The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1905-08-23
JAPAN.
Japanese Thrive on What Would be Starys-
ton Wages in America.
Frederick j. Haekin, in Sunny South.

cues or he ls liable to let go OF the
wrong time aud mix things up gener.
ally.
Doubtless, ycn would like to know
how these people live, earning as they
do only q few cents Q day. The
average family among the laboring
olasses will probably consist Of five
persons. In most cases, both the
man aud the woman work and their
combined income will not exceed Sc
or 90 per month. First, they rent Q
house, IL by Is feet square, for Is
cents or 81 per month. according to
the location. Their food consists Of
rice, i!sh and vegetables-if they are
very poor they cannot affczd rice.
Fish and vegetables are exceedingly
cheap. The furnishings Of their
house are so scant that the family
never hires dray when moving day
comes-they can easily carry every.
thing on their backs. This is illus
trated whenever there ia an alarm Of
FIRE. The fragile, infammable houses
are easily consumed, and the first
indication of danger from this source
will cause the immediate exodus OF a
whole community, household effects
and ell.
The expense of dress is insignifi-
cant. The cost Of q mans winter
outfit will not exceed dollar and
half. In summer he goes naked. The
woman can purchase kimona at al.
most any price. Foreigners wonder
why the natives do not discard their
wooden clogs and wear shoes. If
these wondering strangers will fur
nish something equally as servicesble
as the native sandals, for q niokle q
pair, they will doubtless be able to
secure some customers. The Jap is
always in for anything new if he has
the price, but he can never be much
Of customer for anybody until he
can be trained to utilize his force to
produoe greater wealth.
The low scale OF wages is not con-
fined to common workmen. The
highest priced iaborers in Japan are
the stone.masons and shoe.makers,
the best of whom receive a dollar
day.
The scale for printers and leather
workers ia City eents : asy, while
painter will command sixty cents.
The foreman Of the electric light
plant in NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. that
this 10 city forty.fve cents a day for
his skilled services. He -is On educa-
ted electrician but his salary is lower
than that OF any ordinary American
Office boy. The scale Of wages is
higher in Yokohama than in other
parts Of the Empire because the for
eign firms here will pay more FOR COM
petent help than the native concerns.
If there is q bright young man in the
poatofics, or some other department.
of the government service. it is not
long until some foreigner gets him
out by Offering an advance.
The government has thus been
gradually forced to raise its scale in
order to keep the most desirable em-
ployees in it's service. The policemen
are furnished with uniforms and paid
thirty cents day. The clothes they
wear on duty are the best they have
ever worn, or will ever wear If they
quit their Jobs. Bookkeepers and ao-f
countants for private native firms are
paid about thirty cents q day, with
room reri, board and sometimes With
even, tobacco thrown in. Seeing that
the employers arc 80 generous in pros
giding perquiaites. Isspppose the boys
are willing 20 furnish their own
matohes. The average pay ofs the
8, 900 clerks in the employ of the
goyernment|in various parts oe Japan
is a1ty cents day. This is quite d
contrast TO the fat Jobs our politi.
CLANS hand around among their
frienda. B. s,s,5 .s5I
The railroad employees are as poor
y paid % those Of the government
AID private 4 concerns. Tho station
msster. IN Yokohsms who Has several
hundred people unde der hiE,, reosives]
bnt $50 ! month OF course ne has 5
family and has to pay reat and am.
ploy ss stsf of ,,sissnss oatS Of this
sss= y! - sslzIy :i engineers, COM
duetors, tra;gs., q: stasion employees.
and others J, sc, ere under him aver.
age abons sl5 rss month. As may be
aurmisad Tho rail say ssrslca Id moth.
isg 10 hssg ahont. & IS q 1B Ailess from
Yokohama 10 Tokio and Il takss an, |
kons to mako tho srip longer than IL
requires Co go from vaahington % /
Baltimore, a distance i Sof 40 miles.