The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-30
THREE CENTS a DAY.
The WIG Paid Child carpet Cleaners of
Japan.

From a Consular Report.
Hemp was formerly the most import
antNproduct used for spinning purposes.
To-day II is st.ll used for the manufac-
ture of cordage and textiles, but does
not cut a figure in the japanese ex-
ports. Lately hemp has been grad
ually replaced by cotton, the culture Of
which is of great importance in many
places. Textiles industries are rapidly
developing IN Japan. At the end OF 1894
AZ mills, with 4SS.133 spindles. were in
operation. The Manchester Guardian,
in It's issue of June 9, 1894, says that
manufacturers of cotton textiles in In
dia can no longer compete with Japan,
as 1000 japanese spindles will produce
the same quantity az 10000 Indian.
Around the Industrial center of Osaka
there are cotton mills in almost every
village, and exports of japanese fabrics
were first made from that city. There
being no protection to foreign machine
ny against pat snt arrangements, the
Japanese initiate quickly all European
novelties and Improvements. and hence
work under favorable conditions. La
Dor Is so cheap that even Europe can
no longer compete. Good cotton under
shirts are being sold at 81 to 80 cents
per dozen. Cotton umbrellas, on iron
sticks-an important article of Osaka
are sold al $3.50 to SO per dozen, and
the total exports of umbrellas for 1894
footed up $746,067, as against $5S9,272 for
1898.
The hemp and cotton carpet industry
is a new one, and has its seat in the
city of Osaka. These carpets. called by
foreigners, Osaka carpets, are cheap,
but not durable. All kinds of patterns
imaginable, as well as every length
and width. are manufactured. While
two years ago the Japanese taste pre-
vailed. to-day fine limitations of Turk
ish and Egyptian carpets can be found
l., do,
by children, and in the low, gloomy
rooms of the japanese houses. troops of
little boys and girls are working at this
dusty trade with the zeal and intelli-
gence of grown people. The little ones.
who can be seen at work in a tropical
heat, almost nude, seem to be in good
health. These ohildrens pay varies,
according TO their efficiency, from to
10 cents a day. The principal buyers
are Americans. who purchased 1927 900
worth during 1894. out of a total export
of $4,000 pieces, worth s1.134,072, in
that year. against 2oS.o50 pieces. worth
1891. 9S9 in 1898, and 1l2,279 pieces. worth
$I77 445 in 1892.
or late years the manufacture of ia
paneSe matches has attained large d.
mansions, owing to the low prices at
which they are sold. Hongkong. Brit
18Th Iidia. China and Corea are using
them almost exclusively. Last years
statistics show the surprising fact that
Japanese matches were exported 10
points and In value as follows: To
Australia. SIS. 407; Austria, S2,345; North
America, 81 800. The total value of these
matches was 81, 795. 63i in 1894. 1881. 974
an 1893 and s.. 202 .04l in 1892.
In addition to the Osaka Watch COM
pany, there are about a dozen other
watch factories in japan, located at
Tokyo. Kobe. Nagoya, etc, which do
not only supply japan, but Chinese
markets as well. japanese clocks are
sold at from 81 to s.. according 20 quail
ity.