The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1881-10-14
WORK AND WAGES IN CHINA.

The United States Consul-Genora
at Shanghai has made special investl
CATION and report on the wages and
modes of living of the people o'
China. Skilled laborets-artisana
workers at trades, etc.-live mostly
in the cities, where all prices are
higher than outside. Art and taste
although appreciated, are not paid
accordingly. A painter may win
renown, and his name or his seal may
live after him; but during life he will
be no better off than his reighbor
who makes coffins. Painters of por.
celain, designers and weavers of the
most exquisite patterns of silks, AMI
the artisan who makes wonderful
pieces of enamel or ''china,' are sat
titled if they put by enough for bur-
ial expenses; the butcher does as well
as any OF them. Gold and silver
smiths, and others whose work is
peculiarly responsible, do a little
better; the weaver or spinner of silk
is probably the best paid day labor
er, getting 81 to So a day. The
average pay of skilled labor, is prob
ably $3 week for a master. 81 so
for workman. and SO cents for
youngsters" or females.
The master lives generally at his
workshop, having $40 to $50 worth
of household goods; he pays $72 a
year for food, $50 for rent and sun
dries, $12 for clothing, and is rich
with $50 left. The ordinary work
man, if unmarried, lives with his
parents or with some friend. His
effects may be worth SIS and he pays
$45. $l2, and IS for three items above
mentioned. Females and young
sters are assumed to cost all they
can earn. On the farm everybody
must work, the children beginning at
six years. Two and a halt acres Of
arabic land, with house built of
mud and reeds and thatched with
straw, and COW, a few fowls and
pigs and some very primitive tools,
may constitute well.to.do farmers
property. The soil will usually
support the family, and 20 cents a
day will pay for their food. Rice. or
bread, and vegetables and common
tea, varied by little poultry or pork
on festive occasions, makas their
diet. Their hit of land may be worth
$500, their annual working expenses
may be $42, and they will produce
about $160. leaving about $50 clear.
In cotton the land will average 1900
pounds at 4 cents: cost of cultivation
and tax, $l3; net yield, s33. if the
oil suits cotton. a woman weaves
one piece per day of cotton cloth, 6
to yards, 20 to 46 inches wide; she
spins one-third of a pound Of yarn, 6
cents for labor;6 working days con-
vert the raw fiber into Il pounds of
cloth, worth go cents.
The farm laborers gets 10 to Is
cents day, or 70 cents to 81 ,o5 a
a week, in harvest time, besides his
food, estimated at 10 cents day; by
the month, 81 SO to So and board:
by the year sl2 "and found"
About So year will clo,he him, and
he does we'll if he saves twice that in
a year. For cody labor, comprising
boatmen. carriers, wheelbarrow-mcn,|
etc., from to 80 cents a day are
paid; the carriers in West China, who
carry for 20 consecutive days 800 or
400 pounds of tea on their backs
over mountainous country, are con-
sidered well paid at 25 cents day
The ordinary cody earns s. SO a
month, and spends 81. Coal is
mined entirely by hand. and sells at
the pits mouth for 81 ton. Gold
diggers on the Han River. in 1870,
were earning from S TO Is cents a
day; yielding or cents to the ton
The Chinese soldier costs 81 year.
Scientific American.