The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-08-11
CHINESE WILL Be
TRIED ON ISTHMUS
Bids viii be Asked for $500
at Once
IS DONE AS LAST RESORT
Jamaicans Cannot Stand the Work and
Agents Evidently Cannot Secure
an Adequate Supply
of Spaniards.
S DONE AS LAST RESORT

Washington, August 10-Chinese labor
will be given a thorough test on the
Panama canal. Contracts calling for $500
Cinnamon for canal work hayp been pre-
pared and advertisements will be issued
by the Isthmian canal commission In a
few days asking for proposals from la
Dor agents. If the Initial 25Oo Chinese
prove a success, 1t is likely that many
more will be taken to the lsthmus to
do the work which Is too hard for the
Jamaieans now employed there in large
numbers.
Organized labor has offered much OPP
position to the use of contract Chinese
labor, but the Jamaican workmen have
proven inadequate, sufficient Spaniards
cannot be had Immediately to rush the
work, and the Chinese are the last hope
of the commission.
No Other Help Available
President Roosevelt Secretary Taft,
Chairman shonts of the sthmian canal
commission. and other men prominently
identified with the canal work, are known
to have delayed employing Chinese until
1t became known that the other help
available was not equal to the demands.
The administration has taken the po-
sition that the canal must be dug at any
cost and although the president urged
that there be no haste in employing
Chinese, he did not stand permanently In
the way of the plan to try the coolies.
1t lis the intention OF the commission to
ask for bids from labor agents who viii
arrange with the Chinese government
for the expectation of labor. transport
the Chinese to the isthmus under con-
tract to work for a fixed wage, and ship
them back to China, thus relieving the
commission of all detail work and all
responsibility.
Bond viii Be Required.
A bond will be required OF all contrac-
tors for a satisfactory fulillment of any
contract they may enter into with the
commission.
There are said to be about thirty labor
agencies which supply Chinese to con-
tractors 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 no.
tice to meet demands for unlimited
number OF coolies.
Leroy Park. a labor agent in the en-
ploy of the commission, is still In Spain
negotiating with the Spanish government
for the employment Of a large number
of peninsular Spaniards on the isthmus
His efforts promise to be successful and
the commission expects to recruit many
high grade workmen from Spain.
Wants Several Kinds of Laborers.
1t is the desire of Chief Engineer Ste
vens to have several kinds of laborers
on the lsthmus. The employment of the
Chinese will not displace the Jamaicans
who are already there. but IT is not like
ly that many more West Indians will
be hired If the Chinese prove a success
The negroes are only paid so cents
day against s1.60 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 18TH
mus than the Chinese are paH In other
parts OF the world, II rs believed the
daily wage Of the coolies will be less
than that of the Jamaicans on the 18TH
mus.