Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1882-11-22
Japanese Civilization.

No monarch, and very few private
persons, can have led life of higher
more intense and more absorbing inter,
est than the young man who, in 1868,
when but sixteen, found himself Mikado
of Japan, with the ancient but long dor
mant rights of sole and supreme ruler
restored to that office. BY fortunate
chance the purple fell. in his case, on
one well fitted to wear it, and the work
done in Japan in which he has taken an
active and intelligent share in fourteen
years has been enormous. Between 1869
and 1871 the Daimios, the great feudal
Princes, were, with the exception of the
clan Satsuma-not radically subdued
until 1S77-whose chief was the mighty
Salgo, denuded of their power, they and
their military rctainers receiving pecu-
mary compensation. In 1873 all classes
of able-bodied men were rendered liable
to CONSUMPTION in the imperial army.
This army, organized by Frenchmen,
has now for nearly ten years been in a
high state of efficiency. It's West Point,
conducted chiefly on the pattern of that
establishment, is Toyama, near Toxic.
The total military force is 100000. The
japanese navy is on the model of the
British. 1t includes twenty war vessels,
nineteen being steamships. National
education on the new model dates from
1871. BY 1873 the Government schools
had 400, 900 pupils. To-day they have
over over 100000. Toxic University
has nearly 1000. One well acquainted
with japanese pupils says that "intel-
lectually they are on the average equal
to those of Europe or America, while in
the gentler virtues of respect, docility,
industry, poitcness, and self-control,
they are unquestionaoly superior" A
prevailing feature among this people,
and one which strikes even the least OBJ
servant, is their almost cxasperatingly
sweet temper. 1t is well-nigh impossi-
BILE to make them angry, and lady, long
resident in Japan, says it is really true
that Japanese children are scarcely ever
heard to cry. This celestial condition
in the nursery is not produced by the
soothing syrups of Japanese Pinkslow,
but is the result of the tact of the child
handlers -oftentimcs old men. The
Japanese post-ollice is another of the
Nations triumphs. A mole-hll has i'm
ten years grown into mountain. The
railroads, though not numerous, are
cheap and pay well. They are now
chiefly superintendent nd'worked by ma
tives. Accidents are almost unknown
From half mile in September, 1869,
the telegraph lines have grown to 1000
miles, worked by 1900 employees, of
whom ten only are foreigners. 1t would
be well for this country if its jails were
in half as satisfactory plight as are those
of Japan, and in this matter Japan has
borrowed but little from the foreigner
The most minute precautions are taken
to prevent abuse of authority by prison
officials. The Governor of u Jail may
inflict no punishment more severe than
the dark cell or shackles, and this but
for a strictly limited period, without the
sanction of District Court. This sys-
tenn is carried out with as much strict
ness in the most remote provinces as in
the capital. The vast system thus in
little more than ten years created is di-
rected and controlled by Cabinet of
thirteen, over which the Mikado vigil
lantly presides, assisted by council of
the ablest and best informed men, who
give advice and attend to the details of
enactments made by the Cabinet. Pro-
vincial assemblies have existed since
1873, and National Parliamentary Gov.
ernment is to the order of the day
Chicago Times.