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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (May 28, 1905)
May 2S, 1008. TIIE OMAHA ILLUSTRATED REE. (Glories of Quaint Old Japan in Its Beautiful Cherry Blossom Time - -.;VK?""' :m r ;w 'Vw--'V v.-- :; .-V:j.. C'' O yl:AN ' '" : f -S "... ..,- .. . . r , . J , , t - " "' ' ' ' . ' " ' "' " ,' ' -' ,' -w r - : -v,y; .. :;s,v W . - r. ... f. -; 1 A GAME OF BIJXT) MAN'S BUFF UNDER THE CHBRRT TREES OF TJTENO. kHOULX) you ftk m what l th their feet beneath the fltrwerlnK tre Deep thought la It not upon an object out true spirit of Japan I would serene aa Buddha come to Nothingness, of which are woven Images illustrative of answer 'Us the scent of the They sip weak green tea from lllllputlan some Individual philosophy? It is a vague. I. mountain cherry tree In the cups and listen to the still email twang or unsatisfying term and seems lncongrous to Vy' i morning air," says the poet distant samlsens, which mingles with the me when it Is applied to the attitude of a Motoori beloved of the Japanese. wall of geisha voices in music that knows throng of these bright-robed little Japanese The tcent of the mountain cherry tree not passion and has no single note in it of women, who sit for hours at a time beneath In the morning air! 'Tls a peace odor that, wayward, resolute human love. I do not the cherry trees without moving an eye- whlch wins the hearts of aliens even, and understand It. I cannot fathom this Japan lash, without uttering a word. Buddhlstlo when I think how It must permeate the which seems to me so shallow. The whole contpmplatlon the enthusiasts call it, but happy memories of each of the little browa soul life of the people seems to be em- Inertia Is jterhaps a better word, and the one and daughters of this tinkling, small, bodied in the single Idea of Contemplation, Idea uppermost in my mind about it is a upon which Idea one hears so many changes vague conception of an Oriental economy rung. But I don't know what that means, in pleasures which makes an unutterable weet land of elfin faiths, I believe I un derstand the "true spirit of Japan," that Tamato damashi, which is at once the re ligion and the pride earth of earthy of this country of mysteries screened by laniasy. The cherry blossom is the emblem of Bushido; Bushido is Japanese chivalry; the "Soul of Japan" so enthusiastically dwelt upon by that best interpreter for his own, Inaxo Nitobe, A. M., Ph.D. The cherry blossom, beloved for itself, and not, as by us, for what it promises. Is native to Japan, as native as the firmly fixed belief In Ama-terasu the Heaven-Shlnlng-Oreat-August-Deity, Goddess of the Bun, whose descendant, now augustly deigning to sit upon the throne of the empire, is the first not far from the offices of the canal, with of his great line who has ever been fear- a fine outlook over Panama, Tjily and Uncle lessly looked upon by his adoring sub- Bam s new islands. Its official title Is "the Jects. Away back Ina century engulfed in Palacio de Qoblerno" and it forms both the centuries, when the gray dawn of England's offices and residence of President Manuel history was just . beginning to pale upon Amador-Guerrera, the George Washington Time's horizon, there lived an emperor of of this new republic. Japan called Richleu. Now neither Rlchleu A squad of policemen armed with' rifles nor his predecessors had ever felt potency wan marching up and down in front of it of the scent 'of the mountain cherry tree when I called there not long ago with in the morning air nor were the palace Minister Barret. As we approached they gardens luxuriantly adorned, as they are saluted us, but the minister raised his hand today with this most luxuriant of all and the guna dropped and we passed (Copyright, 1906,' by Frank O. Carptenter.) ANAMA, Mav 26. (Special Corre spondence of The Bee.) The "White House" of the Panama republic is light blue. It Is a large two-story building, situated A TUCKSITA TIIDE TO ASAEUSO PARK.' sacred much out of all nature's fleeting descrlbable thing this cherry season. Even been once upon a time, before the eneraetlo poesies which are always sum to Uluml- gifts. to paint word pictures of the extrava- hand of progress applied to its old. useless, nate one'a first impression of Japan. But And how fleeting this wonderful Japan gance, of the beauty of it is a thing im- plcturesquenesa such an unskilled motley gradually the austerity of winter begina cherry season is. The plum blossoms, less possible, but oould that be done there of modern patches. In winter time when to melt under the warm smiling of the beloved, but scarcely leas beautiful, coma would be still much more left to do In so many of the trees are leafless this February Bun, and then suddenly