Danville intelligencer. [volume] (Danville, Pa.) 1859-1907, 1904-12-09
THE JAPANESE IMMIGRATION.

In the current number OF the Popular Science
Monthly DR.. A. G. Mclaughlin, of the Public
Health and Marine Hospital Service, gives ex-
pert opinion wholly unfavorable to the immigration
into this country of the Japanese, who are coming
in much greater numbers year by year. 1t is to be
noted that the Federation of Labor in San Francis
co passed resolution the other day demanding a
Japanese exclusion act in the interests of labor and
DR.. McLaughlin's figures and facts show the solid
basis on which labor's fears are grounded.
The Japanese skilled laborers and artisans re-
ceive at home the munfcont pay of about 25 cents
day in American gold coin. The pay for carpen'
ters, for instance is 26 cents day for plasterers
81 cents for blacksmiths, 36 cents printers, 10
common aborers, 10 CENTS and, the "farm
hand'' of Japan will work for the sum of "A a
month and board himself, it need not be said that
the Japanese will seize the opportunity with avidl
ty, as they are now doing, to come to the Pacific
coast and work for so or 20 cents day.
The Japanese immigrants numbered only about
1000 in 1898, but in 1902 the number had increased
IA ,270, and in 1908 to 19,96S. The Chinese and
the Japanese are rapidly crowding white labor out
of Hawaii, and Doctor Mclaughlin declares that if
the Chinese immigration restriction law had not
beon passed should have had the most obnoxious
form of coolie labor in Pennsylvania, Illinois and
almost every other State in the Union.
The Japanese coole labor, which is regarded
as more undesirable than the Chinese labor, is
likely TO descend upon us in large numbers unless
checked in some way. The Japanese immi igraton
is now assisted by money-making Japanese soce.
ty which furnishes to the poor coolie the $50 in
gold required by immigration laws for use at
the port of entry, takes the money away from him
when he has passed the port, and then ships him
along to the slave driver who like the Italian pa
drone, has charge of gang of twenty-five more
of his compatrots.
If the Japanese are good workers, patient, in
dustrious, efficient and cheap, why is it not good
thing for us that they should come to this country
and bear our burdens ! Doctor McLauglin at
tempts to answer this question. The japanese are
aliens once and forever the Asiatcs absolutely
nonassimilable they have the lowest possible
standard of living, which, if adopted, would drag
down our workers forced to compete with them
they have interest in our Government, our laws,
our institutions, and mere birds of passage in
tending to earn a little hoard and then return to
their own country; and, finally, the Japanese
''bring more cases, absolutely and relatively, of
contagious diseases than any other nationality
ing here" Taking the recorded statistics of the
Hospital Marine Service it appears that one out of
every thirty-seven Japanese arriving here in 1908
was deported because he was afflicted with loath-
some dangerous contagious disease and the COM
ing of these people to this country, says Doctor
Mclaughlin, is menace to the public health. If
the statements by Doctor Mclaughlin be correct,
it is evident that thought will be given to the
yellow peril on this side of the sea.