The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1875-07-08
A GO AHEAD AMER1eAN IN JAPAN.

A GO AHEAD AMERICAN IN JAPAN.
When the japanese Embassy came
to this country, five or six years ago,
its members inquired for some one
who was competent to serve Japan as
Commissioner of Agriculture, not ex-
actly for the whole Empire, but for
the large island Of Yezzo, which is
about the size of Indiana or ireland,
lies due north Of the main land, aud
was then inhabited only by fishermen.
whose villages formed a fringe of SET
tIenents around the coast. A tradi-'
ton prevailed that the interior was an
uninhabitable desert. Nobody tried
to climb the high volcanic mountains
which formed ring about the interi-
or, or even to ascend one of the rivers
that poured down from the unknown
interior region. The almsnd-eyed
Orientals were perfectly passive
Their remetest ancestors, thousands of
years ago, had believed Yezzo to be
cold and uninhabitable, and they re-
llgiously clung to the ancestral faith.
One Of the flood of new ideas that
poured in upon Japan between 1865
and 1870 was a notion that Yezzo's 3d.
600 square miles might perhaps have
been misrepresented, and that the
crowding population of the rest Of
the Empire might be advantageously
transferred to that vast solitude, pro-
vided the reports of its desolation
should prove, upon investigation, not
to be true. The scientific resources Of
the Empire, however, were insufficient
to properly conduct this investigation.
So it came to pass that the Embassy
asked the President at Washington
for the man who could best explore,
survey, reclaim, colonize and cultivate
Yezzo. The reply to the request came
in the shape Of General Horace Cap
ron, then United States Commissioner
Of Agriculture; an Ex-General, ex-
planter, Of Maryland, and farmer of
Illinois, General Capron Was- man
eminentIy fitted for the position. He
was in measure detailed by our Gov
erAment to GO to Japan. His services
there during the past four years have
been highly priced by the Japanese
Government, and he retires FROM his
post, now that his work has been csm-
pleted, with the thanks of the EN-
peror and of the President Of the Ag-
ricultural Board of tho Empire.
The thanks have been we'll earned.
American ingenuity and energy have
practically added $1,000 square miles,
much Of it of great fertility, to Japan.
When General Cspron sailed fer his
now home he carried out with him
sort of Noah's ark ii animals, a muse
um of tools and implements, thou
sands OF young fruit trees, and large
assortment of seeds. His first task
was to set out his trees and put his
cattle, horses, sheep. goats, ETC.. to pas
ture near the capital, Ycddo. Then
hc carefully explored and surveyed
the island of Yczzo. He discovered
that the mountain ring inclosed great
and fertile valley that rich aud vast
deposits of coal and iron lay within
easy reach of navigable waters; and
that tho climate was sufficiently warm,
pleasant and healthy. With abundant
labor and means at his command, Cen
eral Capron proceeded to clear por-
tions of the interior from the heavy
forests that covered it. He had good
roads constructed. He transplanted
about 10000 of his young trees from
his nursery near Yeddo. He brought
over q number Of animals. He planted
crops. Trees, animals and crops have
all thriven. The yield of corn, wheat
and oats to the acre is Is heavy as it
has ever been in Illineis. The soil
seems especially adapted to clover and
our other American grasses. Yezzo
seems to General Capron to strongly
resemble Ohio in climate and soil,
with the addition of Pennsylvania
mountains.
The work of reclaiming the island
has now been practically commenced.
What remains is for the Japane.e au.
thorities to carry out the plans Gener-
al Capron has originated and outlined
The General himself comes back to
his native country to enjsy well-earn-
ed rest. Besides bringing the great
island Of Yezzo out of obscurity and
into civilization, he laid the foundation
for complete survey of the whole
Empire, and started manufactures
which are now making mechanics
tools and agricultural Implements of
excellent make and durability, after
| American patterns. When he first
went to Japan he could not get even
gimlet there. Taken all in all. there
could scarcely be a more striking in
stance of what one man Of ability and
energy can de than that afforded by
the career of General Capron in far
Cathay.-ChicagO Tribune.
IT was only . line Or two in the
daily paper-a few words to the effect
that the Central Station had been new
ly whitewashed. GOodheart, of Sixth
street, came home after q nights ab-
sence, with white wash on his back
and "a he met his wife. he said -
"uang nay luck! Got carried OF Oh
| Lake Shnre train She nickad ,r