upon In February and ding to the trees for finding one'a way through the mystic gaunt, new outwardness of Toklo Is dectd- many bare branches that reach over the weeks. Indeed, even now in mid-April, one mazes of rational sentiment, which is like edly Irritating. One longs to get glimpses high walls little pink blossoms begin to may find them in "low spots whre the nothing ever comprehended by occidental behind the high unbeauttful fences which appear and a wee aoft bird, with a sad sunlight is never very strong, but the mind. screen so successfully all that Is of Toklo note in Its beautiful song begina to fill all cherry blossoms last only a few days and beautiful or Japanese, but one seldom does, the bright mornings with trillings. The that is doubtless why the time seems like Cherry Time In Toklo. and as the winter days go by a firm plum blossom and the ugutsu under grey- a great holiday In the land; why everybody I am In Toklo. the strangest city In the conviction that no uglier city exists upon pink Februafy skies form a combination neglects all other things to go and sit be- world a marvelous medley of sights and earth settles Itself in one's mind to the which nature fashioned in her genUest neath the trees and dream. It is an In- sounds. I try to think what It must have absolute destruction of certain fantastic mood, and the burst of Joy which follows it at the blossoming of the myriad cherry trees seema a fitting climax to ao sweet a herald of approaching summer. Over almost every wall indeed, cherry trees lift their bare branchea through the February days, and slowly aa the sun brlghtena their brownnesa turns to pur ple wtiich alowly fadea to an expectant pinkenlng flush. To me this promise time is more beautiful in a way than the time of full blooming, when Toklo becomes a blushing, intoxlcantly fragrant garden, and yet nothing was ever so beautiful in President Amador Talks Instructively of Panama flowering trees. But one day Richleu and some of his courtiers were pleasuring in a boat upon a small lake near the palace when, as the emperor lifted his lacquered wlnecup to his lipn, a cherry blossom from the hills above floated down and settled with a gentle suggestion of com panionship Into the amber liquid. His majesty, keenly alive to the poetry that Ik of Japan Japanese, paused to wonder while all his courtiers prostrated themselves be fore the unseen divinity who had thus so through. Entering the 'door we came into a patio, or hollow court, surrounded by the living and reception rooms of the mansion. In the center of the court palms were grow ing. Its floor waa of tiles and balconies ran about it at the second story. We crossed the patio and went upstairs to the state reception room, and hence on into the president's private parlors, where Mr. J. E. Lefevre, the executive secretary, met us and told us that his excellency was ex- grarlously and highly deigned to announce PcctlnsT our visit. her presence among them. Birth of the Custom. The cherry flowers of the hills: Until ,that moment It had been neglected, unob- .m .11 .ia v iwk. 1 1 n ... . . ..... .U irvj . niving inruni iiseii wim sutn cnarming Insistence upon the notice of the Heaven bom, the Tenshl, It waa destined thence- rreeldent Amador im lOOff. A moment later the president entered and Mr. Barret formally presented me, and we arranged an appointment for a day when he should give me a talk for my American readers. I called and the result is the in terview which follows. But first let me introduce you to this forth to occupy first plai In the hearts of president of the world s baby republic and the people of the land wherein alone It tne father of Its independence. I have blossoms to perfection. The ladles of the given his name as Manuel Amador-Guer- court of Rlchieif had never, in their holy r,ra. jn America he would be known aa seclusion, looked upon a cherry blossom, president Amador, but here the Guerrera and when they were told the sweet story i, added, after the Spanish fashion, fbr that of the single dying flower dropping so vaa tn0 name of his mother. He la the son ndly into the emperor'a wine cup their c( jo,e Maria Amador and Mercedes Ouer curlostty waa so great that Ilia Majesty rera. On his mother's aide he la the grand- caused to be brought from the bills soma son of a colonel who fought for the inde of the most perfect trees which were pendence of Colombia. The president waa planted In the palace gardens and coaxed born in Colombia and was educated at the to luxuriant blooming for his august Vnlverslty of Cartagena, pleasure and the joy of his thousand human ne was just about of age when he grad butterflles. Then the poets of the empire uated there aa a doctor and came to Pan began to frame sweet thoughts about the