The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-02-15
A Innnncsn On New Jnpnn.

The latest number OF the Overland
Monthlv c'~t,'1s q. Gle on New Japan
, graduate OF the
lege, who Is now
course at John
HOPKINS uniy..s..,, Baltimore. Mr.. S,'o
hastily sketches the Old Japan, which was
''unded GOO years before tue Christian era,
t... - his readers may the better
...3'f New Japan which had ite
birth in -. evolution OF 1868. An abso-
Lutte monarchy from the very beginning,
the empire was practically controlled by
the Shotgun for the seven centuries which
preceded the, revolution, during
which time the emperor remained
in secusion in tho sacred palace, per
hitting the Office OF PREMIER 20 ovetshaiow
that sovereign. Mr.. Sato speaks OF Japan
before the revolution ms "a hermit nation
for many centuries" although Jesuit
priests sent by the vatican the lOth century
arc said TO have secured more than 100000
japanese converts under ne leadership OF
Francis Nsver. ana slmul 'aneously an ex-
tensiye commerce with the Portuguese aud
Dutch was developed. The founder OF the
TokugEwa Shogungte undertook TO crush
Christianity, and he not only expelled Tor
elgners, but also restrained the Japanese
from gong abroad 10y forDidding the con-
struction OF vessels with more than one
mast.
the men-oT.war under Commodore
Perry first broke the tlum-
Der Of people," says Mr.. ssto, but there
was strong feeling against compliance
with the demand OF President Fillmore
which was placed In the hands OF the Ty'
coon in 1854. AS Great Britain, Russia
France and other powers supported tho Dc
advised by his cabinet, yielded, and the
treaty with the United States was signed
n 1865 The period from the first treaty
TO the revolution OF 1868 was a transition
stage from the old to the new" and within
year after the outbreak OF the war OF res
torstion the last supporters OF the
shotgun were defeated and tue
cred palace. to be in fact what before he
had been only in name. No sooner had he
asce nded the throne than he voluntarily
took a sacred oath by which he bound him
self t, regard public Assem- lies and follow
ne wish Of the majority, Ihus conceding TO
the people pert in the government which
thew had not demanded. In the fourth
wear alter the revolution the emperor abol-
ished clans and feudslism centralizing the
government in Toxic, the new metropolis
! In response to "A desire OF an organ ICED leg
| i.lature the emperor first estab ished SEN
| ate OF his own appointment, then an assem-
| bly, OF governors, q few wears later provln-
cial ass IN b.ies, and on October II, 1881, he
issued solemn decree that ten years
thereafter the empire shall have constitu-
ton and national assembly.
What the constitution and the national
bly will be Mr.. Sato does not venture
| to predict, but remem bering the wonderful
achievements OF the past fifteen years he is
hopeful OF q true representation OF the peo.
pie. S,licitude has been recently expressed
nv some Americans lest there should be a
decline OF the progressive spirit which has
characterized Japan since the revolution,
bnt Mr.. Sato perceives the foundation OF .
81 ady growth and permanent prosperity.
mot material civilization in o radical
rush, but liberal and Christian civiliEa.
ton, rather In conservative spirit,
is what New Japan ought to develop" he
ssys. and ''our wisest men aim at this and
time alone can work 1t out" The rail way,
the telegraph, the postal service and an
organized public school system are potent
factors Of progress In the empire, and agri-
cultural and commercial as we'll as the So
cial and intellect ua resources OF the coun-
try are likely to have rapid development
Nstura ly the ally Of China, japan Is drift.
lag from her conservative neighb0r, and
with Corea, "her nearest blood relativa,"
n country which must he kept inviolate
from China and Russia" as 1.-The key to
the eastern question" the empire in thu
future will have intimate intercourse, al
though her friends are now found chiefly II
the west, where many of Mr.. Ssto's yount
oountrymen, like himself, are preparing
themselves for careers OF usefuluessin New
| Japan.