The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1881-04-23
Labour in Japan.

Some time since, In reviewing Miss BIRDS vol
umes on Japan, we were compelled to differ
widely from the estimate which she formed of
the life of the rural population Of this country.
She spoke of the japanese labourer as ignorant
and baTbarOus, with nothing to relieve an exist
ence of hard, unceasing toll, living In filthy
dwellings, suffering from diseases induced by
hardship and pOyerty,-and on the whole, an I'M
happy, miserable member of the human race. At
the time. we pointed out that Miss BIRDS mode
of writing from day to day was not the most
favourable Tor forming correct general impressions
OF tue social condition of an important class
and that, in any case, the inhabitants Of the wild
districts Of northern Japan could hardly be taken
as representative. The true homes of the Japan
csc labourer, We observed, were the aliuyial
plains and the silk and tea districts and, in
place OF being the miserable object depicted by
this writer, we thought that on the whole bis
position would compare favourably with that Of
the corresponding class In most western
countries. These opinions, we must confess,
were derived from general impressions formed
during a number of years here, rather than from
any special study of the question and we are
therefore glad to find their accuracy put beyond
question by the report of Consul General VAN
buren, on Labor an Japan, recently reprinted in
these columns.
In most respects this valuable document differs
from tine report from British consuls and secreta-
rIes with which most OF Us are tolerable familiar.
With the exception of Mr.. ADAMS report on silk,
it IL the only paper we can call to mind in which
official statements and documents are subsidiary.
and personal observations and inquiry paramount.
The picture which is there given of the habits,
pursuits, pleasures, and tolls of all classes of
japanese labourers could not be derived from
books or reports it is the result of a study of
the actual lite of the people, and would be impos-
sible to collate from all the official publications
Of the Japanese put together.
Not even in Russia itself, with the Emperor
,n,ob 1,,IaI - A.
serfs, has such a change come over the position of
the rural population as in Japan since the
restoration of the MIKADo. Twelve years ago, as
stated by General VAN buren,, the japanese
farmer or rural labourer was practically bound
to the soil. Nominally he could move about at
will, but actually he was so hampered by
restrictions and regulations that it was hard
ly possible to exercise this freedom. The amount
of taxation which he was forced to pay TO his
lord depended on the whims or necessities of the
latter even his life depended on the noble, and
no redress was available against tyranny and
wrong-doing,e except the ordinary ones of petition
or agrarian riots. These latter were by no means
for the Japanese farmer, although
the most patient and docile of men, is, when
aroused by a sense of real or fancied grievance,
a formidable enemy.
At present there is a general system of peasant
proprietorship in Japan. The farmer can cult
vate his lands when and how he likes, can re-
move from place to place at will, and when he
pays the imperial and local taxes, has nothing
further to fear from the authorities.
The advantages of the present over the former
position of the farmer being such as we have
above described. it is a curious commentary on
the fckleness of human nature to find that many
long for the good old times They say that
now they must pay their taxes whether their
crops are good or bad, whether the land has been
destroyed by inundation or not whereas, in
former years, although, : is true, they only got
enough from their lord to support existence, yet
they were always sure of 1t, in good years as well
as In bad. Grumblers of this description are to
be found in all classes and in every country.
What is clear to the outside observer is, that all
the degrading and oppressive restrictions and
burdens which chiefly fall on the farmer have
been removed that he is now in the same posi-
ton as the French or Belgian farmer that he is
the owner of the soil which he cultivates, and
that in many cases-as in the tea and silk dis
tricis-he has opportunities of becoming not only
well-to-do but actually wealthy.
Add TO this the important measure of local
overnmens-or rather control of the acts of the
local authorities-which was granted two years
ago, and which, it is to be hoped, is only the
germ of national representation, and we see that
virtually the Japanese farmer lives in a wholly
different sphere to that of ten years since. His
chief want now is means for transportation of his
produce to market, by good roads. railways, and
cheap steamship freights. These would increase
his wealth, and in direct ratio the wealth OF the
country, enGold.- Yokohama Gazette.
A PARCELS post is about to be established by
.he English D,st OGice md reilwav comrapiea
combined. Tic Post Ofice w,i receive and &C.
liver tie parcels. IL "a believed that tho scheme