23) FT to SG, Oct. 10, l896.
Office of the "Daily Advertiser,"
Yokohama, Japan,
Oct. 10, l896.
Mr. Samuel Gompers,
Dear Sir, --Your favor of the July 28th has been duly received. By the following mail, I have received a letter from Mr. Howard of the Spinners' Union, accompanied with several valuable pamphlets which furnished me with much of information I have been seeking.
I am now working in a English newspaper published in this city in a capacity of translator. As you will see from accompanying copies, it is a regular country paper, if you compare it with the publications in your country, but it goes in Yokohama and its circulation is the largest among the Yokohama papers. You will naturally ask "how many." Only six hundred copies and yet it is about a hundred ahead of all the other papers. I do not think I will remain in the office for a long time to come. Besides, the renumeration is small (though it is great deal better than the similar work in Japanese papers) I have so little time to spare that I could not do any other work, --I have been even forced to put aside the investigation I have been pursuing on the condition of the Yokohama working people.
The strike, as you will notice in the accompanying papers, has become one of frequent occurrences in this country, which goes to show that working people are thoroughly dissatisfied. It is also to be noted that every strike so far inaugurated has been successful, nor is this very strange if we take into consideration the condition of market. Never before the demand for labor has been so intense as at present and it is not much out of reason to declare that Japanese workers have now a chance to bring the employers down to their knees without much effort if they are led by a leader of ability. For my own part, I regret my inability to offer them any assistance of material character. Whenever I saw a report of strike in a paper, I really long to be in the place where it is going on and advice them upon a plan of battle but I always restrain myself in view of expense I have to insure in doing so. Still I do not propose to remain idle for a long time and some day I shall be able to tell you of what I have done for the amelioration of the workers.
With best wish to you and your organization, I remain,
Yours faithfully,
F. Takano.
P.S. Kindly address me at my Tokyo home as before. F.T.
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