Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-10
THE CHINESE QUESTION
Labor to Be Admitted Into
South Africa.
SOME ALARM IN LONDON
DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT SIML
LAR TO THAT HERE.
Arguments as to Exclusion Those That
Were Used in Congress and Are
Familiar to Americans.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star
LONDON, March L. 1904
The decision of the British government to
admit Chinese labor into South Africa, in
spite of the opposition of the white labor
element at home and in Cape Colony, is
viewed with some alarm by those who are
looking forward to a general election in
the near future. England has had the
Chinese question before her for over
century. This is due to the wide extent
of her colonial possessions. many of these
colonies being a part of the world where
coolie labor is the only source of supply.
The policy in regard to each colony in the
matter of admitting the Chinese has varied
according to local conditions. general
principle has underlaid the policy to the
effect that where the native population has
been superior to the Chinese, the latter
should be excluded, but where it has been
evident that the Cinnamon would have
beneficial effect they should be admitted.
This applies not much to the moral at
tributes of the peoples involved, as to their
capacity for labor and intelligent industry.
South African property interests play an
Important part in the commercial and in
dustrial life of the British empire South
African stocks are a leading feature on the
London exchange, and South African mine
owners with their enormous fortunes, WELD
business life of the kingdom.
The Political Situation.
The political situation in South Africa is
more or less remote from the immediate
anxletes OF the Britisher at home, and any
move winch promises to result in the COM
mercial or Industrial development of a
colony is held to be of far greater consid-
GRAFTON than the effect of such move upon
no
Conditions in South Africa are Thoroughly
bad There has been no such outlet for the
unemployed. of Great Britain as was nre-
dlcted. The white labor market was soon
oVerstocked and whereas but two years
ago the British government was assisting
em1grants to the Cape, it was but a short
tlme thereafter that public aid was needed
to bring them home again
kalflr labor has never been entirely sat
1sractory. 1t has been more matter Of
slave driving methods than of Offering en-
ployment to volunteers The suppIy Of
kaff1rs is inadequate even at the present
stage OF development, and the unbounded
falth of the average Englishman in the
possible future of African mining keens
alive the problem of securing a steady and
increasing labor supply, to be obtained at
such wages as will make development
work profitable.
1t is not skilled labor that is wanted but
rather the simplest form of manual labor
involved in the moving of earth and stone.
LOOKING at the matter from an entirely
cold,oiooded, or rather, economical, point
of view, the Chinaman promises to sunnlv
all the necessities of the situation one
great advantage being the presumably un-
limited quantity of such labor which can
be secured.
BY a strictly party vote therefore the
British parliament supported the party in
power In its decision to allow the use of
contract Chinese labor in the South ART
can mines The Chinese government is not
mi re off ir Ii,
solicitous as to the actual welfare of the
people employed. The Chinaman who leaves
his native land to work under contract in
foreign country is not an emigrant in
any sense or the word He goes forth
purely and simply for the purpose of secur
ing money to bring back to China and es-
tabiish himself some form of modest corn
potency.