The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-08-28

Special Correspondent
 Ancon. Canal Zone, Aug ls-viewed from sanitary. as well as moral standpoint, the Jamaican negroes from the most undesirable elements in Pana- mas somewhat cosmopolitan popuia- tion. Not far behind them. in this re- spect. however. are the Chinese, who are found in large numbers, not only in the cities of Panama and Colon. but also all along the line of railroad through the Canal Zone.
 Strange 1t is. that notwithstanding the wretchedness and squalor in which the majority of the people of these races live, they seem best fitted to cope with disease for ofiicial figures show that the mortality among these nationalities are less, than in all the others represented here. With regard to the Jamaican negroes this fact may in part be ascribed to their being in- ured to such an existence, and origi- nally come from a country where the climatic conditions, and mode of liv- ing, were very similar. The relatively low death rate among the Chinese. who live more closely crowded than any other class of the population. Is due largely to the fact that nearly all them are adult males. es
 The Chinese here are to be found III all DTdnCn6S OI DuSlutSS. 1hc "washee- washee" Mongolian to be sure largest wholesale and importing hous- es in Panama is run by Chinamen, and tailors, shoemakers. native distil- lers. saloons, restaurants, gardeners of truck produce, and small farmers give occupation to 8 great, many.
 This Isthmus will. however no lon- ger be Mecca for the migratory Ceie- stials, for the Panamanian Govern ment has passed an exclusion act and no more of them can set foot on these shores. It is rare to find Chinamen in the States who can converse in English fiuently yet on the Isthmus. all but the more recent arrivals talk excellent Spanish, and what is more use that language in speaking among themselves.
 Ignorance of Jamaicans.
 The average Jamaican Is far more ignorant than the greater proportion of the negroes of the South. The ol- der ones, imported from the Antilles. can talk fair English, and on account of this fact regard themselves, espec- ially since the American occupation as very important fellows. They too can be found in many walks of life. but owing to the general shiftlessness of their makeup never appear to have the faculty of making money. Some good workingmen are to be found among them, but as a rule 1t requires ono boss to every man in order to get a fair days work out of them. In the days of the French the canal laborers had a comparatively easy time of it. Comfortable houses were built all along the canal route. and rented to them at a nominal sum. The wages were good, and in general better than they are now getting under the Zone Government. They were never pushed very hard as the French were lenient taskmasters. When a Jamaican labor CT has a grievance. or thinks he has, hs doesn't proceed to air 1t, but goes off into fit of sulks, and is like a balky horse until the spell is over. While the Jamaican laborer had a fairly comfortable time of 1t under the old French Company. his lot on the Isthmus since its collapse some twelve or fifteen years ago has been a hard one. All of the older ones have a distinct rememberance of the Starving time," when the suspension of opera tions threw the bulk of the laborers
 out of work. The stress becoming acute, the Jamaican Government was appealed to, with the result that 8 repatriation plan was fixed upon and ultimately many of the laborers re- turned to their native isle.