The Portland daily press., 1894-10-16
TRADE uNioNlsM IN coREA.
They Have the Strike, the Boycott and
Every Other Luxury.

Corea has the trade union in a high
state of development says writer in
the baltimore Herald. The badness of
che government has had the effect of
driving the people into associations, and
these comprise all classes from the most
highly placed families down to the
slaves Very powerful trades unions ex-
lst among the mechanics and laborers,
such as porters hostlers, pack horse
leaders, hat weavers, coffin makers, car
peuters and masons. These societies
enable each class TO possess monopoly
of their trade, which even noble vainly
tries to break. Sometimes they hold
thissright by writ purchased or obtained
from the government, though usually it
is by prescription. Most of the guilds are
taxed by the government for the mo-
nopoiy enjoyed. They have their chief
OF head man, who possesses despotic
power, even in some guilds power of life
and death. New members or apprentices
may be admitted by paying their rate
and submitting to the rules of the guild.
In the higher grades of society there is
the same spirit OF association. The
temple attendants, the servants OF the
MOBILES, the gardeners, messengers and
domestics of the palace, the supernumer-
aries and government employers all have
their "rings, y which an outsider may
not break. Even among the noble famil-
les the same ideas exist in due form.
The villages form each little republic,
and possess among themselves common
fund to which every family contri butes.
Out of this money, hid in the earth or
lent out on interest, are paid public
taxes, expenses of marriage and burial
and whatever else, by custom and local
opinion, is held to be- a public matter.
Foreigners have found in Corea the ex-
istence of this spirit of protective asso-
citation and monopoly illustrated in a
hundred forms, W hich were in tern anus
ing vexatlouS or atrociouS. A man who,
in fit of temper, discharges his
hostler, house servant or carpenter will
find that he cannot easily obtain another
good one, even at high wages, or if he
does that his new one is soon frightened
off the premises. 10 get along comforta-
bly, in Corea one must, Willingly, pay
respect to the visible or invisi BILE spirit
of trades unionism. AS yet however, the
Coreans, as far as known, have no word
for boycott. One of the most powerful
and best organized guilds is that of the
porters The interior commerce of the
backs of men and pack horses, these peo-
pie have the monopoly of it. They rum
Der about 10000, and are divided by
provinces and districts under the orders
of chiefs. sub-chiefs. censors and inspee-
tors.sYery much like in these United
States there are workmen, master work
men and grand master workmen. But
large number of these Corean porters
are women, often poor widows or those
unable to marry Many of these are of
muscular frame, and their life in the
open air tends to develop robust forms,
with the strength of men. The porters
have very..severe rules fora the govern
ment of their guild, and crimes among
them are pnnishd with death at the or
der of their chief They are 50 powerful
that they pretend that even the govern
ment dare not Interfere with them. They
are outside the power of the local mag
istrate, but they are honest and faithful
in their business, delivering packages
with certainty to the most remote plac-
es in the kingdom. They are rather in
dependent to the people, and even bully
the off Gals. When they have received
an insult or injustice, or too low wages,
they strike in a body and retire from
the district. This puts a stop to all
travel and business until these grievance
es are settled, By submission to their own