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.VOLUME 6, NUMBER 4
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slon oC Korea, llio lust aLtprnpt being mado about
Ihroo hundred years ago. A liUlo later the Sho
gun, JomltHU, alarmed by the spread of the Chris
tlan religion, Introduced by Catholic missionaries
from Spain and Portugal, shut the country up,
and for two and a hall' centuries no foreigner was
admitted and no citizen of Japan was permitted
to go abroad. .
To more suroly keep his people at homo tlio
Shogun prohibited the building of any but small
sailing vessels. Jt is almost incredible that so
largo a group of people could have enjoyed the
civilization which existed here and still concealed
themselves so completely from the outside world
and remained so Ignorant of tho mighty move
ments in Europo and America. In. 185'J Commo
doro Perry arrived with an American fleet and
a iroftly was finally entered into which opened
tho counivy to foreign intercourse. Japan was
ripo for tho change. "Wlillo there was at first
an anti-foreign sentiment which affected domestic
politics and at one time resulted In an attack
upon 11 foreign vessel, tho assimilation of west
ern civilization was rapid and constant. Young
men began to go abroad, foreign teachers were
sent for and tho Japanese people began to mani
fest a wonderful aptitude for the adaptation of
foreign ideas to local conditions. The army and
navy woro reconstructed upon tho European
models and a 'public school system largely like
our own was established.
In most countries reforms have come up from
tho masses through more or less prolonged sea
sons of agitation, but in Japan tho higher classes
have been tiio leaders and havo extended in
creasing social and governmental advantages to
the whole people without a struggle. In every
department of thought there lias been progress
and in overy lino of work there havo been loaders
whoso ambitions and ideals have been high and
noble.
To illustrato tho change that has taken place,
Count OJcuma cites the case of the famous mili
tary genius, tho present Marshall Yamagata.
When a very young man Yamagata was a spear
man In tho army organized by the daimios of
Choshu to attack the foreigu ships at tho Shimo
noseki Straits. He was so ignorant of modern
warfare that he was confident of the ability of
tho Japanese to defeat the foreigners with spears.
' Ue thought that tho 'Europeans and Americans
would bo at the mercy of the natives as soon
as they lauded. His surprlso may bo imagined
when leaden missilos mowed down his comrades
long before tho spears could be brought into
lisq. But this young man who attempted in 1864
to measure spear against rifle, betook himself
to the study of the military methods of the for
eigners and in tho recent war with Russia he
..has been chief of the general staff" of the Japa
nese armyan army which in equipment, in prep
aration, and in provision for sick and wounded,
as well as in its exploits upon the battle field,
has astonished tho world. Count Okuma said
that the progress mado la the army and in the
x recSlolled by tho 1TOS made
for tiferiH Krsas
No withstanding Japan has a most efficient amy
""l navy, and notwithstanding the natural el
Tl'ZTVT SUCCeSS, at B' o SplSe
;Jiav0c met them are strongly inclined toward
in C0, nPveml timcs ln introducing me the pre-
appreciation to tho action of our president in
bringing about tho recent treaty of peace The
.wars against China and Russia have been ii
garden by the people as defensive wars and ft
will bo remembered that tho civil war of 1874
3? an Sffinnf tiT?1 by th government
i , 'i"1!"- to invndo Koren. General Snlim
'f ls. ," Mr UM Purpose of comnrerinS
-& ss5.TSLh refer
tho moral, arguments in favor of peace
n, via?" no olc,net f Japanese society has
the rising sun of a higher civilization si ed it?
nSimor? nantly than upon wo man T o
position of the mother was an Lno ed one when
S niSnm th llond of the family, hi vhilo
the children cared for both naroiUQ wii
smas-k sis :S
V4v
The Commoner.
Theoretically, each had a right to protest if dis
satisfied, but practically tho girls' protest amount
ed to nothing. ..
The wife was not only the servant of the
husband, but might also be the servant of the
mother-in-law -the mother-in-law joke being here
on tho daughter-in-law instead of the son-in-law.
