Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-08-13

feet long, ten wide, and eight high
with streets from ten to twenty feet
broad running parallel between the
buildings, and crossed by narrow and
dirty lines; and, according to obser'
want travellers, neither table, chair
nor other article of furniture can be
seen in the dwellings of the poor"
The rate of wages may be inferred
from the average condition of the peO-
pie. The wages of mechanics and
n ekillful wurknneAssst tsoloRsaaezsoeaa
twenty-five cents a day, while those
engaged by the month or for longer
periods receive still less. A common
laborer ordinarily obtains about four
pence, English, which may be freely
translated at eight cents per diem. 1t
is this class that constitute the great
; bulk of immigrants, and who, from
their ability to learn readily all ordin-
airy occupations, profit the most when
transplanted in some region where
labor is in demand. The actual cost
of living to q laborer, his wife, and
three children is reliably stated at
three dollars per month in Canton !;
while single or elderly persons have
been maintained at a cost of one dol
lar per month.
The small scale to which business is
subdivided is shown by the copper
coins which form the usual medium of
exchange and which are the smallest
currency in the world; silver being
used only for the largest transaction.
An undertaking requiring one hun
dred dollars of capital is frequently
divided among many sharehold-
ers. 1t follows that, money having
relatively SO great value, the slightest
profit is acceptable, and hence in all
ordinary transactions, bargains are
made upon margin that would be
deemed impossible in other countries.
As one writer has said, the Chinese
will refuse no money in selling if they
can be ever so little gamers" OF
course, where business is conducted
upon so narrow margin, slight de-
pressions in the general prosperity of
any district produces extreme suffering
such as, for instance, has often resulted
from faminies. Three years ago, in
the provinces of Chanting and Chihli,
a drought destroyed the crops, and as
soon as the reserve of food was con-
sumed the people resorted to chaff, the
bark of trees, turnip leaves, etc, and
were finally reduced to devouring the
half-decayed 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 open for the sale of human flesh,
and many thousands of children were
sold into slavery in order that their
parents might sustain life upon the
proceeds. 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 har-
vest.
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 character of this
assistance only further shows the nee
essities OF the people. In Pekin there
was long since established phalan-
stery which in Chinese was termed
the House of Hens Feathers"
This was a large building upon the
floor of which was thick layer of
feathers, over which was spread one
immense coverlet, provided with in
Vulnerable holes, each large enough
for a human head to pass through.
the lodgers-men, wemen and chill
dren-buried themselves indiscrimi-
nately in the mass of feathers, each
thrusting his head through one Of the
holes, and each paying the values of
tenth of cent for night in this dor
mitory. In the morning the noise of
a tam-tam afforded the signal for lift
ing the overlet by pulley 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 of five hundred millions,
confined within Territory of twelve
hundred and eighty thousand square
miles, or four hundred and sixteen to
the square mile. The Northern,
Western and Southern boundaries of
this region are formed by the depen-
denotes of the central State. Each of
these tributary countries has a less
capacity than China proper for sus-
tanning a numerous population, and
all have already reached the maximum
they are able to support. The only
outlet, therefore, for the population OF
China is to the westward, to Australia
and to the distant coasts of America
Toward these, when distractions tc
Chinese emigration are removed, the
population of China must as naturally
flow as the waters of pent up rivers
flow in adjacent lowlands when the
: levees are broken down. Thus tin
prospect of the near future Qor fifty
) or a hundred years are but brie
space in the life of nations) is that TIN
outflow Of this great people with it