ama to practice medicine." This was mora 'hitherto unsung Bakura In words of fan- than fifty, years ago, and from then until tastlc melody. They wrote of morning dew now pr Amador has been one of tho lingering longingly upon pink violet clouds, leading citizens of the isthmus. Aa far unresponsive to the paM'nM wooing of back as during our civil war he was vice the aunbeanis. They spoke of mellow preaident of Panama state and when Gen moonllght suffused with the intoxicant erai (rant was beginning his first term in breath of Bakura. queen of spring. They the White House Dr. Amador had been wrote of "Bprtng'a soft shower of tears" ipoted Its president. There waa a revolu when the withered bloom fluttered down to tion however, which prevented hia hold earth, and as they wrote the whole world lng tne offlce and which resulted in his that Is Japan grew in love with this pink banishment to Cartagena. Later on he cloud flower, and the sentiment graauauy WBS pardoned and came back to Panama. .... yf - ....). . w - ' . i '.if'." ! .' , ' J '. V . I..- ' .',' v-.V ..V V ' "The republic la almost entirely unde veloped, and In the evolution of the future I think there will be many chancea for Americans and others to make money. We "Do you expect to be troubled with revo lutions in the future?" "No." replied the president. "Our treaty with the United States will prevent that. have as yet no roads. The only way to get Colombia has been torn up by revolutions the world aa this. over the country is on mule trails, or by ever since she became independent. Thla $- going up and down the coast in boats and cannot be true of Panama, for the United JT B''"V ... y,n thence Into the interior. We hope to build States will not permit it. even if we so de- All that has been aa d. al that has been roads Just as soon as we can. We shall sired. Our people thoroughly understand written, the entltnent 'hl nam' first make wagon roads, and shall try to that fact. Our progress is to be upon the Japan th Ijl"d ot1' SSm" the render the whole country accessible to the road of peace rather than that of war and Flowery Kingdom, all the enthusiasm, the coast, with the Idea that the product- may bloodshed." hyperbole, is J-t nd be- be carried down to the sea and thence "Do you anticipate any trouble with Co- never did the sun rise upon a r .hipped to the markets here and at Colon. lombla?" wltchln. sight than the ten mill on cherry Later on we shall build railroads, and In "No. Tou. as I have said, are our great trees of the lttle isla nd empire in the full the far future there will probably be a and good frind. I do not think we will be K'ry or me.r .i .-,.. " . . . . . i i... .i .i shine of day. tne sneen railway running ironr one ena oi ranama tui"'w uuunriru mumci vuunn. - to the other. There Is 'already talk of railroad to the Chlriqul region, but that will have to wait until our resources are sufficiently developed to warrant its con struction. As It Is now there would not be enough passengers and freight to pay the operating expenses of such a road." Panama's Resources. "What are your chief resources?" I asked. "We have many. We have a vast amount of mahogany, timber and are exporting rub ber and ivory nuts. Much of our land Is fitted for cattle raising, and we have sev eral hundred thousand cattle and horses here. The Chiriqul country, which lies be tween this and Costa Rica, has many large ranches. The cattle are especially fine and they command a ready sale In the market. There are also many ranches In the prov inces of Los Santos, Cocle and Veraguas. and hides form one of our chief articles of export." "What Is the character of your soil?" "It is as rich as that of any part of the tropical world. It will produce coffee The of night, are Where did Panama s independence orlgi- drowned In cherry blossom light " but what was 'born in the United States and nursed P'n low tnere are no 3o 0"" ""; n by the United States government." bursts of exuberant youthful song; no shouting of rollicking, noisy children; no lovers lost In dreama In auoh a dreamland. To be sure there are throngs, great, bright throng" moving restlessly about or sitting motion. ess among the trees, but they make no sign of Joy and are silent save for the clank-clonk of their wooden shoes upon the gravelled walks. If a burst of song reaches one'a ears it Is from the lips of some swag gering Btudent and la a resolveless little note without meaning to senses trained to the positive, the assertive In melody. It will express sentiment of Japan to the Jap anese no doubt and eound as heavenly sweet to their ears as ca rollings of native song to ours, but it will only serve to con ceal from ua all that Is meant to reveal. It Is only weird, fantastic gurgling, as lnade- quate