The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-04-28
ABOUT The FLOODING
CHINESE-THELR METHODS OF
IND STRY.
The Division of Lnbpr-SJgns of n Pro-
gressive Spirit,

Chinese no doubt deserve their lepu-
tation for industry Days nights and
Sundays are alike to them. But their
industry suggests the breeze that fans
Manila in the rainy season, blowing
only to keep in practice, and quite de-
void of properties that either refresh
or vitalize. They plod along imperturb-
ably, as though nothing really matterea,
and in deliberate calm spirit, equally
innocent of haste or rest. In self-ap-
pointed tasks they like to pursue their
own way, of which they are as tena-
cious as they are of the pigtail and
the chopsticks. one of the sights in he
North, at points where labor is hired, is
the mass of coolies each with wheel
barrow the wheel coming up through
the middle of the carrier leaving
shelves only on either side on which to
deposit loads
The north has cart roads, fit for ami
mails, but wheebarrows stay because
men are cheaper than ponies half
dozen express wagons Of approved mod
ell might carry as much as wheelbar-
rows pushed by 100 men, and they would
do it cheaper, if trade forced substitu-
ton. Wheelbarrows cease to be COM
mon at about the line where emigra-
ton begins. In their place appears the
shoulder bamboo used also in the north,
whereby a coolies makes a yoke of his
shoulders and suspends what he wishes
to carry from the ends of the stick. The
idea is still uppermost that men do not
count. In this region the bamboo plays
an important part as a carrier, but
carts are also used, at which six or
eight men will tug and push with load
which a pair of oxen and driver
might handle, at much less cost and
labor.
If an employer were to suggest sub
stitution he would find himself striking
at various radical, racial notions and
possibly have difficulty for a time in
getting his work done at all, He would
get at close range view of the prin-
ciple that governs division of labor; for
a driver will not handle goods. He
must take helpers for that purpose
along with him, instead of relying upon
finding them at the places of loading
and unloading. The Chinese guild sys-
tenn shows it hoof at this stage, sys-
tenn that pentrates and controls every
branch of Chinese political, social and
industrial life, compared with which the
FAINT in arms, and which clings to the
Chinese and guides them wherever they
go.
There are guilds of locality, of trade,
of benevolence, of business, of crime;
and it is impossible to say how closely
the relations of the best and worst may
be interviewer. Wholesale transient en-
gagement of labor naturally do not as
49, No. ,,,i1 ;,,;t In,,t A,,,
ployers already find themselves in the
lurch occasionally, when the grievance
of one man is made the cause of all,
and gangs will quit job, and by that
act place as effectual a boycott on the
undertaking, without the least fuss or
noise, as if it were imposed by set
whereases and resolves and loud public
demonstration. An employer might adj
vertise and solicit in vain until dooms-
day, if his Chinese help left him feeling
themselves aggrieved
Yet, while obdurate, tenacious, clan
nish, and disposed to resent interfer-
ence with the way they like to do
things, Impressions that the Chinese are
non progressive, and unwilling to ac-
commodate themselves TO modern
methods, would be quite mistaken hey
struction eagerly from Europeans, and
learn to do the same thing over and
again in precisely the same way. Hav-
ing had no way of their own for that |
kind of work, they see no objection to
learning to DO it European fashion. How
an employer might fare VINO attempted |
with them to improve upon his own |
methods and tried to induce them to
4 III. 4t,4 L. L,
them in order to produce like result |
in another way, seems not to have been |
put to test nor is test to be wantonly |
invited, considering that cases are of |
record in which slips Of instruction, in
stantly corrected, have been repeated |
for years by the learners who seem
unable to rid of them.
They know better, but always forget.
In respect to some things, also, of
which they have preconceved notions,
they spring surprises once in while.
Almost all over China woodsawing fol-
lows style that may we'll have pre-
vailed in the days of Mencius. A log
is popped up at a desired elevation and
angle from the ground one man mounts
a staging, so as to command the upper
end of the log, and the other stands
or sQuatS below, each OF them h0ldlng
an end of a handsaw Saws vary in
length from five to nine feet A line
is marked along the lot to indicate the
width of plank to be sawed off and
the men work the saw to and fro as if
they had all day before them. They
will take about as many hours to get
a plank as steam sawmill will occupy
in minutes. 1t is very Interesting, but
1t is not business and the Chinese in
these parts seem to recognize the fact,
for they work in steam sawmlls and
never suggest return to old methods.
Mills are bound to increase with the
development of rich lumber regions in
the southern mainland and archipelago.
1t may be presumed that the Chinese
will furnish the labor for them, and
submit cheerfully to this revolution in
methods that have been handed down
among their people for centuries In
mining and agriculture they cling to
primitive methods, and doubtless feel
themselves justified in so doing. Agri-
culture here does not yet call for mod
nt,1,n, Thnr lyn fnriI