Tho fact that tho husband was permitted to keep
as many concubines as ho desired still further
lowered the status of woman. The daughters
were often sold into prostitution to relieve the
indebtedness of the father, and while this cus
tom is on the decline, there are still thousands
of Japanese girls whoso virtue is made a matter
of merchandise in accordance with this ancient
custom. There is recorded among the decisions
of Ooka, sometimes called the Japanese Solomon,
who lived threo centuries ago, a case in which
the releaso of a young woman from a house of
ill-famo was the central feature. The report of
tho judge's decree shows a discriminating mind
as well as devotion to justice. Incidentally, the
record reveals the fact that there were Shylocks
in those days who loaned on short time at high
rates and exacted tho pound of flesh In this
case the usurer compelled the sale of the daughter
in extinguishment of a debt of fifteen yen, which
by rapidly accumulating interest had reached the,
to them, enormous sum of thirty-five yen
(or $17.50). The righteous judge confis
cated the house of the extortioner and with the
proceeds redeemed tho woman. By the aid of
tho missionaries, under the leadership of Rev.
Murphy of Nagoya, legislation -has been secured
making it unlawful for a girl to bo retained in
one of these houses against her will, and many
have already been rescued. As the taking of
a concubine is a matter of record it is possible
for the newspapers to acquaint themselves with
the domestic relations of prominent men, and
some of the papers have assisted in creating a
public opinion against concubines. ThiB custom
is certain to give way before the advance of
western ideas.
One of the foremost leaders in the eleva
tion of woman was Yukichi Fukuzawa, one of
tho greatest, as well as one of? the most influential,
of the men who have appeared' in Japan. He was
a journalist, an educator, an orator and a philos
opher. He refused to accept any titles or decora
tions and was called "The Great Commoner."
He founded a college, the Keio-Gijuku, to which
many of the public men trace their ideals and
their interest in , national questions and social
problems. He delivered the first public speech
.made in Japan for, strange as it may seem, the
habit of public speaking does not reach farther
back than twenty-three years. Until constitu
tional government was. formed there was no place
for the forum. Shortly before his death, Mr.
Fukuzawa reduced his philosophy to tho 'form of
a code of morals which has made a profound im
pression upon the thought of his country. Ho
presented "independence and self respect," as he
defined them, as the "cardinal tenet of personal
morals and living." He insisted upon the care
of the body the training of the mind and the
cultivation of the moral nature. He was one
of the first to raise his voice against hara-kiri
ana m ms code of morals he says: "To complete
the natural span of life is to discharge a duty
ncumbent on man. Therefore, any person who
yCMB8 wllat t may or the circumstances
what they may, deprives himself by violence of
his own life must be said to be guilty of an
act inexcusable and cowardly, as well as mean
and entirely opposed to the principle of inde
pendence and self respect."
"'n1PCoSnoVvoma?t his codo of morals sws:
nfrilcutom of regarding women as tho inferiors
of men is a vicious relic of barbarism. Men and
women of any enlightened country must treat
and love each other on a basis of equality so
re s s? h,s or te Q&
pressing their appreciation o his labors in behalf
o the women of Japan. Some of those are re.
pro, need in a life of Mr. Pulrazawa VeeenTy it
sired, and show the deep gratltudo which the
,,,, n , , at Ml' ru'zawa believed in the dic
SXn .WW?,'1 V"", that eilch Peon Soufd
breuS y ime? div ,irrbesl,'l0 be,ng "ls
!e
nrtvTi!m,c?P?rop S0nt him 1Bl efore"liis death
s vices bt J(heTm?n Vr?011 of his eint
hy m'nlLlUV' l n.wier established
on ivS Ta is 8fin conl"ctod by one of his
sons, hj, whom we nad tll . i ms
Another son is an instructor in the KeioGijuku.
Newspaper development has kept jace with
the development in other directions. Tokyo, tho
capital, has sixteen daily papers with sufficient
circulation to make them known as large papers.
