The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-12-11
the REBELLION IN JAPAN.
Retnincrs Of FeudnI Lords against the
MiknJo's Progressive Government.

The Information received by telegraph
Of disturbances III japan IL serious but Will hard
~ surprise those who have closely followed tho
course ~ eVcut- In that country There changes
political and social. have hcen made ia ten years
which Ia other countries have occupied ctntu-
ries the wonder Il that 80 much has been done
50 peacefully. Among other things thr tcudal
system. which had existed nsly centuries In
japan, has been abolished. and a central govern
mcnt Of European fashion has been sunsttutud
for II aud w. have only to cnn~idcr the "u"et
which this sudden hrcaking up Of fruddlity has
produced to find explanation enough for the
present agitatiuns.
Japanese i,clety consisted. and to q certain
extcut still consists. ~ three principal classes,
ia many respects entirely distinct from each
the heimrn. The first comprised the nobility.
the ..cund the uliddl" class. aud the last the
agricuturi-t-, the traders. aud all those engaged
in any occupation In which money wa made.
The -hiloAu class consisted uf the retainer of
the feudal lords and were supported out Of the
large revenues numindlly belonging to their
chiefs. 10 whom they rendered I'm return their
services IN war. The names shloku and saiuou-
raj are almost identical ia meaning. and n l. 10y
the Latter nppcliaton that that TINS class u best
known to Europeans. iae hriiuirn class com
pri-ed the rest 81 the Japanese. They were the
bread earncr- for the whole country; lhcy cul-
uvated the soil. they engaged IN trade. they lur-
ni-hed the aflists ana the uechAulcS To-, Nn"m
Japan t. So celebrated. ana thcy were M lat.B
satisfied vii but small share 81 what theii III
du-try produced.
few years ago resuscitatcd the dormant author
| ty " the mikadn aud abolished that ~ the ~
| coon. he'd to change in the relations between
| these three classes Of society. ~ for the
samourai. they found that there would he no
| place for them under a government based ON
| European experience: and though AT ir-t tho
| paytncni- made 10 them were not reduced to any
very great extent. and though many Of them
were provided forhy being drafted into the army
| and otherwise employed. IL soon became evident
| that the entire system which had given To- 80
| large proportion Of the population an idle and
| wasteful life. would have to be abolished.
II has been lately decided 10y the central gov
| eminent not only To reduce the emnluments OF
the daimios. the fcudal chiefs were called. hut
To- substitute different aud Ear less onerous raS-
| mCntS to the shlzokuS to the evident advantage
~ the producing class of the community. II
| may %" safely assumed that to these measure
| the revolt among portion 81 the shiIpkUs Ia
| attributable. At present 10 app"tr- that the In
| -irrt, zion has beCn almost entirely confined e.
| the kumtmotfo clan, which iuhhbit- part OF
| kluu-in. the most southern of the principal
| islands ~ jap n. tn" telegram. however mem
tinuS a rising at Nhlnu-ui~ which IS near the *
| tromty of Nippon, where the powerful elan ul
thp.hu f. located and IL the movement should
spread I'm that direction or In that ui the sat
-uulA dl-iuDt (Which i- also ia th" Island o
klousiul IL might occasion great trouble in tn,
lately organized government
ihc -taudin- army il under p~h men. and II
The estimate. are 40 nh correct. tN" -iluNu elias
must. Including women and children. numhe
over lu.WuuJ1 II IA evident. therefore, thN
strong rcurcss We measure Will Poe iIlred II the
| movement uttaiu- any DEVELOPMENT. and tic-,
may -urely strain the energier and resources %
| the country.