Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1874-12-02

ma. BARRIERS poles salute rs 90 several
streets, and one may be shaved in French,
English, or Japanese.
Photographic establishments temp. our
eyes and purse with tasteful albums Of
Japanese costume and scenery. First
class eating saloons await their crowds at
the hungry hour. The several auction
rooms seem to be we'll filed with native
and foreign purchasers. Coufcchoners
display their bait for the palate. News
paper Offices greet us with their signs, and
lawyers and doctors and dentists shing.
les seem to be sufficiently plentiful. Car
riages and traps" add to the hustle; and
several knots Of Jarauess farmers, pill
grims and newcomers from the provinces,
staring surprisingly at the sights they
have long heard of, but which they now
for the first time behold, are met as we
pass up the street. French Catholic or
Russian Greek priests in their cassncks,
nuns in their black robes, well.dressed
Chinese, Jews from every nation under
heaven, French soldiers in blue, British
marines in red coats, and the takers in a
score of different languages, are met with
and help to give the town its cosmopolitan
character. Main street, however, is only
the street of shops, shopkeepers, and the
usual vulgar herd
Let US turn into the street Of "Hongs"
and "merchants." Be it known that in
Yokohams, and the Eastern ports gener-
ally the distinction between merchant
and shop.keoper is dire and radical.
With US lay folk outside of the trading
world, the difference is small and not al.
ways preceptible, mole hill at the least
but in these Eastern ports great gulf is
fixed, socially and commercially, between
the two castles, and the difference is noun
famous With us, shopkeeper is man
and brother in Yokohama, in the eye
of the clubs, and with the elect of wealth,
fashion, and the professions, ho is but
heather and publican. Advertising,
the use Of sign.5oard. and such like I'M
proprieties, are evidences of low caste,
and consign the offender to the outer
darkness, far away from happy club men
aud select visitors. This relic of Epglish
caste traditions, rank, and class worship,
is not SO strong now as formerly, but is.
sufficiently potent to cause many bitter
pang and mary hear.burniDgs to those
who first experience it in their new resi-
dsnce in the East. e e.I seI.
The street in which the "Hongs" or
large business establishments arc situated
is rather gloomy, when compared with the
lively Main street, Most of the buildings
are Of stone and many of them are FIRE.
proof "godowns," or storehouses. From
the windows of the a.fring godowns'
issue the fragrant aroma of the new crop
Of tea, which is being s'ired" or dried in
deep tin basins, over charcoal fires, by
native girls and women, preparatory to
packing and export. most Of the largest
and weal,hiest business houses are owned
and managed by those who were among
the first cemers to Japan. Many of the
'.hongs" are branches of houses in China,
or they themselves have agencies at Nag
aski, Hiogo, and ports in China. From
five to twenty young men form their cler-
ical staff, backed by small army of na-
tive porters. Coolies, packers, boatmeu,
etc. These largo firms control nearly all
the export trade of Yokohama, and, in
deed, Of Japan. The tea, silk, copper,
rice, etc., is brought from all parts Of the
country, though chiefly from the west and
north, and is disposed Of by tue native
merchants through brokers aud "comrra.
dores." In most cases the native produ.
GER. or even the broker, never sees the
foreigner with whom be deals. The most
important man in many foreign firms, the
power behind aud before the throne, il
the "compradore." This superior being
is Chinaman, especially with the help
of the written Chinese character. to deal
with the japanese merchant, producer, or
broker. He is the provider and paymas-
ter of the firm in Its dealings with the
natives. Ho arranges, by and with the
advics Of the merchant, the purchase,
sale, and delivery of merchandise. He
hires and pays the Japanese employees, aud
being tho trusted man, is a creature Of
imposing pretensons, and quasi-partner
Of the firm. His facilities, opportunities,
and never-cloyed desire for .'squeozes''
from his japanese clients are equally
abundant. and he lives up to bis privil.
eyes. Various shifts have been made use
Of by the Japanese merchants to depose