The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-09-26
nm GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE
a - . A ~


Government Of Japan are difficult to obtain.
Many errors have obtained currency among |
Americans concerning this isolated and singu- |
lar people Perhaps the most prominent of |
these is the idea that the Government of Japan |
has a double head that there are two Empe- /
rors. one political and the other spiritual, and |
that the political Emperor is the Tycoon Cor
Taikoup), who lives at YeddO. There is but |
one head to the Empire and he is the one who |
has been supposed to be the spiritual Emperor
and lives at Mako The Tycoon is the fourth
in authority from the Emperor. The Govern
ment of Japan is an unlimited despotsm in
theory. There is no written Constitution. The
will Of the Emperor, when proclaimed, be-
comes the law of the land, without let or him
drance. The only external control upon the
exercise of power is custom. All the people
of Japan, including the officials, are held be-
meath the sway of custom. What has been for
a long series of years must continue to be-
The precedents of venerable past are OF
supreme authority. We may not safely trans
gress the traditions Of the Fathers. "WeIl
enough" is to be "let alone" II is not best
to enter upon novelties.
Hence Japan abounds in governmental regu-
lations and in social customs which are iusti-
fed only on the ground of their antiquity.
The very ground of attack by Yankee would
be the ground of defense by a Jap.
Any official connection with the Government
eXalts an individual above common men. The
higher the grade of Office the further is the
incumbent removed from the sphere of ordi-
nary existence. The Supreme Ruler of Japan
is lifted up above all creatures. He dwells
apart in q life of sublimated isolation. Thus
he exists apart, ''grand and peculiar" but
whether gloomy" or not one cannot say, but
many presume that in the society of his wives
and in the supreme administration of affairs
he manages to have pretty cheerful time of
it. His attendants are the chief digntaries of
10 Iai ad tho GOr IF lint
in fact the only real hearty sentiment of wor-
ship which the Japanese people possess is
towards their Emperor. His dynasty is the
Oldest in the world. Authentic records of the
present reignipg family are in existence which
carry its history as far back as six hundred
years before Christ.
Under the Emperor there are three hun
dred and sixty-fve (perhaps one or two more
or less) reigning princes, each of whom has
his department. There is large aristocracy
in Japan distinguished by the wearing of two
swords. Any male born to this mark of
superiority begins to wear his two swords as
soon as he appears in public. The children
wear their wooden swords. The two-sworded
gentry have special privileges, and superior
consideration in society.
In Japan, of those not connected with the
Government, and who are engaged in prOduo-
tive labor for livelihood, the agricultural class
occupy the highest social position. The class
of mechanics comes next, and the merchants
or traders rank lower than either. This is as
it should be- 1t would be better for this
nation if the influence which social position
brings to bear could be so directed that our
young men would be encouraged to become
farmers or mechanics rather than counter
jumpers or book-keepeTs.
In regard to grades there is one singular
appointment in Japan. The tanners are pro-
scribed class. Other classes will not inter
marry or even associate with the class of tan
ners, except so far as business intercourse
requires. The term "leather," " when applied
by us either to heads, sixpences, or medals, is
one of reproach, but in Japan the Opprobrium
is of much wider and prevailing extent.
The families of Japan are all divided into
groups Of flee, for the more perfect administra-
q tiQn of the law. Five families living contigu'
2. 'ousiy are under the governmental sway of one
dead. These groups of five are again grouped
$snnder governor of high authority, and 80 on
until you reach the grade of the princes. In
a gfeQssZQf q ke Families each one is held re-
spo good conduct of all, so far as
this,i misconductrOf one person is
report 10 the Goyernment by person not of
his group, punishment is. inflicted on all be-
longing to the. group which contains the
offending member. ThVs most constant and
searching. stegn Of espionage prevails
throuehoiif ~ N
1t IS dfat Fr q person to do anything
which isnl .l.ttsh to his neighbors. A sys-
tenn OF paSSpOrJS also prevails, ana a traveller,
on arriving at new place, must give a salts
factory account of himself to the officials.
This .s5atem would come rather hard to us in
depen Americans, especially those accus-
toned ~ New York city lite-Where q man
usuaIiFB ignorant of his next-door neighbOr,
andSdhakzzot care to be enlightened. But the
system in Japan is very efficient for the pre-
vention of crime. 1t makes every one inte-
rested in the obedience to the laws of all his
immediate neighbors. 1t will not do to shut
ones eyes to the transgresson of others.
There are no laws in Japan relating to the
union of the sexes, no marriage laws, no legal
protection for women against the ills which
may attend upon the relations of the sexes.
Yet there is very little pOlygamy or bigamy.
And the large proportion of Japanese hus-
bands and wive lives together in peace and
continuity. The reason why monogamy pre-
walls IS because of the increased expense Of
attending upon the support of more than one
wife. Most of the Japanese are in moderate
circumstances. The same reason which the
American bachelor gives Tor having no wife,
the Japanese gives for limiting himself to one
Those of the highest rank practise pOlygamy
more or less.
Five hundred years ago began the present
dynasty OF the TyCoOns (as we are accustomed
70 speu the name). The Tycoons belong to
the class of princes. At the time mentioned
me nne prince who founded the dynasty of
yuVons mad a small district was cOmDara
avery poor, and in fact one of the humblest of
the princes. But he was n man of snnarior
parts, a man OF energy daring o,,5 elriIIF Ua