Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1888-02-11
CHINESE TRADES UNIONS.


| for genuine "scab," according to the
| American definition, is unknown. The
| boycott is one of them. Although the ,
! laws of these trades Unions do not b2-
pressly provide for boycottingy except !
among their own members, yet it is
practlced, and always successfully. |
| Among themselves, unless II workman !
is true to his trade and his fellow work
men, he is at once bovcotted, and 1t IS
absolutely impossible for him to pro
cure employment. If any member does
not pay up his dues he is captured and |
taken to some tea drin ing house, !
where he is held in captivity by relays |
! of other wOrkmen until he or his |
friends have paid up. Mild measures
are always adopted, and seldom tail IN !
their oil. ect. Never for moment would |
they think of arming themselves with |
sticks and stones, beat the offender and
! perhaps Eill him, rs has been the
case when dealing with "scabS IN this
country. A peculiar and popular pun
ishment inflicted upon masters and
workmen who violate the rules of the
union or do anything that deserves
punishment is that of filming the cuI-
! prit "a play and banquet for GER
tain number of persons. 1t is queer
way, and yet it has proved to be good
one.
The following is an example: 1t is
rule among the silk weavcrs that an
apprentice after lecoming a journey
man must work two years for his mas
ter. If another manufacturer endeav-
ors to get him away, he the manufac-
turcr) IS fined n play, three tables OF
l., ~
of fifteen. Thetwo manufacturers, those
who are called in to Judge upon the
case and party of select friends repair
to IL PLAYHOUSE They sit in the gal cry,
eat, drink and watch the play, while
the court below is free to the pub ic.
I he lprit pays the bills and is treated
with the greatest politeness. 81 the.
time the banquet has ended all hard
feelings have cleared away and the one
who is punished has far different
feeling than if he had been fined a
large sum of money and treate | with
contempt by his business associates.
In this way a friendly spirit is mani
tested, the influence o. which upon the
unions cannot be oyercstlmated.
For small of1enses between workmen
the one ut fault is sentenced to be fined
so many candies for temple worship,
and for graver ones the fine is a vocal
concert 10y five boys before the gods.
An outrageous violation rf the laws OF
II trades union has been known to be
punished in Il horrible and yet novel
way. Not long ago member O. the
Gold beaterS' mon represented 10 a
magistrate that if he were allowed to
take number of apprentices he could
get out Il large quantity of gold leaf, OF
which an unusual y large amount was
wanted b the Emperor. The mag. s.
trate gave the gol tbeater pc: mission,
and lie proceeded to engage Il large
number of apprentices. IN doing this
he violated i'll fragrant manner law
of the trade which prohibited any EN-
piOvCr from taking more than one APP
prentice at a time His conduct infurl-
uted others of the craft, and the word
passed around that biting to death
was not capital olelse." The gold
heater was inye glel INTO n shop wi err
y men, who gathered, fell upon him
each one ia ing bite. 70 make sure
that no one shlrked his part no one was
allowed to Quit the shop unless blood
conid be seen upon his lips, viii h at
ItSlel HIS SlluIc III lllc IldS5t'N' L III >
occurred i'll Soochow.
Chinese trades unions LOOK upon
labor saving inventions as American
workmen look upon "scabs, and treat
them in about the same manner. \
short time ago Il Chinaman who had
spent a number of years III the mite d
States, returned to his home in one OF
the large cities in China, bringil &
home some powerful machlncs for sew
ing the thick soles of Chinese shoes to
the uppers. The members of the shoe
making union arose en- mdS"', seized
the machines, destroyed them, and
drove the one who sought to introduce
them to Hong Kong. AGAIN, some
wears ago a progressive Chnaman SCI
up a steam power cotton mill, but the
producers of cotton put an end to that
by refusing to send him Il pound Of
cotton. natures from France, eject
ing not only wonderful saving in tine
and money, but improving the guam
tity and quality of prepared sill flour
ishel for a time at Canton, and were
introduced into the silk rearing district,
, bat the country folk joined III a body
and destroyed the machines.
Strikes very seldom Oc .lIr, and when
they do are not Of magnitude, nor dc
they last any length Of time. They are
not held to be Illegal. There does not
appear to be time in the industrial
history of China when laborcrs might
f not law 'ully comb ne to raise wage
and regulate the hours of work. Nc
harm has resulted from this liberty,
however, for the code in interdicting
"monopolizing markets" is calculated
to prevent abuses. 4 strike OF journey
, men for increase Of wages rarely fails tC
be successful, TO if it goes too far ano
endangers pablo peace, magistrates i'll
terpose, and the strikers being too nu-
!, merous to be fog 5ed and too poor to pay
the fines, hands are laid upon the mas
tiers, and they wisely surrender TIE
| workmen do not take an unfair adyan
tage OF tn $, and they generally hay,
right on their side when striking -
r Boston II rata.
Z Hn nfIn'f Want In HuV