Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-19
POOR PAY FOR GENIUS.
Six Dollars Month the Best a Novel
Writer Can Do in Japan.

A leading japanese newspaper, as quoted
by the Japan Mail of Yokohama, discusses
the current rates of remuneration in that
country for artists and writer's 1t appears
that even in the feudal days. when the pat
ronage of the mobiles was often munifcent
genius, whether literary or artistic, earned
but a poor reward. Great romance writer's
got from 81 to 81 a month, and an immortal
painter like Hokusai led from first to last a
hand-to-mouth existence. Things have not
materially improved at the present time.
The highest monthly emoluments earned by
writers of fiction amount to about s6U and
only two or three get this much. Moreover,
this is not reached until the prime or life
has been passed and long years of hardship
and Indulgence have been endured. Next to
these rare kings of their craft come wri-
tiers still in their prime, who earn from $50
to so a month, but even these number only
four or hve, while the condition OF tf.,se
who devote themselves to ephemeral literal
ture Is even worse. The highest sum paid
to a contributor of serials to a newspaper or
periodical is SD for each installment in a
daily paper and 81 to $3.50 for single in
stallment in periodical This rate, how
ever is earned only by one famous writer
and the figures go down as low fifteen
cents to twenty-five cents a chapter, which
is the price for an obscure writer on local
paper.
With painters matters are said to be even
worse. 1here are IN the Japanese capital
three or four artists in oils of such caliber
that they would make their mark even in
direct competition with foreign painters, but
so little does the public appreciate their eff
forts that they are barely able to earn
enough to exist. Pictures of merit fail to
find purchasers, or they bring little to the
painter, the greater part of the price going
into the pockets of the middlemen. Thus,
though the condition of the literary class
has somewhat improved since feudal times,
painters were never before in such evil
plight. Years must pass before japanese
artists in oils can find market abroad and
they cannot hope to find one at home until
the conditions of japanese life are radically
changed, for the Japanese picture the
scroll, is perfectly suited to the style of
Eabitation, while the oil painting Is wholly
nconsruous with the interior decora ton
and furniture Of Japanese residences. The
people seem to attach value only to the
masterpieces of bygone eras, and to be
persuaded that the modern artist produces
nothing worth buying.
The experts in other arts seem to be more
fortunate. The best carvers and workers in
lacquer find in art schools and museums
emoluments greater than any they had in
former days. and the foreign market af-
fords them almost unlimited opportunities
After all, however, one of the strongest
points of the japanese artist is his willing
ness to work for remuneration that would
be utterly despised by Europeans or Ameri-
cans of corresponding skill. So soon as he
begins to insist upon higher rates of re-
ward the conditions of competition will be-
come much less favorable for him.