to the expression of the feelings with Panama's Ten Million Dollars, which the bright season inspired ua aa any "What are you doing with the $10,000,000 ouni could possibly be. which you received from the United .. U,7ZZ" v.i... Stales'" Children Voices. i, i, . . But one might not miss this kind of muslo wwiiiv w . i l ,rvc 0uic ....'I U I ) 1 1 HUI KB. "That Is not so. It originated here. Our people felt that they could not endure the loss and delay entailed upon this country by the action of the Colombian govern ment. We saw that we must Hct quickly If we would secure the canal, and we there fore decided to make ourselves Independent of our mother country. Some of us went to the I'nited States, and, although we did not see the president or any of his cabinet, wo learned enough to believe that your eouni try would come to our assistance If we made our rebellion In the proper way against the outrages which were being per petrated upon us. We acted upon that supposition and have not been disappointed." cacao, sugar cane and every vegetable com- We have already spent In the neighborhood " J'" ". mUC,h ,f ""' thpre w"r" m"l0 mon to this latitude. We have excellent of l.ono.OnO silver dollars In that way. We fruit lands both here and In other prov- are improving our harbora and will gradu- !,fk'ng play' But f1 f,"'t;.JhY,l!,l,!!!e" Incea. The banana exports from Bocaa del Toro already amount to hundreda of thou sands of dollars a year. There Is no reason why fruit and vegtables might not be raised for export on the strip of land which has been granted to the United States. Such productions will be In steady- demand during the construction of the canal, and farming along those lines would pay. As ally make roads into the interior. Six million dollars of the remainder has been Invested in real estate mortgages In New York City and about $2,600,000 Is now on call there at a low rate of Interest. We receive only about 2 per cent on that, but we know we can get the money when we want It." "What are you doing as to establishing to sugar rane and coffee, they can be raised schools and bettering your educational con In many places, our people, however, have dltlon?' in Japan are as quiet as the little dolls that are made in such perfect semblance of them. One may wander through the cherry groves for hours; one may see hundreds of brilliantly robed little butterfly girls and hundreds of sober-hued little boys playing In the rose-pink shadows, but they play aa the butterflys play sllijitly, lightly, airily, it seems to me, making almost no sound but a low musical clanking in the gravel with rPTTSTTtWNT 'ATWATVOR OV PANAMA From photo H-Ka4 Taken for President Roosevelt. , also of the Pacific Mail and Equitable Life communicate it to the first yellow fever developed which found Its highest expres sion when Motoorl mrote . Should you ask me what Is the true spirit of Japan I would answer 'tis the scent of the moun tain cherry tree In the morning air." -4- Ile again took an interest in politics, which he has kept up to this day. Indeed, It Is largely due to him that Panama is now a republic. He wont to New York Just before the revolution and secured the as sistance which aided In making the cause a success. He returned on the 37th of October one year ago, promising to pro claim the Independence of Panama before the 6th of the month following. This he did on November S, and after the constl- eras elected the first president, which position he has now held for more than one year. How te President Look. Japan's Sedate Pleasure. I have wondered how the Japanese came to be such economists In pleasures. 1 do not know. We of the great western world take our Joys so madly and so sadly. We - . , . . V. .. live uvea oi sucn noiou.nr .r.,.. tuU(m WM Bjop,M ne regrets, ror sensation mai connunn u we barter our peace. For luxury that smothers us we exchange the serenity that Is Ood's dlvlnest blessing, and so com pletely are we enwrapped in the confusion of achievements which our untrammeled desires have wrought that we pause embar rassed before Simplicity and wonder how it came to be. At least that Is my experi ence here In Japan in these cherry blossom his dark hair and days, when I mingle with the throngs of sprinkled with gray people who . walk so silently, ao almoat sadly beneath the fragrant clouds of pink, unmatched, beneath tha sun. that express to me such a' magnificent riot of joy. If the cherry groves of Uyeno grew In Central park the May day crowds would dance under their flower weighted boughs; there would be blatant music of banTIs; fountains would plash and play over white marble goddesses of love; children would shriek exuberantly In the dappling shadows, and Insurance companies, and he therefore knows well the