Japanese subjects have the right to freely enter British Columbia for the purpose of employment. It has been suggested that :there is an official undbrstanding whereby only 500 Japanese per annum are to be given passports entitling them to work in the Dominion of Canada. This. or a similar agreement. has -been in effect for a number of years prior to 1907. and yet since that time many thousands of Japanese have immigrated into British Columbia. so that at the present time about 80 per cent of the labor employed in these mills is oriental. receiving a much less wage than is paid the American workmanin fact. a wage that any selfrespecting American workman would refuse to accept. These are the relative conditions obtaining in Washington and British Columbia at the present time. but if the Underwood bill becomes a law it is very probable that conditions will be greatly altered in the State of Washington as well as in British Columbia. for there are many men now engaged in the manufacture of shingles in the State of Washington who. under the advantages offered in British Columbia in cheaper timber and cheaper labor. would be forced to retire from business. and naturally they would look for locations in British Columbia. which would result in building up the shingle industry in British Columbia to the detriment of that industry in the State of Washington. As a matter of fact. a number of Americans have already purchased tracts of timber in British Columbia. thus fortifying themselves in the event that shingles are placed on the free list.
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