Omaha daily bee., 1906-08-12
SHONTS BACH FROM ZONE
Chairman Of Commission Discusses Labor
Problems and Weather onditisns.
GoSPLRS DENoUSCLS USE OF CHINESE
Labor Leader Says Proposition ia
Import CeIestIaIs IL ~ Plain
violation of Federal
Irw.

conditions in the canal zone were favora-
bic and constantly improving
| "All we want" he declared, us more
labor and less rain. The labor problem
has been partly solved by the employ
ment of Spanish workmen. We have also
advertised for Chinese laborers Yellow
fever has not appeared in a long time
and for the nine days previous to my
departure no smallpox was prevalent"
Mr. shonts said that the engineering
work on the canal was now well under
| way.
MIR. shonts said the West Indian negro
labor had been very unsatisfactory, adding
I'VE can only get a 90 per cent efficiency
out of the negro workmen.
! "A man has already been sent to Spain
to secure Spanish labor. We want 10 get
from Spain about 800 men a month to make
up the loss in the working force and to
bring the force up. We want the sturdy
laborers from the north of Spain and We
expect to get them.
VIII Advertise for Chinese.
Within very few weeks advertisements
! will be published calling for $500 Chinese
| laborers. The commission is in favor of
this class Of labor and the present lot will
be in the nature of an experiment. But it
is possible that large force of Chinese
will be at work on the isthmus The work
| of preparing the contract will be slow, for
we must comply with the laws. In the
! contracts there must be no appearance Of
involuntary servitude the local laws must
all be complied with and the treaty regula-
| lions must be obeyed
Chief Engineer Stevens and myself have
handled Chinese labor and we found the
men all right. They do the work and that
is the principal object. We aim to get the
strong husky laborers from the rice fields
of southern China. The importation of
| Chinese labor does not come under the con-
| tract law"
Mr.. Shonts said that he may see the pres
ident at Oyster Bay.
Gompers objects to COoIte Labor.
| WASHINGTON, Aug. 11.-samuel Com
pers, president OF the American Federation
| of Labor, today issued a statement con-
! corning the action OF the Isthmian Canal
commission in deciding TO introduce Chinese
coole labor to the work OF constructing
the canal across the isthmus OF Panama
The statement is as follows:
| 1t seems that those In charge of the
| Panama canal construction have regard for
| neither law nor principle. First, in the
most extraordinary manner. the eight-hour
| law is annuled in the greatest public work
| ever undertaken by the government under
the pretense that conditions ,there are
| different than In the united States It
| eight hours work is regarded as sufficient
| in the compare lively temperate zone of the
| United States certainly ten, eleven and
even more hours of labor a day in the
pestilential and miasmatic atmosphere Of
the Panama zone are not only improper
| but outrageous and brutal.
| The existing law excludes Chinese labor
ers and coolies from the United States or
| any of its possessions. The Panama canal
i is American DOS9pSsiOn and II ia a q
| much a violation of the law to bring Chi
nese coolies there as 1t is in other portions
| of our country.
Some time ago in an interview l had
with Chairman Shonts protested against
Panama canal construction as had been
published in the newspapers II was the in
tention Of Mr.. Shonts to do. He there and
| then emphatically stated that II was not
the intention then to employ Chinese coolies
and they would not be employed under his
administration.
Shonts Replies to GOmpers.
Mr., Shonts tonight gave out the follow
ing statement with regard to a statement
issued in Washington today by Preside mt
Gompers of the American Federation OF
Labor:
The eIght-hour law does not apply to un-
skilled labor on the isthmus OF Panama.
| The entire present unskilled labor force is
| alien. We cannot secure this class of I'M
skilled labor from the United States. ut is
| therefore not seen why law passed in the
| interest Of American labor at home should
be made applicable to allen laborers who
probably never heard of its existence. Its
| application would have increased the labor
cost of the canal several million dollars.
| The American laborer In this country
would have to pay his share of the conse-
/ quent increased taxation without any COM
pensating benefit to himself
| At the time of my interview with Mr..
Gompers, in discussing the eight-hour law,
aside from what / have already said,
! stated that my understanding of the rea-
| N the enactment of the eiElt-lOur la w
in this country was primarily to give to the
highest type of labor in the world longer
hours for mental recreation and improve
ment but that with the lowest class of la
Dor as at Panama IT was more helpful and
improving, more in their interests and more
| an act Of kindness than otherwise, to per-
NIT them to work ten hours day and pay
them for it-because they are paid by the
hour.
the existing law excludes Chinese laborers
and coolies from the United States or any
zone is an American possession and 1t is as
| much a violation of the law to bring
| Chinese coolies there as in other portions
( of our country. ! can only say the COM
| mission has secured the opinion of the
! highest legal authorities OF the govern
ment It has been held that such law does
| not apply to the canal zone. The law ex-
| GLIDING Chinese from the United States and
| its possessions was passed in March, 1903,
| and specifically set forth that such laws
should only be applicable 10 territory at
| that time, subject to the authorities of the
United States. The canal zone was ac-
| quired subsequent to that date and con-
| gress has not extended its provision so as
! to embrace the canal zone.
| The canal must be dug and the first re-
! duisite is to have labor to dig 1t. We do
| not believe II wist or economical to depend
only on the West Indian negroes. We can
not secure the unskilled labor in sufficient
volume from the United States. 1t is not
! therefore not in competition to our own
| labor and any agreement entered into Will
| provide for the return of Chinese direct to
| China upon the completion Of service on
the canal work.
In conversation with Mr. Gompers. the
| we'll known views OF Mr.. Shonts as to
| labor on the isthmus, both with respect to
| the possibility OF the future employment of
| Chinese and otherwise, were practically