Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1906-12-28
Trend Of the Race Question,

At San Francisco, some years ago,
an unusual situation was presented
with respect to the Chinese question.
Contractors were having trouble with
their employees regarding the PROPOSE
tions as to the hours of labor and
wages. As the controversy intensified,
some OF the contractors employed nom
union men and Chinese to take the
places OF union wage-workers, who
were formerly their employees, and who
were then out on strike. Some of
the local business concerns took sides
with the contractors, saying the Chi
nese were better than the union strik-
ers, who were nothing more nor less
than nests of anarchists and socialists.
The position OF those business men
naturally angered the union men, who
called meetings to denounce and boy
colt such business concerns. At one
vi those meetings, an active member
IN the labor federation Of the above
city, observed that rather than resort
to boycott and denunciationio the
Chinese, If those merchants preferred
Mongolian laborers, why should not
they as workingmen, give the middle.
men a taste OF their own medicine,
and purchase groceries and wearing
apparel from Oriental retail dealers?
This position at first met with some
opposition in the gathering, but after
giving the matter further considera-
ton, it was resolved that the union
men interested be requested to make
their purchases accordingly. There
upon, some of the business men inter-
ested, to regain favor with union labor,
began to declaim that Cinnamon were
a very undesirable class of humanity
and should not be allowed to compete
with and starve out white laborers.
Now certain phases of the existing
Japanese situation are somewhat ana
Joyous to the Chinese question as
stated. If capitalists and contractors
employ Jap laborers, because they will
work for less wages than white men
can subsist upon, to increase the
profits of the employing class, the
effects may become far-reaching and
disastrous to our whole citizenship,
and eventually present serious men,
ace as common laborers, many of them
will, without doubt, proceed farther,
become skilled laborers, in which
event, We need not be surprised to
find Japs starting boarding houses,
their own manufacturing plants, and
wholesale and retail stores. Many
union labor men in order to square old
scores would feel inclined to patronize
Jap merchants whenever the oppor-
tunity presented itself. IL the mean.
time, white business men and tho
large capitalists who supplied them
with commodities to dispose of to con-
sumers, would suffer serious losses of
trade. A general paralysis of business
would inevitably ensue. The hair
Drained political economist would, in
such case, have a hard time in argu.
ing to the proletarian population of
this land, go bountiful in natures
resources, that we are suffering from
production, while the masses are
deprived of food. raiment and the
chance to earn livelihood in the way
indicated by Holy Writ.
Moreover, there is now q race ques.
ton on the tapis in this country,
which will require good statesman.
ship to handle and settle. Pray, why
inject more serious proposition into
the situation at the present juncture?