health conditions of this part of the world. Health at Panama. One of my first questions waa whether Americans could safely live at Panama,. The president replied: "There is no may not be as healthy here as In the states if they will conform to the ordinary customs of life In the tropica. A few may have malarial fever at the start, but this danger will diminish as time goea on and after a while they will become Im mune. Our malarial fevers attack for eigners more readily than natives. This is also the case with yellow fever. The man who has been on the Isthmus for ten or fifteen years la apparently out of danger. "How about the mosquitoes, doctor? Do patient, or was the first yellow fever pa tient born to enable the first female mos quito In that Interesting condition to get "They are not necessarily fatal, and reason why your people seldom cause death. They succumb quickly to quinine and are largely pre vented by taking tonic doses.." their wooden shoes. If the game Is battle- We have alreadv done much. TTnrter dor fhuttle-cock they play It IllUngly. the old form of government' there were smll'nly. n,lt mutely, with new a single only 201) or 300 children attending the public n""t of Pleasure, of triumph or dlsappolnt- schools of this city. We have now 2.700 ment. 1' man's buff, a favorite enrolled, and this number will be doubled ame, there are no shrieks of exuberant as soon as we have the school houses to laughter, no roysterlng and Jumping and accommodate them. We have sent abroad J'0," shouting which seems ao necessary fifty young men and women who are being to n,,r cn"dren at home, and I am con- sumea wim a constant nesire to get in responsible parties on very liberal terms." officials and tAachers. Some will have among these wee pretty kiddies and Inspire How about mines?" charge of schools, others are being fitted hpm with a proper appreciation for their We have for engineers and others for other resDonsl- own possibilities. A crowd of children not paid much attention to farming and that development Is a matter of the fu ture." "Does Panama want outside money?" "Yes," replied the president. "We are glad to welcome both capital and men. We have public lands which can be leased In trarts of 5.000 hectares, or a little more than t . . . l . ..Iln.i f...A MtlAnt " V i i k u-v" arrPS- " ' ar ready to rent them to educated at the public expense to serve .IIU I .... L, SICMV lua . 1... ... . ........ .' ".. has come down to now?" "How about your malarial fevers?" "Panama Is rich In minerals. gold, silver. Iron and probably copper. The country has not been carefully prospected, but we have several gold mines which are now In profitable operation. One of these Is the Darien Gold Mining company, which empolys hundreds of miners. It Is an Eng lish corporation. I understand that It paya good dividends." Panama and the I nlted States. "What are the relations between your re- The president of Panama Is one of the you think tliey cause fevers?" fine-looking rulers of this age. He is mora than six feet tall and Is straight and well formed. His forhead is high and full, his complexion rosy, and although he la 71 mustache are only I asked him for a photograph. In reply he brought me one of President Roosevelt which he had Just received, saying that he waa having a photograph taken to send back to him, and that ha would have a copy of the same struck off for this letter. has since done. The president Is the picture of health. He is a living evidence that hare on the isthmus men can re, h a green old age and keep young. His life has bean a "Yes, I believe in the mosquito theory. Yellow fever and malarial fever are car ried by the bites of certain mosquitoes at certain stages of their existence. I think, however, that there are other means of catching the yellow fever than by such inoculation. According to the modern theory every man who has yel low fever gets It from tha bite of a fe male mosquito which has been feasting off the blood of a man who has yellow This ho fever. They even go so far as to say that the female mosquito takes euch feasta only when aha la anxious to breed, and that it la only at such times that she In troduces the yellow germs Into her ric time. If thla is so Hie question arises aa to how the first yellow fever mosquito How to Lire Long- at Panama. "Tell me, Mr. President, how one should do who wishes to livelong and keep well In this part of the world?" "He should observe regular hours and avoid excesses of every kind. The worst thing is drink. A man here should use no intoxicating liquors. This rule prevails public and the United States?' generally aa to life in the tropica. Aa for me, I was the doctor of the Panama rail road when it waa built, and I passed through the terrible slcknesk