The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-04-16
Our 0liu.
Chinese Labor.

Oy tue writer, auu HIS cOuCluSiou tndt
tremendous peril threatens this country
from the invasion of Chinese laborers, enti-
tie his views and the statements by which
they are supported to candid eOnsiderat ton.
We take au extract:
The houses of China vary in construc-
tion in different portions OF the country,
In some parts they are of brick; in others,
built of mud laid up the same as concrete
walls are sometimes made with us; in 9TH
ers the sides are composed mainly Of mat
ter coated with mud, while in one large
district the habitations are dug in the earth
and from a system Of caves or subterranean
dwellings Even in the large cities fami
" Of ten persons can live for aboat, four
hundred dollars year, including clothiu
and food, and with the unusual accommo-
dation Of whole dwelling to themselves.
The expense of living to laborer is stated
at from two TO two aud a-half dollars a
month, which includes food, clothes and
rent. Away from the cities the expense
is reduced fifty per cent. In some cases
from fifty to sixty people iuhabit single
dwelling, which reduces the expense to
each still further The Chinese emigrants
at Batavia, the Dutch capital Of Java,
showed in each house ten men fit to bear
arms
Under such conditions comfort, health
and morals must be reduced to the lowest
degree. This is illustrated by the fact
that in the north Of China the beds
are made larger or smaller 10 proportion
to the family, are constructed Of brick,
and warmed BY small stoves. The usual
size of Chinese houses, except among the
limited wealthy classes, is thirty feet long,
tea wide, and eight high, with streets from
ten to twenty feet broad running parallel
between the buildings, and crossed by mar
row aud dirty lanes; and, according to OBJ
servant travellers, neither table, chair,
nor other articles of furniture can be seen
IN the dwellings Of the poor
The rate Of wages may be inferred from
the average condition Of the people. The
wages Of mechanics and skiIlfal workmen
seldom exceed twenty Eve cents day,
while those engaged by the month or for
longer periods receive still less. A COM
mon laborcr ordinarily obtains about four
pence, English, which may be freely trans
lated as eight cents per diem. Ii IS this
class that constitute the great bulk Of en-
igrants, aud wLo, from their ability to learn
readily all ordinary occupations, profit the
most vhen traBsplantel to some region
where labor is in demand The actual
cost Of living to abOrer, his wife aud
three children is reliably stated at three
dollars per month in Canton; while single
or elderly persons have been maintained
at cost Of Que dollar per month.
The small scale 70 which business IS
subdiyided is shown by the copper coins
which form the usual medium Of exchange
aud which form the smallest currency in
the world; silver being used only for the
larger transactions An undertaking re-
quiring Que hundred dollars Of capital is
frequently divided among numerous share
holders. IL follows that, money having
relatively so great value, the slightest
proht Is acceptable, and hence in all OTdi.
nary transactions bargains are made upon
a margin that would be deemed impossi-
bic 10 other countries As cue writer has
said, "lhe Chinese will refuse no money 10
selling IT they can be ever so little gain
ers- OF course, where business Is con-
Quoted upon 50 narrow a margin, slight
depressious in the general prosperity of
any district produce extreme suffering,
such as, for instance, has often resulted
from famines. Three years ago, in the
provinces of Shan,ung and Chih-li,
drought destroyed the crops, and as soon
as the reserve Of food was consumed the
people resorted to chat, the bark Of trees,
tuTnip leaves, eet., and were finally reduc-
ed to devour the halfdecayed sorghum
stalks of which the roofs of their rude
buildings were composed 1t was this
famine which was so great that in one
place shop was opened for the sale of hu
man flesh, and many thousands of children
were sold into slavery in order that their
parents might sustain life upon the pro-
ceeds. Aid was given from the other
provinces, and it was stated, apparently
with truth, that but for such assistance
not one-half of the population would have
survived until the ripening of another
harvest
Even under ordinary conditions the
destitutiOn is very great, and beggars are
brought to almost unimaginable depths.
In some cases systematic relief is afforded;
but the kind and character of this assis-
tanee only fuether shows the necessities of
the people. In Pekin there was long since
established phalanstery, which in Chinese
was termed "the House of Hens Feath-
ers" This was large building upon the
floor of which was thick layer of feath
ers, over which was spread one immense
coverlet, provided with inuumcrable holes,
each large enough for human head to
pass through. The lodgers-men, women
and children-buried themselves indis-
criminately in this mass of feathers, each
thrusting his head through one of the
holes, and each paying the value of tenth
of cent for night in this dormitory.
In the morning the noise of tan,,tam
afforded the signal for lifting the coverlet
by pully suspended from the ceiling, and
for starting the mendicants each upon his
way.
Such are the conditions of life with the
working multitudes of China, a population