Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1884-07-30
NEW YORK'S JAPAN =:
Their Social and Business LlFe IN
the City.
Contempt Of the Genteel Japanese
Emisrant for His Pig-Talied
Neighbour His Polished
POliteness.
I"Durandal's" New York Letter


aristocrats They look upon Cinnamon with
contempt and will have nothing whatever
to do with them. Further than this, the
Japanese will seldom talk with Christian
about Cinnamon, though he is usually loqua-
cious on the subject of Japan. l know
number of Japs. l have never talked five
minutes with any of them after an introduce
ton but they made the statement that only
the well-born and distinguished Japanese are
allowed to come to America, while the re-
verse is true of the Chinese.
tits against the laws of China for any but
tho scum of the empire (the COOLEST to leave
their native land without q special grant
from the emperor. The government does
not care how many of the lower class China
men leave their native land, but insists that
the wealth and genius of the upper classes
shall remain within the borders of the
empire So strict is the emperor in this
matter that when the Chinese legation leaves
for Washington an immense amount of red
tape is necessary to secure their departure
from their native shores The reverse is the
case in Japan. Noblemen and resident
families of influence arc privileged to go
abroad because it is thought they will reflect
credit upon the country, but the laborers can
not get away. All this is what have heard
from the mouths of the Japanese whom
know in New York.
They are punctilious, exact and polished
set of men. They patronize Jim Bell, Cooper,
Cavanagh and the other swell tailors of New
York, have fondness for bright beaver
hats, wear French kid boots, ladies' gloves,
and smoke cigarettes They are all very
dark, with smooth, oily hair, bright eyes,
and are quick and impulsive in their move
ments They are interested in the import
ing houses along the river front, and man.
age tho numerous Japanese shops along
Broadway. The existence of so many of
these spruce little men in New York is as
much due to Oscar Wilde and his craze for
the beautiful as is the decorative prominence
of the sunfower. When the rage for the
aesthetic came in people made dead set for
everything Celestial They thought that the
fans, storks, mats, banners, lambrequins,
knife-cutters, chairs, work-tables, etc., came
from China, but in reality they were the
products of Japan, and they came through the
importing houses in which our Japanese col
ony is employed.
The Japanese are bright in business way,
and they saw the Juror Oscar Wilde would
create in the craze for aesthetic decoration.
Two or three Of the more elterprising of the
lot telegraphed orders for extensive lines of
bricsa-brac and articles of virtu and rented
an immense shop on Broadway directly op-
posite Stewards store. This was fixed up in
the regulation japanese fashion, and when
the invoice arrived the shop was the sensation
of the day. The Japs were sharp tradesmen,
and knew how to take advantage of every
shade in the passing fancy. The result was
that they made money hand over fist.
Their example was eagerly followed by a
number of other japanese in New York, and
now there are at least dozen establishments
on Broadway filled with japanese art treas
ures of every description, and managed by
elegantly dressed, scrupulously polite and
polished japanese gentlemen. They open
their shops at 9 o'clock and close them
prompt at 5. They live in apartments and
dine where there is French cooking on the
most elaborate SCALE Six or eight Of them
may be seen at Delmonico's every night at
$50, attired in evening dress and sitting erect
around the table like so many little pop-in-
jays. After dinner they play billiards at the
best saloons for an hour, and then make calls.
This is their occupation every evening. They
seldom visit the theatres.
Not few Japanese tradesmen have be-
come acquainted with the ladies who shop at
houses. They are the most correct and
proper of guests. If they make call they
ring the bell at precisely half-past s. The
time does not vary the fraction of a second.
They stand on the doorstep with their toes
together, their card cases in their hands.
They enter gravely, divest themselves of
their top coats, glance into the mirror, enter
the parlor and perch solemnly upon the edge
of chair. When lady enters the Jap
steps off his perch and bows profoundly,
indulging in a pleasant but utterly arti-
fetal smile He touches the lady's hand
daintily with his two fingers, and remains
standing until she is seated, then he makes
some thrilling and unusual remark about the
weather, and waits placidly to be entertained.
1t is seldom that he remains more than half
an hour, and he takes leave of his hostess in
the same manner as that which characterized
his greeting. This is the way he acts when
he meets her the first time, and he is precisely
the same after many years acquaintance.
He never varies, and is scrupulously honor
able in his social relations. The politeness of
| the traditional Frenchman is boorishness
compared with the japanese. They are un-
questionably the most polished men in the
metrOpOlis to-day