The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-28

of travel: many have taken trips
, through the United states. and every
Year two or three heads o. families
journey back to Japan for two or
three months. returning possibly with
their wives and children. In prac-
tically all the houses are seen cope
OF American newspapers and maya
zines. besides Japanese publications.
Opportunities for Employment.
On all the farms operated by Jap
anese, Japanese labor so far as pos
sible ~ employed. During harvest
Americans are also hired, who work
side by side with the Japanese. ON
some OF the large farms Americans are
employed as engineers, having under
their supervision AL of the farm ma :
chincry. At first the Japanese hired
Americans exclusively to do the me-
chanical work. Each American thus
employed wa given n Japanese helper,
who constantly watcneu every move
ment to learn all lie could from obser-
walton and by questioning the Amer
lean. In most cases, after the Amer
lean had been employed for year or
so he was discharged and his Japanese
helper took mis- place.
As farm iaborers the Japanese are
considered very hardy, diligent work.
crs. and. as before stated. japanese
farmers almost invariably employ men
OF their own nationality where this is
possible. When other help is neces-
sary Americans arc hired. Sometimes
during the busy season In the rice
fields Japanese from Colorado and New
Mexico come TO Texas and assist in
the harvesting OF the rice. The rate
of pay OF Japanese farm hands varies.
Many of them work for $40 10 $50 a
month and their board and room.
Those who are working for this small
wage arc usually young men who have
been in this country but d year OF SO.
and who want to secure good work
ing knowledge of the crops and the
manner in which they are grown in
this country? When the Americans
the prevailing rate of wages in the
locality in which they are employed.
generally ranging from Sl.25 to $3.50
per day, without board
Social Life.
The Japanese farmers III Texas APP
pear TO have very little time for social
diversions. They arc constantly at
work to improve their farms, and are
so few in number that they have no
carnations of their own, and very
seldom participate in the amusements
organized by the natives
The Japanese arc not found in large
or isolated colonies. The largest group
is near Webster running down into
the small town Of League City. Tn
doubtcdly, the Japanese gather there
because the first Japanese settler that
came to the district raised rice With
such success that reports OF his abii-
ity spread and his fellow -countrymen
began TO move in. This is the only
community where segregation can be
said to have taken place. OF course,
the farms in the rice district are SO
large that they permit very little
close ncighb0riy association, but on
the whole the Japanese are willing 10
mincle with their neighbors To learn
lmerican ways and adopt American
customs.
Throughout the localities in which
the Japanese lave settled very little
race prejudice against them has been
manifested. Practically none of the
Americans foster any prejudice. and II
IL said that the Japanese remain So
quietly by themselves that were it not
for their industry in improving theiI
farms the noighbors would not know
or their existence.
Churches and Schools.