Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1878-12-05
THE LANDOF THE MIKADO.
Hon. John A. Bingham Among
The Celesiials.

Pittsburgh Dispatch Nov. 2S.
Hon. John A. Bingham, of Cadiz,
Ohio, man who has seen more of
public life in the United States than
most men living, recently returned
from his ministerial residence in Toxic,
Japan, for first visit to the United
States since he WAS sent abroad the
l.year succeeding ex-President Grants
election to his second term. He is now
visiting at the residence of Rev. Sam
uel Frazier, on Fourth avenue, and
was there called upon last evening by
representative of the Dispatch for
the purpose of learning his conclusion
regarding Japan as fraternal COM
mercial relative of the United States.
Mr.. Bingham does not appear to be
more than sixty years of age, but is
perhaps older, judging from his long
public career. He has held many pub
lie positions, State and national; was
Flor sixteen years in Congress, was
Judge Advocate during the war under
President Lincoln, and acted in this
capacity in the trial of the assassins of
the lamented President.
The Japanese.
GAS to the people of JAPAN" said
Mr.. BIng ham, in answer to question
of the reporter, 81 prefer to say little
while [ am acting in an official cspac-
ity, and more especially as | have in
formation on this subject which must
first transmit to my Government. But
| will say that the inhabitants of Japan,
since the Restoration in 1S4S, have
grown to be an industrious, economical,
peaceful people, cordial to foreigners,
and bent upon developing the resources
of their productive country. The ex.
ports of Japan in tea, rice and silk
amount in value to more than six
million dollars per year. need not
tell you about the tea, but the silk
grown in japan is, think, as fine as
any in the world"
"Is the Mikado progressive MANI"
The Mikado is young man of per-
haps twenty'siX years of age, well
standard, and shows desire to adopt
the modern mode of doing things. He
is Il lineal descendant Ofa family which
is undoubtedly nearly three thousand
years old, and which has held continu-
Gus rule, though not as temporal mon
archs. Prior to the Restoration, and
during an interregnum of more than
two hundred years, number of princes
held sort of feudal sway, persuading
the people that the Mikadc was too
sacred being for human eyes to be-
hold, and a succession of monarchs
were thus cunniDgly immured in the
holy palace, and held in reverence as
spiritual rules Now, however, the
Mikado gives annual receptions, and is
almost as popular in his policy as a
democratic governor"
Our Western Market.
"What of our commerce with ia.
PAM"
at is Lot as yet what it should be.
Toxic, city of about one million in
habitants, is the great gateway for
the commerce of America, and through |
which will eventually pass our vast |
surplus productions to the millions be-
yond in Japan and China. All the |
appliances Of modern civilization are |
rapidly becoming popular, and our
buoyant commerce will one day here
find an illimitable field. 1t is our
natural market, and America has
better opportunity to secure a monOpo-
ly of 1t thSn any other country. The |
possibilities in this field are immeasur'
able, and in the neR efforts which are
being put forth to increase ihe foreign
trade of the United States, wisdom
would dictate that the millions now
with our products receive
serious attention"
Land OfFIOwers.
"The climate of Japan" continued
Mr.. Bingham, sis wonderful. While
the latitude, think is about the same
as that Of Pennsylvania, and while
deep SHOWS occur, the winters are
never so severe as with you, and the
natural products are mainly such as are
found in more tropical countries. Beau
tiful camelias, such as your florists
take pains to cultivate, there grow in
wild profusion and with tropical rich
ness. Indeed, the fora Is mainly such
as Is found much farther south. l have
noticed this popularity in vegetation
in various countries of a volcanic ma
ture and where earthquakes are fre'
quent, regardless of latitude"
Mr.. Bingham here advanced some
original theories on the subject of earth
quakes as being the result of electric
action, which he said were his sown,
but with which he would not care to
combat the scientists.
MIR. bingham as n Wing.
Dropping Japan, conversation touch
ed upon various subjects relative to
American politics.
"You were one of the original Abo'
litionsts, believe" said the reporter.
Il was Whig AbolitiOnisi,' answer
ed Mr.. Bingham.
ain 1S4S l was a delegate to the Phil
adelphia Convention, which nomina.
ted Zachary Taylor. Theirs / introdu'
ced a resolution in favor of confining
,lavery to existing limits, and in oppo'