Peking, March 27.
For many months past a rumour has been current throughout North China to the effect that the Americans were recruiting labour. Almost every American who has travelled in Chihli, Shantung or Honan has been the butt of many inquiries from anxious coolies who want to know what the opportunity ies are under the supposed American recruiting system. Needless to say no coolies are being recruited by Americans and no coolies are going to be recruited by Americans, The American Legation has given this reply to many inquiries, both official and unofficial, but it has not satisfied the rank and file. They are convinced that coolies are wanted. If the Chinese papers were to take note of the fact that the Americans are not recruiting coolies and that they are not at all likely to recruit coolies for any purpose whatsoever, it might serve to allay the anxiety of thousands who seem to be counting upon going aprond under American auspices.
The telegraphic report Hawaii's eagerness to employ Chinese labourers may have been the root of the rumour. But, as it is pointed out in the American Legation, Hawaii has to overcome the Federal legislation opposed to Oriental immigration and the Federal legislation opposed to contract labour, before the sugar planters' desire to employ Chinese has-any effect upon the movement of Chinese from the Far East. No tone who does not speak Chinese and who has not been cross-examined by h's friends among the ricsha coolies and the hotel. servants throughout north China can appreciate the extent to which this story of American employment of ur has spread nor the desir-of contradicting it emphatically.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.