New-York tribune., 1871-09-12

|
gotten that it was an American Minister VINO,
in 1854, unsupported by any such murdcrous
| cnginery as lately disgr.Iccd our country IN
| the Corca, secured treaty which opened
.Jopan and flung wide the bronze gatcs--
never more to swing together on their
hinges. OF course, wo must not cX-
meet sudden and great changes the
cautions and half-dazcd Oriental will have no
| undgniGed haste, but he cmcrgcs slowly and
| surely from his ancient srcuslOn. We have
| ATTEMPTED, in our AnglO-SaxOn impaticnce, to
hurry China in her feeble struggles into the
| E.ht of Western civilization; and not few
unthinking, superficial people are already be-
ginning to complain that her slow though real
progress is u clumsy attempt to gain more
sl,lmbcrous delay But japan, though we may
| be deceived by tho ardor Of our hopes. is made
of kccncr metal than China, and the sharp
wiltcd much-cnduring Malay Mongol mixture
which we call Japanese has more appetite for
| Western civilization and the good things which
active international intercourse brings with 1t.
| The unique government system of Japan
was equal TO whatever strain it suffered dur
ing its serene isolation from all external
influences. For centuries, it has been
fcudalism moro dcspOtic than that of the
medieval ages of Europe The SIkado was
spiritual Emperor divincly descended and
cnducd tho Tycoon was temporal ruler,
and the sixteen hundred Daimios held their
vast estates. for the most part, in fec simple,
and exercised absolute power for life and
death over an immense following. by
system of ingenious checks and balances,
the Daimios were held in subjcction TO the
Tycoon, while the MikadO whose power
though only moral was great, was be-
tween these two opposing elements. for the
Daimios were jealous of the Tycoon, and the
MikadO was sovereign of both. But the inter
venton of foreign element brought on con-
test which, in 1867, took the form OF revolu-
ton, and, during the following year the power
Of the TycOOnatc was finally and forever broken.
The Tycoon's government had taken adyan-
tasc of the introduction of foreign trade, with
its great profits, to levy immense cxactions on
the producing interests (Which were those
of the Daimios), and under various prctcxts
had oppressed tho suddenly developed COM
merce of the country to that degree that the
mobiles, whose silk, rice and cotton had doubled
in value found themselves no richer than be-
fore. This, not the question Of excluding the
foreigners, was the cause Of the revolution of
1SG7-S which consolidated temporal and spirit
ual power in the MikadO, broke up the fcudali-
ties of the Daimiates, brought passable inn
itatiOn of parliament into existence, furnished
fixed national income and fairly equipped
Japan for the race before it. Old things have
passed away; all things have become new.
One cause of dispute between the DaimiOs
and the Tycoon was the employment of for
eign machinery, inventions, and mechanics,
which the Tycoon steadily opposed. His
downfall was the signal for the unchecked in
PRODUCTION of everything which the mobiles
desired Steam lines in the inland seas are
encouraged, and the DaimiOs themselves en-
plOy foreign steamers whenever they require
them. CuriOusly enough, the first instance OF
this sort was the charter of an American
steamer to take the retainers of a prince from
YedO (where they were no longer forced to
remain as hostages for his fealty) to a port in
his dominiOns where no white man or foreign
craft had ever before entered A railroad and
a telegraph line have been built; mines have
been opened; vessels of war and for merchant
service are building on American models; ag-
ricultural implements, stationary steam-en-
gines, and some of the simpler kinds of ma
chinery have been introduced into the cOun
try. The civil war gave birth to an irredeem
able paper currency, called kinsatz, initiated
from our greenbacks, with all their vicious
characteristics; and now that the Government
has returned to a specie basis, it is preparing
a symmetrical decimal coin currency modelled
on that of the United States, to replace the
awkward Oblong coinage which has served
Japan's purposes for more than twenty CEN
turtles. One of the most noticeable features of
Japanese progress, because it most nearly
comes home to u.s. is the temporary emigration
of large numbers of young men of high caste,
for the purpose of securing foreign training.
For the most part, these acquire a knowledge
of English, French, and German languages be-
fore leaving their native country. They go
abroad to learn the manners, customs, laws,
modes of trade, and forms of literature of the
nations among whom they sOjOurn. BY the
May steamer, twenty-three of these students
| arrived at San Francisco; by that of July,
| ffty-fOur came, and no steamer nOw-a-
| days crosses from this ancient Zipanga
| without bringing party of the young
| japanese, who have left behind them the cum
brOus forms of their antique civilization with
their quaint, rich robes and wearing gear; Gu
rious and eager for the acquisition of knOwl
| edge, donnng the uncomfortable attire of New
Workers and Parisians, anxious to be and to seem
like the people among whom they dwell. These
students of a new life are stationed in differ
ent parts of the United States, England, Ger
| many, France, and Russia. The larger part
remain in this country. The greatest innova-
ton proposed in Japan is the contemplated
substitution of the Roman for the thousand
|