, 1875-07-16
IApAMEaE HEE0RMa.

Tho Japanese leaders are still busy with
their reforms, and nearly every mail brings
some now departure made by them, In adopt
ing European customs. The 1atost alvicoa
from tho Capital. Joddo, bring the details Of
two now measuroa Tho first Of these In n
new plan Of e1ecntiva administration, the
chief feature Of which will be great rcduc-
tion in the number Of the =" 6angi," or mem.
bora Of tho Imperial Council, by which tho
public authority will 10 concentrated in tho
hands Of comparatively small body. The
second Is IN agreement between the Govern
ment and an American gentleman, who, by
virthe Of his contract, becomes ep oGao at-
tachod 10 tho Interior Department, with ref
erence to sheep and wool raising, which has
hitherto boon considered impracticable by
the Japanese BY the terms Of this contract,
this gentleman, Mr. D. ". Ap JONES,
aupsrintenda tho rearing Of stock from
10000 ewes and 200 rans, which are
to bo imported at Government cost,
and he also undertakes the training Of fifty
persona in sheep-breeding for term Of eight
and half years. Within eighteen months
he promises to hays 1900 acres Of pasturage
in full growth, to which 1,50o acres are to be
added annually untl total OF 1880 acreB
has been covered. IA soon as the number Of
eweB has reached 10000 the excoss will be
disposed Of for distribution In other prov
inces. At tho aud Of the eight md half
yoars general sale will take place, Of the
net proceada Of which 80 per cent will accrue
to him.
Tho Japanesa are said to havo entered into
this scheme with the utmost zenl and en-
thusiasn,. aud, in fact, this Ia characteristic
OF oil their roforma Those young converts
to civilization are very much liko yonng con-
vorta 10 religion. They go about their new
work with the utmost alacrity and vigor. How
| long it will Inst, however, md whether their
progress il Of q permanont character remain
to be seen. They hive dono something, nl-
though it ia very little, In tho way Of intro
ducing railroads and tetegrapha. They have
tinkered their currency, md improved 1t
somowlat in the process, They have intro
| duced new agricultural methods, and haye
| shown skill and enterprise In commencing to
reclalm large Island. They have begun to
| improve their breeds OF horses and cattle.
| They lays made considerable progress in the
art OF war by studying the European Systems
Of fortiaoation and obtaining heavy guns
md ordnance, and they have shown dfspo-
sition to take advantage Of European eiviliza.
ton by sending their ablest men to examine
IT, and BY putting thoir most promising young
men into tho colleges aud universities, "a we'll
% by employing Americans and Europeans
to come thoro and teach them tho
methods Of agriculture and manufacture and
the details Of commerce, scionce, and the
| arta. In these rcapecss, they have lar out.
stripped thoir neighbors, the Chinese, who
| are still disposed to maintsln their exclusive
noss. aud still cherish the dolnsou that there
is nothing but barbarism beyond tie Great
| Wall At the same time, Notwithstanding
all tie Japanese have accomplished, there IL
reason to fear that tho actual progress Ia Dc.
csptive aud slight. While tho loaders Of the
people arc adopting these reforms. there ia
littls evidence 10 show that tho massos OF the
people themsolvaa hive adopted them, or
that they manifest any strong desiro to break
loose from their old conservatism Tie
loaders are moving faster than the masses.
The head shows great changes, but the body
does not seem To koep psco with tha head.
Such progress as this of course indicates
change, but tho change Ia Of spasmodio
sort, and may end In rebellion ot almost any
time Progress Of healthy and permanent
kind Ia always based upon education, bul
what have the Japanese leaders dona to dis
saminato education among the masses
Amous all tbs proofs Of national progress
which ar4 continually brought to the atten'