The New York herald., 1872-10-02
Tho Reform Movement In Japan
6igns or . Rcectl0As

is not encouraging to those who havo hoped
for the final success of the reform move
ment which, for some years past, has been
going on in that country. Radical changes,
ii seems, have take;l place at the headquarters
of the Japanese 60 sernment and number Of
concurring circumstances lead to the belief
that the reaotionary party bag worked its way
to supreme power in the STATE. General Horace
.Capron, CommissiQner Of Agriculture, has
been discharged. Peshine Smith, taken from
the Department Of Slate at Washington to
organize tho Law Department Of Japan, has
also been dismissed. 1t is stated, ON good au-
thority, that the Embassy to the Western
Powers are stranded in London for the want
OF funds and even for the want Of authority to
carry out the mission with which they are en-
trusted. Work on q vessel now being con-
structed in New York for the Japanese govern
ment and contracted for by Minister Mori, has
been stopped, for the reason that the money is
not forthcoming according to contract. On
account Of these complications Mr.. Birdseye
G.. Northrup, the Connecticut State Commits
sioner of Education, has just declined a SINH
lar position which had been rendered him by
the Japanese government
Minister Mori, through to-day's HERALD,
explains hopefully away the crisis by stating
that it is the desire Of the Mikado to preserve
for Japan in permanent form the fruits Of the
progress already made by allowing the older
party share in the government.
All this, it must be admitted, is dis
-conraging We had our fears-and we
have mofs than once expressed them--that
Japan was reforming too rapidly, and that in
marching at 'sdouble-quick" into full fellow
ship with foreign States-as Minister De Long
was pleased to put it-that country might be
marching into serious though unforeseen trou-
ble We are glad to learn that the reaction is
not SO serious as it seemed at first accounts,
that the good work Of reform is not abandoned,
that this is nothing more than temporary
check, and that the hope may still be INDUCED
that Japan, within a reasonably brief period,
will be admitted within the family Of civil
lied nations. Japan has been doing so
well, and her progress has been conducted
SO much under our own tutelage, that
We naturally feel interested in her future
welfare. No country, in the whole history of
the world, has ever made such rapid strides in
an onward and upward direction. Of no
country could it ever be said before that, in
tho march of progress. it had taken five GEN.
turies at stride, and devoured, in a decade,
oil the space dividing feudalism and despotism
from constitutional government and the other
aa,rto al oe
modern life By one leap Japan passed from
a state Of things represented by the civiliza-
ticn Of the twelfth century in Europe to a state
of things represented BY the Western civiliza-
ton Of the nineteenth century. Before 1854,
when Commodore Perry was successful in
negotiating treaty with Japan, that country
had been isolated from the rest Of the world
for at least two hundred and sixteen years.
Its civilization had nothing in common with
the civilization of the Western nations,
and all contact with the foreigner
was visited with the severest penalties
For some years after the conclusion
Of that treaty, little perceptible change was
noticeable in the conduct of affairs in Japan.
Treaties were concluded with most Of the
European Powers; but these treaties were ex-
torted from rather than courted by Japan. In
1869, however, the grand leap was made-the
entire framework of government was changed;
the Tycoon retired and the Mikado emerged |
from obscurity; the great mobiles, who were
rulers in their respective prov
inces, voluntarily surrendered their authority |
and the nation became unit reform went |
rapidly on and railroads, telegraphs, schools,
colleges and embassies to foreign States re-
vealed the nature and extent of the revolution
1t was change which in its rapidity and ap-
parent completeness was wholly unprecedented
in history, and, not unnaturally, men and |
nations looked on with wonder and amaze |
inent. BY some philosophers we were told |
that it was fresh and wondrous revela- |
ton Of the combined forces Of tlN nine !
teenth century. 1t was fulflment Of |
ancient prophecy--a nation had been born in
a day. BY others we were reminded Of the
danger Of sudden changes, Of the impossibility
Of passing by one step from the feudal insti- |
tutions Of the Middle Ages to the freedom Of |
and japanese reform was pro-
nounced rashness which could not fail to re-
suit in ruin.
Our latest news instifes the latter verdict,
not the former. As we have said already, we
shall be sorry to learn that the reform move
ment in Japan has proved failure and that
ali our high hopes have been blasted. II must
be admitted, however, that there is somethingin
he nature Of things and something in the past
history of Japan which give US just cause for
fear. This is not the first time that Japan has
entered upon a promising career Of reform;
and if this, her latest reform movement, shall
prove failure it will not be the first time
hat through that country the hopes
Of the world have been disappointed.