The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-02

Civilization in Japan Is getting up or get
ting down to the level Of the Western nations.
Aside from the interesting news from that
distant country which we print this morn
ing, there are many things to be said of
the condition OF q people so lately born
to modern ideas. They have become like
other nations almost in an hour. Even
the decay of the Empire and the necessity
Of saving the State are becoming subjects
of as great anxiety among the Japanese as
with other civilized people. A farmer Of the
Niigata ken, for instance, wants to reanimate
in his country the virtues Of honesty and sim
plicity. He fears that Notwithstanding the
Saga insurrecton was suppressed in single
morning, unity has not been restored to the
minds Of the people of the Empire. The
samurai of the various ken, he says, would
hail with delight any troubles to the govern
ment, and persistently uphold the policy of
war with Corea. British interests, it is to be
feared, are working in the same direction,
and we find in the English journals in Japan
pleas for the Corean war and justifcations of
the popular discomfort. which are evidently
meant to be unfriendly in spirit towards the
Emperor and his Ministers. But these infu-
ences, we think, can have no real effect in
weakening the authority of the Empire or in
arresting Japanese progress in civilization.
Out of troubles Of this kind in every nation
we obtain an insight into its actual condition
which could not be obtained in any other
way The recent disturbances in Japan
brought out an appeal to the mobiles which is
in its way both revelation and prophecy.
The nobility, we are told in this appeal, is the
highest class in nation but this truism is
followed by the confession that in Japan the
mobiles eat the bread Of idleness and are of no
service to their country. ''They rank above
the samurai and the common people" say the
six old Japanese mobiles who sign this docu-
ment 'sbut in learning and capacity they
stand below them" Emulating the example
OF England, where 'the mobiles are o large
body of accomplished men skilled in legisla-
ton, who meet together in an assembly called
Parliament and attend to the business of
framing laws" and who are at the same time
s'the support of the whole country and pro-
lection to the THRONE these men would not
only have their class s'keep alive the ancient
manly virtues and become the models for the
samurai and the common people," but "be'
the safeguard of the sovereign, descended in
an unbroken line of descent through ten thou
sand generations from divine ancestors, and
aid in the civilization of the people by laying
the first foundation of Parliament" All
this sounds very WELL and there is in it most
excellent spirit of progress but when the
time comes for establishing a deliberative
assembly in Japan its most suitable members
will scarcely be found among the mobiles.
Even in England the Commons have always
been the directing power in legislation, and
the Lords. accomplished as they are in the
business of framing laws, are to-day only the
semblance of Legislative body. In Japan, as
in England, the samurai or middle classes will
constitute the real Parliament though it may
be wise in the one country as in the other to
give the mobiles share in the law-making
power Of the Empire.
Japan at the present time has two difficult
ties to uncomfortable opportunities of for
eigners for still further concessions and the
prejudices Of the people against those already
made. The significant expression in the reply
of the Mikado to the address of the foreign
representatives on New Years Day, to the
effect. that Japan would accept such inter-
course with foreign Powers as was consistent
with her dignity as nation, indicates grow
ing impotence with outside pressure. This
manifestation of impotence has no great sig
nifcance, however; for Japanese progress has
been too fast rather than too slow, and it may
have been the result Of foreign jealousies and
intrigues rather than of deep-seated discomfort
on the part of the people. The English and
great love for each other, and they are con-
stantly pouring countercharges into the ears
of the authorities-the Englishmen, on the
one hand, seeking to impress the Japanese
with the idea that the Americans desire to
establish republic in Japan, and the Ameri-
cans, on the other, intimating purpose on the
part of the English to make the people of the
Empire the subjects of the Queen. 1t is q
foolish and almost wicked jealousy, and may
do more to retard Japanese progress than any
opposition likely to come from the samurai
and the people. The only thing necessary to
Japanese progress in civilization is to let it
alone.
Ex-PREsDENr JOHNSON WOULD Go TO THE
SENATE if, as he says he could do SO ''under
proper and fitting circumstances" That is,