The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-15
JAPANS Low WAGES.
4 Menace to the Manufacturers
.of This Country.
THE IMPORTS ALREADY LARGE.
skilled Workmea in Japan Get One
Tenth the Wages of Those in
the United states.
New YORK Sun.

New York sun.
We guess that those Of our business mon
and manufacturers who strive 20 throw
dlscredt upon that report recently sent
from Japan by the United Press about the
new efforts Of the japanese u enlarge
their exports 70 this country. have not
taken the trouble 70 observe the growth
Cf Japan's commercial enterprise wit1.n
the past few wears. which was checked
temporarily BY The war with China. They
may net have noticed how Japan IS reach
ing out for foreign markets in all The
countries Of Asia. and also in America.
and even n Europe They probably have
net taken account of the rapid extension
OF railroad communication in Japan. or OF
the establishment there Of fOundries and
machine shops. mills. cotton factor Is.
shipyards. and all kinds of manufacturing
institutions. They may not have thought
of the enlargement OF Japsn's Commercial
marine, or OF her subsidZing efforts 70 eX-
tend the measure Of her steamship COM
munic3Tlon with American ports, or OF the
numerous native products for which she IS
seeking markets. They may not have OBJ
served how great are already Japan's eN-
ports 10 this country, as compared with
her imports from it; or how small are her
exports to England as compared with her
imports from it, We doubt whether If
they took these things into consideration,
they would rid-cule the dispatch about
Japsn's new business projects in the
United States.
AT this moment We may indicate a few
lines for thought.
First-The japanese workmen engaged
IN manufacturing industries are exceed
ingly ingenious, expert, nimble and dill
gent. hardly to be equaled in these re-
spects by those of any other country in
the world.
Second-They work for wages which, as
compared with those prevalent in mis-
country are light indeed. An intelligent
Japanese, Mr. Fusataro Takano, has re-
Gently published some exact figures about
the wages Of skilled and unsk.lled work
men in Japan, those who are employed
there under the modern system of IN
dustry as we'll as those under the rative
system. We may say that the wages of
skilled operatives in Japan are about one
seventh or one-tenth as large DIS in the
United States.
Th!rd-There seems TO be in Japan a
sufficient amount of capital ready for In
vestment in manufacturing and CONNER
cial enterprises of all kinds that promise
profit Moreover. European capital is CD
tainabIe upon advantageous terms.
Fourth-The manufactured goods and ar
ticles of many varieties produced in japan
are far beyond the wants OF that country,
so that they can be exported in vast Q'lan-
t4t-ts 70 any Aidihet, anu CoHiu slleeu4ly
be increased by machinery to any desired
extent. Their cheapness IS one of their
main attractions TO all buyers.
Japans best market for her mandfac-
tured products. over 100 OF which have been
classified by Tokyo commission house, IS
the United States. and the japanese have
started out to make provision for a volu-
m;nous expansion of their exports 10 this
country Besides the bronze articles, silk
goods, carpets and other manufactur
which they already furnish 10 US. they can
send US, al low prices. metal and wooden
wares cigars. lager beer. lucifer matches
and plenty of other things, both useful and
ornamental.
The japanese get money for the greater
part of what they send US They import
but little from us. They buy IN England,
they sell in the United States.
The matter is one of gravity.