Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-11-16

One Of the most interesting movements
81 modern times is that now taking place
in japan Late letters to the State Depart
ment not vet made public. show that Gen
efal Capron. our recent Commissioner OF
Agriculture. was most cordially received
bv the japanese authorities and il Il
probable tia; he has already begun hIs
work, preliminary 10 the Development OF
the natural capacities Of the empires
Dorthernmost large island There y srrcGg
reason TO belicve that our people are but
partially informed as 10 the magnitude OF
that work. and good ground for suproslng
that his appointment il but one OF series
OF important steps contemplated by the
reigiing powers. The able Law officer un-
der Secretary Fish. Mr. Z. Peshine Smith,
has been selected and engaged by the
japanese Minister 10 aid his government
in the serious and extensive treaty business
Of next summer and the Minister gives
assurance that il is the desire of his master
10 modify the existing treaties in conforml-
~ with advanced principles of interna-
tional comfy.
Previous 10 1868 the country had dual
head-political power was vested IN the
Tycoon. and spiritual power in the Mikado.
The revolution of that year resulted IN the
overthrow of the Tycoonate, and the SOW
ereign authority of the empire has since
been in the bands Of the Mikado. One Of
his latest notable acts was thelabolition Of
the Provincial Governors or fcudal
Daimios, and the local authority heretofore
exercised by them has now been trans
ferrcd TO the central ruler. Letter writers
for the daily press differ in their interprc-
tation Of the origin and significance Of this
event, hut that il means an advance
toward civilization and has the general
concurrence Of the dispossessed Daimios
themselves, is asserted by our Minister
to Japan, as well as by the japanese
Minister in Washington. Those by
whom il was resisted were among the
weaker members Of the order, and Mr..
Mori SAYS the Mikado will have little diff
Guilty in maintaining his position. That
the act ultimately tends to unfication and
the consolidation Of the empires resources
TO good ends, is not doubted by such of
our officials as are well enough advised to
form an unbiased and comprehensive
opinion.
The United States has already furnished
the Mikado with a considerable number Of
agents, and we learn that several more are
quite likely to go out to Japan in the
spring. That other civilized nations man.
ifest some jealousy at what seems our con-
nection with that country, need not excite
any wonder; but we Judge they will dis
cover that they have no just cause of COM
plant when they ascertain the facts re-
speeding this connection. The President
and his advisers are willing to give the
Mikado such moral and material support
ms they properly can, but the State De-
partment has done nothing more than to
further its matured purposes, communi-
Gated through Mr. Mori; and the engage
mcnt Of Messrs Capron, Smith, and other
gentlemen, was the work of Mr.. Mori
himself, who applied to us in the first in
stance. as he states, because his sovereign
thought he would be dealt with here fairly
and candidly, and without Interior motive
And we are confident that no such motive
has influenced the course of the Depart
ment; while the japanese Minister ex-
presses great satisfaction at the honorable
treatment he has received.
But no person cognizant of the situation
and advised as to the Mikados desires and
intentions, can doubt that we arc to he
brought into closer relations with Japan
than any other nation has attained That
country has opened its doors to modern
Thought and aspiration, and, without
predisposltion on our part, the United
States has become in some measure con-
fidential adviser. With the introduction
of the railroad and telegraph, the teach
ing Of English from schOol-book pre-
pared in America, the carrying tlithcr of
immense quantities of agricultural and me-
chanical tools made in the States, the
study OF numerous official and scientific
publications sent home by the legation
at Washington, the spread Of information
gained by the various gentlemen of rank
and ability temporarily sojourning in our
chief cities-this great inflowing tide of
American ideas must inevitably produce
marked effect on the old Oriental En-
pire. II is all more like romance than re-
atty, such are the novelty and enterprise
OF the new movement; but unless the
coolest and soberest observation is wholly
Al fault, Japan is emerging from isola-
ton and darkness into light and brother
hood Il Eyarv EatrrJa,