Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-12-19
STREET SCENES IN JEDDO.
Phases of Japanese social and MercRniil
iife.

Phases of Japanese social and Mercantile /
i.ife.
Professor VIM. Z. G1lffis; for years |
o professor in the Imperial College ut
Hokioi Japan, in lecture on life in that
land, his subject being Street Scenes
in Jeddo," says He should speak of
Jeddo as meaning the city under discus
sion prior 20 1868, and Toxic as the
modern name, tt1deY the rule of the
Mikado. The citadel with It's irsoats and
canals, is crowded with thousands upon
thousands OF wild ducks, swans, white
herons, ttowsi and cormorants, protected
by law, but which are great temptation
to sport-loving Europeans. The govern
ment was very similar to our own IN some
particulars. There are departments and
bureaus with professional politicians, who
spend their time mainly in crOwding
about the Treasury. The schools and
colleges of the old stamp were some OF
them traceable back to great antiquity,
several being over one Thousand years
old. They remained almost fixed in
their conservatism until the advent of
modern ideas in the pefsCn of the present
Mikado. The immense storehorises line
the borders of the canals in certain sec
tions of the city. Here millions of bush
els were put away to use i'll case of
famine. Formerly and up to recent
date rice was the medium of exchange,
the CURRENCY Of the nation. The amount
of what a full-grown, healthy man would
eat in one day was the measure of value
d rtore perfect one and subject to less
auctrlation than tiie Rest coin medium
had proven itself to be. Tie temples
which dotted the face of the city had
statues of the Buddhist gods, one Of
these Houses of worship having 1888
such life-size, gilt t4grtresi The prisons
were far in advance of what night have
been expected The executions were
swift and summary, but prison life was
not at all irksome, plenty of rice and warm
water being provided, the latter drink,
to Japanese palate, being enjoyed as
well out of Jail. On the north of the
city were the model farms, under the
care Of General Capron, head of the
Colonization Society. TIE love affairs
of the citizens of Jeddo were detaiiedj
the matches being drawn up, both for
bride and groom, by the shrewd old
parents. In cases where the young peo-
pie determined to forego the parental
consent they committed suicide together,
that they might enjoy their honeymoon
in the hereafter These suicides were
announced by the column in the native
papers. The magnitude of the city was
shown in consisting of 1856, 900 houses
containing $4,000 resident and 100,00(
floating population; From 5000 tC
$4,000 men garrisoned tie place. O.
dancing girls there were several thou
sands. The orders and ranks of the peo
pie, from the heavenly Mikado OF thu
lowest OF tile low; tie dressers of leather
all were distinguished clearly and 'tnmis
takably by the regalia and costume Worn
The Japanese barber had abandoned hi
old guild sign to adopt the American
sign of the red and white pole, adding
with surprising effect green and yellow
stripes. The doings of the merchant
were described. They understood the ar
of creating "corners," and tried tn
plan on rice and silk. The remedy wa
the simplest possible, for any nierehan
who tried cornering too often paid TO
his perseverance with his head. TIL
city fires, which made such heaty bavo
among the slight wooden structures
swept the city down once in every sever
years. The japanese were very careles
in the use of fire, but managed to secur
, their perishable property by making fire
proof huts of mud. The lecture endet
with laughable description of the at
tempts made by the Daimios to compl,
! with the imperial mandate requiring tn
, adoption Of European dress, of higl
dignitaries going to court decked out i
plug hats which came down over thei
ears, a flaming necktie, with shooting
jacket and sailor pantaloons, and, last 0
| oil L. e I.