The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1906-08-16
Uncle Sam to Employ Chi
nese on Canal Work.
PRESIDENT so DECIDES
Present Quota Of Worknsn Entirely
Inadequate alSi Agents Will Make
Deal with the Chinese
Government.

A Washington special says: Chi
nese labor will be given a thorough
test on the Panama canal. Contracts
calling for $500 Cinnamon for canal
work have been pr>cared, and adver-
tisements will be issued by the 18TH
mian Canal Commission in few
days for proposals from labor agents.
If the initial $500 Cinnamon provo
a success, it is likely that many
more will be taken to the isthmus
to do the work which is too hard for
The Jamaicans, now employed there
IN large numbers.
Organized labor has offered much
opposition to the use of contract Chi.
nese labor, but the Jamaican work.
men have proven Inadequate, sufi.
cient Spaniards cannot be had im-
mediately to rush the work, and the
Chinese are the last hope of the CON-
mission.
President Roosevelt, Secretary Taft,
Chairman Shonts of the Isthmian Ca
nal Commission and other men, prom
inently identified with the canal work,
are known to have delayed employing
Chinese until it became certain that
the other help available was not
equal to the demand>
The administration has taken the
position that the canal must be dug
at any cost, and although the presi-
dent urged that there be no haste
in employing Chinese he did not stanu
permanently in the way of the plan
to try the coolies.
It is the intention of the commits
sion to ask for bids from labor agents
who will arrange with the Chinese
government for the expectation Of
labor, transport the Chinese to the
isthmus under contract to work for
a fixed wage and ship them back to
China, thus relieving the commits
sion of all detail work and all re-
sponsibility.
A bond will be required Of all con-
tractors for satisfactory fulfillment
Of any contract they may enter into
with the commission.
There are said to be about thirty
labor agencies which supply Chinese
to contractors in all parts Of the
world. These agents are familiar with
all the Chinese laws, stand ready to
pay money to the families Of the men
who are going into their service and
are ready on short notice to meet
demands for an unlimited number Of
coolies.
Leroy Park, labor agent in the
employ of the commission, is still
in Spain negotiating with the Span
ish government for the employment
of large number of peninsular Span
iards on the isthmus. His efforts
promise to be successful, and the
commission expects to recruit many
higk-grade workingmen from Spain.
It is the desire of Chief Engineer Ste
vens to have several kinds Of labor
ers on the isthmus.
The employment Of the Chinese will
not displace the Jamaicans who are
already there, but it is not likely
that many more West Indians will
be hired if the Chinese prove a sue
cess.
The negroes are paid only 80 cents
a day against s1.6o to the Spaniards,
who are said to be capable OF doing
three times as much work.
If the contractors obtaining help
for the commission do not pay more
on the isthmus than the Chinese are
paid in other parts Of the world, 1t
is believed the daily wage OF the
coolies will be less than that OF the
Tamaicans on the isthmuS.