, 1874-06-19
as ne Baid at Tho outaot. opito1nizo tho prcaont
condition OF tho Republican party. Dotwoen
t'oao inomoriop and thia oilaoa lleB only q long,
droRry wnato OF corruption.


REFORM IN 1APAN,
Tho reform, political and social, now in prog
rosa In Japan, las boon compared, 30 radical ia
1t In every respect, to TINT etrcctol In Europe by
tho french Revolution, with only hlsdifrorence,
TINT tho revolution In Jnpan Is pcaeoablo one,
attended by no commosion, convulsion, or ul,-
hoaving Of my kind. Tho leader Of this romark-
ablo reform Is a nobfo Japanese attached to tho
Court Of tho Nikado. His namo Is Iwakura
Tomoni, and is assisted by ono sanjo, like him.
aolf noble, aud by four PrlncoH. Formerly,
japan WAS divided into districts and provinces.
Tho districts woro ruled from tho Central Gov
ernmont, and tho provinces by foudal
Princes. Tho division into provinces has boon
dono Away. with, or rather tho provinces havo
boon changed into dlatricts, aud aro now gov
ernod by officers chosen from among tho people,
no mattor what tho class. hut appointed by tho
Court Of Jcddo. Tho former ruiora of the PROV
1nccs havo been all called to Jctldo, whoro they
aro compelled to stay IN tbcr palaces.
1walura has prevailed on the nobloa to relin-
quisl all their old privileges ard rights, which
military forces Of tho four "conquering"
Princes havo been united 10 US to constitute
hut ono army governed by tho Mikado through
bis Ministers. There III now but ono army in
all Of Japan whore formerly thcro was
one for oach province. The pensions Of
tho "gontlomen Of tho sword" have
been stopped, and thoy hayo boon ordered
to put away their arms They aro allowed now
to practice profession or to engage In trade;
and tho right which thoy formerly possessed to
striko persous OF inforior rank with their swords
haH boon taken from them. Mobiles, gentry, and
the pooplo aro permitted to intormarry, and tho
workers in leather havo boon relieved Of tho op-
probrium TINT rested on them aud their trado.
Tho mouastic institutions Of JapancBo priests
hayo beon suppressed, tho buildings taken for
tho State. Tho bonzes have boen authorized
to marry and to uso tlosh meat spite Of
their Religious promises to abstain from
both. Tile edict agaiust tho Christian
religion was repealed lust year, and
at present the Japanese may embrace 1t un-
molestod. Schools in largo numbers have boon
established over the Empire. 4 snal number
only Of malos aud still smaller ono OF fouaales
In tho past learned to road aud write. This WIS
owing very largely to the fact that to learn tho
Chinese charaotcrs required a worry long time.
and bccauso Q great many wero deficient In
memory to rotain an end'css a1phahet. It wna
therefore decided to apply tho Roman lettors 10
tho Japanese language; ind childron are now
taught to road aud write II in thoBe characters.
English is becoming to Japan what Latin mas in
Europe III the middle agcs.-tho language Of the
educated, as vol as Tho language Of diplomacy,
aud 1t is taught IN oil tho higher schools. French
tho Codo Napoleon 30 as to mako It
applicable to Japanese circumstances. Tho
interior Of tho country is not get open
to foreign travolorH, but it is expected
that 1t will bo before long, and tile Government
has now law to that effect under advisemont.
Tho American Or decimal system OF money has
boon adopted and ali tho gold and Hlyor Of tho
country rocoinod in accordance with 1t. Two
telegraphio lines hayo boon built, one connecting
With the Anglo-lndian cable and tho othor with
the Siberian lino. Tie first railroad was inaug-
uratcd On June u, 1879. and on Nov. Is follow
ing limo was completed between Joddo and
Yokohama. -Four other linos arc nlroady pro.
jcctcd. In 1870 tho foreign commerce Of Japan
was valued at S48.263,000
It will not DO many centuries before European
civilization will have fully invaded and conquered
the Mongolan.