of that time. I have been here during the whole con struction of the canal and have always enjoyed excellent health. I attribute this largely to my regular habits. I go to bed at 10 o'clock every night and I arise at 7 every mornlBE I am careful of my eat ing and try not to overwork, although 1 have at times been forced to do so. I have led a quiet life as far as I possibly ble positions." might play blind man's buff under my very window the livelong day without disturb- ihg me in the least, for the only sound I'd Troahles of a President. vf,r nPar wouI(j a mtl(. muffling of now do you like being president of the shoes and an occasional little tinkle of laughter, with some queer oriental gurg lings that would be without meaning to my ears. And never once would I have the pleasure of hearing one of the children cry. I don't believe Japanese babies know how to cry. I've lived In the country for a full year now and I have seen thousands of children of all ages and all conditions, hut I one of them In youngest republic In the world, your excel lency?" "I can't say that I like It," replied Dr. Amador. "The life is a Uttle too strenuous for me. There are so many men who want things, and It Is ao often impossible to give men what they want. Our people cannot realize that the enormous sum we have re- great she will always continue to hold that posi tion. She was largely the cause of our be coming Independent and we feel that our future depends upon her. We are satisfied that she will put through this gigantic canal, and that with the flowing together of the Atlantic and the Pacific will come a great mcatng caravan of ships from all over the world, making us the half-way stseton between the continents. Indeed It could, and, as a result, although I am now seems to me that no land upon earth haa "We look upon the United State, a. our f!",m l'" 1 "lu"d houl1 not hlnk I have never seen one reat and good friend." replied the presi- "1 l;radcat over the country. Some grlf. ent of Panama, "and it la our hope that "if"1 hlnk, ,the" ouht to omrM' So. brilliant cherry season. If 9 f a all ansa t m l j M . . three acore ajid ten, I am, I judge, as young as most men of my years in any part of the world." only lovers would go silently because thua sirenuous one. In addition to bis pa lavers express greatest lova. Burn Is our luteal work he has carried on tha practice became Inoculated with tha yellow fever Intemperanco la pleaaurea But here in of medicine for fifty yeara He waa long germ. Was she born with tha yellow whether hia country offered many oppor. bcao me peopis ara muie, ajuing upon ma pnysician or. ma ranama railroad ana favor In her blood and waa thua able to tuniilea for tnvaatora. Ha replied; The ew Repaalle. The conversation here turned to Pan ama, and I asked the president aa to brighter prospects than ours." Polltleal Parties and "evelaf loas. "Have you political parties here?'' "Yea, Indeed. Rut what republic haa not? We have liberals and conservatives. Wa have men of different opinions. Wa have linen In office, and also men who are out of fflce and want to get In." for all, and others bring forward Impracti cable schemes for the government to carry out. It may be easier after a time. The government will soon be thoroughly estab lished and Its machinery will move upon well oiled wheels. Just now we are chop ping our republic, out of the woods, and the whole organization has to be constructed and put into operation. "You have asked me how I like being president. I wou,ld say that I did not want the position, and hat I requested the people to lake some other and belter man. They Insisted, however, that I should accept the responsibility and here I am. I have al ways been Interested In the political wel fare of my country; but I aosuru you I would rather practice medicine than poli tics, and I shall be glad. Indeed, when I am allowed to go back to my profesalon." FRANK O. CARPENTER. Japan laeka mufh that we would make a part of It If the groves of Uyeno grew In Central park and oil the other thousands of gardens were scattered throughout our country, of much exulerance and much Joy In life. But Japan Is for the Japanese and that their Joys do not express themselves as oura do Is no proof that they are not as deep and strong. "The true spirit of Japan Is as tha scent of the mountain cherry tree in tho morning air." says Motoorl. with a depth of poetic sentiment which proves much in tensity In the national life, and If this in tensity finds Ilk best expression in tho splrlt-faint breath of the cherry flowers then Japan today is living, for tha whole country Is enveloped In clouds of pink ao light tliat one expects to see them rise Into the air like morning mist and evaporat before one's eyes. ELEANOR rRANVXIK