No. 410.
Mr. Gibbs
to Mr. Evarts.
Legation of
the United States,
Lima,
Peru, September 10, 1877. (Received
Oct. 13, 1877.)
No. 194.]
Sir: The press of this capital, on the 5th instant,
published a note from the Peruvian consul-general at San Francisco, Cal., to
the department of foreign affairs here, relative to the anti-Chinese riots
in that city and of the emigration of the Chinese from there. I inclose copy
of the note and translation; also extracts from the South Pacific Times of
Callao in reference to the note.
There is every desire to increase the immigration of Chinese into Peru by the
government, but I doubt that they will go into the fields or on the
plantations to labor, if not especially contracted in some way for such
purposes, as the work on sugar plantations is hard and continuous; for light
work, wanting patience, constancy, and attention, I think they are most
excellent.
For various reasons the Chinese Government should have some agent or
authorized person here to look after the interests of its subjects, who, I
fear, are often at the mercy of ill-disposed and mercenary parties, who take
advantage of their helplessness.
I am, &c.,
[Page 717]
[Inclosure 1 in No.
194.—Translation.]
Chinese immigration.
The consul-general of Peru at San Francisco, Cal., has sent the following
note to our minister of foreign affairs:
“San Francisco, July 27, 1877.
“Sir: On account of the outrages of the
mobs against the Chinese, of which I wrote in dispatch No. 43, I
have tried to incite the Chinese companies of immigrants to go
to Peru. To-day six of these companies are to have an interview
with my agent, to take into consideration the idea, or to send
some one of the agents of the companies, to represent all, to
Peru, to learn what advantages that country offers to the
Chinese; of these there are to-day in this city over 5,000
without work, and many establishments are discharging all
Chinese employés. An opportunity may offer to send this number
or more to Peru by steamer or sailing-vessels, and I would have
to pay their passages. I think, therefore, the government or
planters of Peru should provide a credit to me or some other
person. In this matter the government or the planters should
have an agent in this city with means and instructions, and with
patriotic interests, to persuade the Chinese to go to Peru.
“I think it were well that the planters of Peru should have
knowledge of this note in a private manner or through the
press.
“God guard you.
“FREDERICO DE LA FUENTE Y SUBIRAT
“To the Minister of Foreign
Affairs.”
[Inclosure 2 in No. 194.]
Mob law and the Chinese.
[From the South Pacific Times,
Saturday, September 8,
1877.]
We publish in our news columns the substance of a report received by the
government from its consul-general in San Francisco, Cal., from which it
appears there are great numbers of Chinese in that city who are wishful
to emigrate. During the recent strikes they seem to have been the
special victims of the infuriated mob, by whom they have invariably been
held in great detestation, and in consequence of the ill treatment they
have experienced and the menacing attitude still maintained toward them
by the working classes they are compelled to leave the country.
This is surely a favorable opportunity for Peruvian estate owners and
sugar cultivators to procure the labor they are so much in want of. The
distance being shorter and the expense less, it is evident they would
effect a considerable economy by making their contracts in California
instead of in China; while, on the other hand, they would procure a
class of labor more intelligent and further advanced in civilization
than the raw material, from the fact of their having been already for
some time in contact with people of European race.
Many persons will no doubt be opposed to the idea on account of the known
characteristic defects of the race, and on the ground that the services
of a people driven from one country cannot be very acceptable or very
useful in another. But it must be borne in mind that this country is not
in the same position in respect of labor as California, and also the
peculiar circumstances attending the exit of the Chinamen from that
State. It has been repeatedly stated that the agriculture of Peru
imperiously requires labor. Such being the case, there can be no choice,
and in default of better, the country must content itself with such as
is available and can be most easily procured.
Despite the bad qualities of the Chinese laborer, he has become essential
to Peru, and although we agree that, from a certain point of view, his
introduction into the country is objectionable, still if the want of
labor is to be the death of agriculture and its contingent industries,
of two evils it is infinitely preferable to choose the lesser one.
European emigration merits the preference, but it is more difficult to
procure, while the expense is considerably greater, and even when
procured, it is unsuitable for the agriculture of the coast, which at
present is by far the most productive and the most extensively
developed. Europeans cannot stand the rigor of our coast climate, and,
as we have said on other occasions, are only applicable for the
cultivation of the higher and more temperate regions of the Andes.
The only people suitable for coast labor are the Africans and Chinese.
The first are not to be had; the latter are constantly and rapidly
diminishing in numbers. In order to replace them and increase their
numbers as far as necessary, the government,
[Page 718]
some time ago, made a contract with the house of
Oliphant & Co. for the establishment of a line of steamers between
this country and the principal ports of China, granting them a subsidy
for the purpose, and soon, we believe, they will commence operations.
This fact in itself is enough to prove that it is absolutely necessary
to encourage and foster Asiatic emigation; therefore, what better
opportunity can there be, in the mean time, than the one we advocate? Of
course we might wait until the line be opened, but meanwhile many
agriculturists will suffer by the delay. It is for them to profit by the
very practical suggestion of the consul-general. By appointing him as
special agent with full powers to negotiate, he might easily make known
the advantages offered by this country to that class of emigrants, and
the means of transit from San Francisco to Panama being very easy, it is
probable that many would undertake the voyage at their own expense and
thus avoid prejudice to the contractors. Estate owners who are now
feeling the want of labor ought not to treat the matter with
indifference, for if they will go into it with a little energy, they
will soon be amply remunerated for any trifling expense incurred in
carrying so convenient a measure into effect.
Second article from the South Pacific
Times.
The Peruano of the 4th instant publishes three official documents, the
substance of which we translate on account of their importance.
The first is a report from the Peruvian consul-general in San Francisco,
dated July 17. It announces to the government the rising which has
recently taken place among the artisans and laborers in various parts of
the Northern Republic, and also that it has extended to San Francisco.
In the latter place the anger of the populace was chiefly directed
against the Chinese, many of whom were maltreated and others
assassinated, the aversion of them being very deep-rooted. More than a
hundred Chinese laundries were set fire to.
The same functionary communicates on the same date to the ministry which
it concerns, that in consequence of those attacks he endeavored to
excite the interest of the Chinese emigration societies with a view to
inducing them to send their countrymen to Peru. In consequence of his
exertions six of the said societies are now in negotiation with him for
that purpose.
The consul-general thinks that the government or the estate owners of
this country ought to provide him or some other person with a credit
sufficient to enable him to carry out the idea, and that it is very
necessary there should be an agent there who, being furnished with means
and instructions, might persuade the Chinamen to emigrate to this
country.
