their employers 1t is useless to argue
with them that they are hindering the
development of the country. They reply
that to them their own interests are
paramount They even refuse to believe
that those who advocate the importation
Of Kanakas, Chinese, East Indians or ne
groes have not their own interests more
at heart than the interests of the coun-
try They assert that these wouId-ba
importers of cheap labor merely wish to
place in their own pockets a greater
share Of the profits Of labor's produc-
tion and to reduce the wages of white
labor.
While it is true that both these results
might ensue il there was a free labor
market here in which employers could
secure as workmen the natives Of any
country in the world, it is also beyond
question that a plentiful supply Of cheap
labor would inevitably tend to raise
Australia to the rank nature evidently
intended her to take among the nations
Of the earth.
The very fact that the wages of white
labor would be reduced would have the
effect of lessening the dominant influence
1t now exercises on legislators and legis-
lation here. By reducing the economic
independence of rabid unionists they
would become more amenable to political
control and the better classes would be
placed in a position in which they could
rule the country Henry Hinton.