Besides these, there are magazines, periodicals
and papers published in English. The Kokumin
Shimbun is known as the government organ while
most of the others are regarded as independent.
The Tokio Times is an excellent paper published
in English. There is a weekly publication called
the Economist, with a circulation of five thousand,
which deals with commercial, financial and eco
nomic questions. Yokohama has papers published
in both languages and the same is true of tho
other 'large seaport towns.
All of the cities are supplied with, .daily papers
published in Japanese. At Kagoshima, a city of
about fifty thousand, situated at the southern
extremity of Kyushu Island, I found a prosperous
daily -paper called' the Kagoshima Shimbun.
(Shimbun means daily newspaper.)1 It has a cir
culation of nine thousand six hundred, six thou
sand being in the city.
At Osaka I noticed a building elaborately deco
rated. In front were large flags on bamboo poles
and smaller flags strung on cords, while Japanese
lanterns were present in profusion. As none of
the buildings around it were decorated I inquired
and found that the decorated building was tho
office of the Osaka Asahi Newsjand that the paper
was celebrating the withdrawal of the governmen
tal order which for two weeks had suspended its
publication. The issue, for that day contained a
large size picture of the Goddess of Liberty.
When the rioting occurred at Tokio just after
the treaty of peace with Russia, an order was
issued authorizing the arbitrary suspension of
any newspaper containing utterances deemed in
cendiary. Under this order the Asahi News re
ceived notice to suspend publication until permis
sion was granted to resume. The withdrawal of
the notice was duly celebrated and the paper' an
nounced that its. readers rather than the pajer
had reason to complain of the suspension. This
paper has the largest circulation of any in Jap,an,
about two hundred thousand, and the order sus
pending it has been the subject of "much editorial
criticism.
Besides the newspapers which, are conducted
as business propositions,, there arn papers, Sup
ported by associations, formed; for fee propaga
tion of various reforms. For instance:" a. paper
called Romaji is published ' irionttiiy at' ToKio
Japanese words being spelled,' with Roman letters,
in the place of the present Japanese characters.
A. society was formed some twenty years ago for
the purpose of urging this reform and a paper
advocating it was published for three years, but
?ni?S s"snended from lack of support,' this
Jail the Romaji was established and hopes for a
better fate. While this . reform would be yery
acceptable to foreigners who are trying to learn
the language, the movement does not seem to have
gathered much momentum. 4
en -1? onr of the leadmS papers, the Hocho
Shimbun, Mr. Gensai Mhrai, a novelist of distinc
tion, published a continued story running daily
through six years. Jt is not yet completed,' hav
ing been suspended -during the war. Jin this
story the writer presents a large amount "of"' in
formation on national: political, economic and,
faocial questions, at the same time putting in
enough fiction to sustain the interest. '
Progress along some other lines will be treat
ed under special heads. I find tlrat there is
some tendency here to resent the statement1 that
Japan has borrowed largely from other nations.
Some native -writers insist that New Japan is but
the natural development of old Japan. ThereV is
a measure of truth in this, Decause there is no
growth except from a living germ: and vet it
can not be denied that Japan has approprfaled
to her own great advantage many foreign idSis
so. Both Ind viduals and nations borrow imita
i n n originality, is the rule. It win humblo
the Pride of anyone to attempt to separate "hat
which he has learned from others from that which
Xa 'S AS hls ? hy risht of discovery
Steam is the same today as it was aues aco
and yet millions upon millions watched it esS
ing from the kettle with no thougl t o its latent
power. One man showed mankind the Vse to
which it could be put and all the rest profi ed'by
the idea. Shall we refuse to ride upon the -ai
road or cross the waters in an ocean greyhoimd
SeCStvS0niPl?ying th concePtion ofanoS?
Llectrlcity is not a new agency, The ltahtniri
have illumined flie sky from the J dawn o 'tveSn
A few decades ago one man thought out a method
by which it could be. fnrisoned in a wire Tond
; now widely separated lands are united by tele-
graph linos, while cabled traverse the dceah's
bod. Shall -woofuso to read the news that?' the
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