Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1885-11-26
CHINESE TRADES UNIONS.
Prices Prevailing Among Chinese
WOrimen i'm America.


nese Laundrymen's Union Of the United
States, has been giving a New York cor
respondent Of the Chicago Herald some
information about trades unions among
the Chinese. He says:
''The working classes Of the United
States-in fact, the entire American pub
lic-have not yet learned that the Chi
rese are better trades unionists than they
are, and that the Mongolion workman
receives better wages than his civilized
colleague. This statement may seem
strange, yet it is the truth. In body
that corresponds to the New York cham
Der Of commerce we keep labor statistics
in regard to almost every industry in
which our race is interested. On oc-
count of the anti-Chinese agitation we
have compiled similar figures in regard
to American industries. In nearly every
instance the Chinese obtain larger wages.
Beside this, Chinese employers usually
give board and lodging to their employees
as well as wages. Let us compare notes.
In the grocery trade Americans (and they
are chiefly Germansj pay from $4 to SIS
a week. Their clerks average 500 a
week. Chinese grocers pay from
Sc to $22 a week and one per cent.
commission on all goods sold by the
clerk. Their clerks average S12. so
week. In the Troy laundries the
Irish washerwoman receive from $5
to 50 a week and average SO. The
ironers get little more, but average
only $3.50. Neither washers nor ironers
receive board nor lodging. In the Chi
nese laundries washers receive from S5
to $12 week, and average SO; ironers
from $40 to $21, and average $3.50.
Both receive in addition their board and
lodging.
''As to BARRIERS, the Americans have
the Italian shops, where shave costs
five cents, the ordinary shop at ten, the
nice ones at fifteen, and few at twenty.
Journeymau's wages run from 81 week,
which is paid to the Italians, to S18,
which is paid to frst-class men. They
average $11 week In the Chinese
quarter a shave costs twenty-five cents,
with what you might call shampoo,
fifty, and with shampoo and massage, 81.
An oriental employer can, therefore,
easily afford to pay the average wages Of
SIG week.
''With apothecaries the contrast is far
fession which involves your health and
life ought certainly to pay high salaries
to its clerks, who are educated and
trained men. Yet the salaries run from
So up, and seldom if ever exceed $50,
and average the miserable sum Of SO
week. A Chinese drug clerk receives
a similar education and training, but his
salary averages $50 a week, not to speak
of his commissions.
Good native cooks may be obtained in
the intelligence Offices Of the great cities
at from $40 to $40 month. They
average, I am told, SIS a month.
Our cooks run from $50 to $50, and aver
age $45.
s'In mere manual labor many poor
Chinese have worked for small COM
pensation, but never so small as what is
paid to Italian 'navvies' in New York,
Hungarian coal miners, and Slavonian
farm hands. Even when my countrymen
do accept employment on such terms it
is merely to save up little money and
then enter some other industry. Our
cigarmakers work at the same rates as
irst-class Havana hands. They are en-
ployed in the great factories in Maiden
lane and the Bowery. Not Chinaman
can be found who will work under the
tenement house system now followed in
the large cities by thousands of pauper
Europeans.
$50 much for wages. In regard to
trades unions we have number Of com
plicated systems. One IS what we term
the family system. The half-billion
population of the middle kingdom are
| divided into few hundred families.
These are indicated by the first OF family
name. Of this such names as Wong,
Lee, Yung, Lum, and Moy, are fair
examples. A Wong who is in trouble
goes to another Wong, whom he may
never have seen or heard Of, and obtains
aid. The thing done may be the loan OF
money, the giving of meal, the OBJ
tanning of employment, intercesslon m
law, or the like. 1t represents an hon
orable obligation. which at some time
the person obligated is bound to repay.
In this way have known poor man
to travel from Che-Li in the north of
! China to New York city. Each trade is
locally organized with US as with Amerl-
cans. Our organizations go further, how
ever, and possess features that in this
country characterize masonic bodies. A
member who falls sick is nursed by hi:
fellow members, is provided with medi-
cine, diet, and physician by the union,
and when destitute through lengthy
sickness is even supplied with food,
raiment, and even funds. question il
trades union in Europe or Americt
does the same. Beyond all this there is
with us a distinct recognition Of th'
idea Of duty. An oriental employei
Is morally bound to look aftel
the physical, pecuniary
and spiritual-of his employees
He should admonish them wher
they 90 in wrong courses; teacl