Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-06

dition, and at cost which would enable the
white man to till it and make it productive.
In this work. which would employ thou
sands Of Cinnamon. there could be no ao-
verse effect upon white labor.
'Ten or fifteen years ago nearly all rail-
road section gangs were composed OF
Cinnamon. Today. Japanese are largely
supplying such labor but owing, to the
restrictions placed on emigration, from
Japan we are not getting sufficient
amount Of this labor to meet, necessities;
at the same time Chinese labor has prac-
tically disappeared from the railroad work.
These Japanese are SO much in demand at
certain seasons of the year in the harvest
fields and in the sugar beet fields that It Is
difficult to keep the gangs well niled up.
When we had Chinese. am informed. the
gangs when once filled require compare
lively few changes, as the men worked
steadily and did not drop the railroad work
happened to pay little more, per day for
the time being.
Chinese Growing Scarce.
Chinese, who formerly furnished prac-
tically all of the labor for the salmon can
neries along the Columbia river. are now
getting so scarce that you will find in the
canneries mixed crews of Chinese, Japa-
nese and whit elabor, including white boys
and girls The Chinese are particularly
adept In doing this kind of work. When
the salmon are running it is absolutely nee
essary that every hour possible snaI pc
used to the greatest advantage. Chinese
will do this where white men Will only
work a stipulated time. The salmon can
ming season only lasts few months, the
supply of fish is not regular, but comes IN
runs, that is ESQ to speak,, In spurts OF
greater or less dimensions and the nsn
must be promptly taken care of after they
are caught All of the white labor now
engaged In the canning business could De
more prof1tably engaged in the fishing IN
hQ
the canneries. The irregularity m the way
the fish run at times permits the men In
the canneries to work only q quarter or
half day in order to care for such hsn
as are caught. A white man cannot anoro
to work on that basis. owing to his expense
for living, while the small cost OF living TOT
the Chinaman enables him TO take ms
chances with the employer In addition TO
the foregoing, cannery men state that
while the Cinnamon work regularly
throughout the season, It is the experience
with white male labor employed IN the
canneries that If they are paid on Satur-
day they do not return to work until Tues
day or Wednesday. In. the meantime the
fish are permitted to spoil. The Cinnamon
who are here are constantly growing oider
and less able to stand the work IN tne
canneries, and very serious condition
confronts the cannery men at this time'
Demand for Servant Girls.
Servant maids for household are very
are able eand willing to pay for domestic
help are unable to secure the same. When
Cinnamon were plentiful. competent Chi
nese cook could be had at from $40 to SIS.
Today such men receive from $S5 to 800
per month. N -
"There is one point In regard to this sub
ject that does not seem TO be thoroughly
understood in the eastern portion OF our
country; that is that the Pacific coast gets
furnish the cheap MANUAL labor ana DO
nestle servants Of the country east Of the
Missouri river, and tH an extent west
thereof. As result. In view OF the re-
native country and the denial to the Chi
nese laborers Of the privilege OF coming to
this country, the Pacific coast Is badly In
need OF the cheap forms OF LABOR Wnicn i &c
skilled labor.
IF we could make ayafiable for settle
ment the cut-0ver timber lands m Oregon
ana they Sa be saa e.
Our agricultural population, which Is, after
all, the main support, of, the country at
large. could he increased, and do not
think that the amount Of work or pay OF
the white labor, skilled or unskilled, on
this coast would be reduced by reason OF
the admission OF Chinese"
At San Francisco heard great deal OF
complaint about the dtfncuity OF getting
sufhcient labor to properly harvest the
fruit crop, and was told that consider
able portion goes to waste each year. 0w-
Ing to the inability to get labor to pick It.
Delicate fruits are handled much more
carefully by the Chinese than by any white
labor that can be had Under present con-
ditions considerable percentage Of such
fruits come to market IA damaged con-
dition. whereas II Chinese labor were avail
able It would come to market in perfect
condition.
Adeline Sergeant emily Frances Adeline
SerReantl the novrii-7 Atod ~ RoairI,es-