at the lumber camps as said, about 4 per cent (or 342), and of those employed at the mills about 2 per cent (or 175), are Chinese. These figures as to Chinese include those employed as cooks and in similar capacities. As a matter of fact, the employment of Chinese in this industry other than as cooks, etc., is not extensive, some few being employed at the mills in piling lumber, and possibly in very exceptional instances in running machines. Japanese seem in scarcely any degree to be employed. The only return in that regard is as to one mill, in which some twenty-eight were reported to be at work.' The various classes of employment in this industry are shown, together with the wages paid and number of hours per day worked in each respective class, by Table No. 1. The wages paid, as shown, have been in all cases, whether the return has been by the day or by the month, for the sake of ready comparison, reduced to a per diem standard and to averages. In most cases the returns have shown a considerable variation in wages paid, being often given in classes of employment as ranging from, say, $40 to $60 per month, etc., or from $1.50 to $2.75 per day. It is to be borne in mind, too, that almost invariably in this industry board is furnished to the worker in addition to the wages paid as shown. Hence, TABLE NO. 1. Prevailing Wages and Hours of Labor in the Lumber Industry in the State of In order to make comparison between wages and hours per diem of workers in the lumber industry in California, and the hours and wages per diem of similar workers in other States, data were secured from several of such other States, and while not as complete as could be wished for, said data are still sufficient, when compiled, to enable the comparison named to be made with several localities in different parts of the United States. Hence, TABLE NO. 2. Comparison Between Prevailing Wages and Hours of Labor in the Lumber Industry in the Following Several States: By Table No. 2 it appears that the lumber-worker in California is, as a rule, especially in the matter of remuneration, in better condition than is his co-worker in the other localities with which comparison is made, although the worker in the State of Washington seems a very close second. Noting the millions of feet of lumber cut annually from the forests of California, it would on first thought seem that the day of this great industry in the State is passing, and yet reliable authority seems to establish that vast forest reserves, in most cases at present not readily accessible on account of meager means of transportation, are as yet untouched, and hence it must be that for many years to come this industry will be one of great importance in the State. JAPANESE IN CALIFORNIA. In the Ninth Biennial Report of this Bureau appears an article under the caption, "Alien Labor in the State of California." What therein appears in relation to the Chinese population of the State remains still, to a great extent, true; the said Chinese population not having increased during the past two years, and general interest regarding the subject during that time only having been aroused by reason of the fact of the nearness of the time of expiration of the prior national Exclusion Law, and the re-enactment of the said law, or perhaps, as properly, the enactment of another Exclusion Law by the United States Congress at its last session. The subject of the said re-enactment, or enactment, has been heretofore so thoroughly and publicly discussed pro and con through the medium of the press, and otherwise, that it is not felt that additional information can be given to the public by enlarging upon it here, and hence attention will be, in the main, directed to the matter of the Japanese population of the State, which subject was dwelt upon at some length in the before-mentioned article. Thus: It is there made to appear that in 1900 there were, approximately, from 15,000 to 16,000 Japanese in California. With this as the starting point, the purpose here is to simply and briefly bring the question down to date, through the medium of figures showing the number of Japanese immigrants coming into the State since the said year 1900, and so as to allow clear comparison, it is believed that it will be interesting here to reproduce the tables there set forth, showing the number of such immigrants arriving each month in the State during the year 1899, and a portion of 1900, hence as follows: |