Chinese Exclusion: 0050.0451

Some months ago, Mr. James Dunsmuir announced his intention of discharging the Chinese employed in his coal mines, and advertised for 500 practical whitemen to take their place. At the time Mr. Dunsmuir was not Premier of the Province, and his political opponents raised the cry that the proposed change was merely an election dodge, and predicted that as soon as the elections would be over the Chinaman would be again put to work. How mistaken these traducers were subsequent events have proved. The Chinese were dismissed as announced, and all practical and competent men since presenting themselves at the mines have been given employment. The number of coal miners offering, however, was not sufficient. The Scotch mail to hand gives particulars of a miners’ meeting held at Hamilton, Lanarkshire, at which 200 decided to start for Nanaimo to work in the mines. At Ladysmith, the flourishing little mining town near Nanaimo, some 200 cottages are being erected for the convenience of the miners, so that when the Lanarkshire men come out they will have a house accommodation prepared for them. The employment of white men instead of Chinese will mean much to Nanaimo, and indeed to the Province generally. The Chinaman would never tend to build up a community. He is an isolated, peculiar creature, who merely exists where a whiteman would live. He sends his earnings, when he is not in bondage, back to China, and gets there himself as soon as he makes a little money. The British miner, on the other hand, spends his money where he makes it, and enters into the life of the community in which he lives, sharing the duties and responsibilities of citizenship. Premier Dunsmuir is to be complimented on his decision to employ none but whitemen in his mines. The example he has set is worthy of emulation.

0050.0451: Chinese Exclusion

Mr. Dunsmuirs claim to have no Chinese in his mines wasn't only a political ploy, he is actively doing so.

Medium: Newspaper - Text

Date: September 19, 1900

Pages: 5

Publisher: The Nelson Economist

Collection: Columbia Basin Institute (0050)

Keywords:

chinese coal mines premier political

Subjects:

People

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