Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-12-20
LAND OF the RISING sun.
A Country We Are Peculiarly 10
terestsd In.
Our Friends in Japan---The PecuIiaritiss
Of the Country Pictured by
Adios.

Japan has a greater interest for the peo
pie of the upper Ohio Valley than any o
the Eastern countries because prominen
and popular gentlemen from this neighbor
hood have represented the United State
there IS consuls and ENJOYS. The Hon
John A. Bingham was appointed Ministe
to the Court Of Yedo BY President Grant
where he has remained ever since, covering
himself and America all over with homo
BY his deeds. Colonel Alexander c. Jones
also well known here, wa appointed Con
sui at Nsgssaki post by Mr.. Hayes, an'
has only lately been relieved By Prof. JIM
Birch, whose friends in West Virginia art
legion.
~
The Land of the Rising Sun ia a name
bestowed upon the Empire Of Japan, moi
because the youth Of that country get up
early in the morning any more than boys
here, but because "Old Sol first encoun'
tiers that Rowery land, the day commend,
ing at the l80th meridian. Hence the
name Upon, meaning sun origin. Imsg'
inc yourself on the deck of an ocean
steamer going up Yeddo bay Just before
dawn on a winter morning. On either
shore the hills form q cold gray line,
making the water look inky black.
In the distance appears q cone OF IRE
suspsnded in the air. This cone enlarges
and becomes q beautiful rosy hue and be-
hold Fusyams bathed in sunshine. This
is the cone shaped mountain which you 30
often see decorating boxes Of Jspanese tea.
Boom goes the gun announcing arrival at
Yokohama, Japsn's greatest port.
You look in vain for psgodas, towers,
or minarets, or any other signs OF oriental
architecture. Along the beach is q pretty
drive, facing which are imposing European
mansions. These are the hotels and great
mercantile firms dealing in tea and silks.
~
There being no wharyes in Japan the
steamer soon anchors and is Immediately
surrounded by a myriad of sampaus,
manned by natives, dressed as Artemus
Wsrd would say, in the scsndalous style Of
the Greek slave.
A stroll through the city after breakfast
revealed the marvellous chespnsss OF
everything, and unless restraint is prac-
ticed the traveller finds himself loaded
With cabinets, lacquer and bronze orna'
ments at about thrice the market value.
The jap ia like his brother across the wa
ter. he will ask q dollar for an article and
sell at twenty cents, contenting himself
with only a hundred per cent. profit.
Harmonious choSds fill the air. lou
identify the musical strains of the Eolian
hsrp, the music is made by the whalebone
attachments to the inDumerable kites
which are flying about. Old and young
engage in this psstime, and the gorgeous
kites there would fill young America with
envy. Itsa popular saying that q Jap
can tie a string I an old tin pan and it
will fly. He has gravity reduced to q min
niuuu. The trouble we used to have get
ting a kite properly balanced, ia thing
the Jap simply ignores; he builds his kite
in any grotesque shape and behold a per-
feet grial machine. Butterflies, dragons,
eto fill the air; one secret Of the Japs
success lies in the light but strong bamboo
and fbrous paper.
One of the most amusing things is q fire
in this country. Every householder hrst
lights his lantern, then runs to the lite.
The reason tor this is every house there
has it's lantern on which is presented the
sign or monogram, if you will, OF the
owner. AS the structures are so milan
able there is no use fighting the fire, the
lantern enables the unfortunate one TO
identity his friends among those who are
trying to save the goods.
The Portuguese were the first nation to
open relations with Japan. This was in
l543. Soon afterward the Jesuit mission
aries began to arrive, among whom was
Francis Xavier.
Learning of the success Of these first
missionaries, swarms Of Dominican, Au-
gustinisn and franciscan friers followed.
D~isssnsious soon arose and the Japanese
witnessed with wonder the spectacle OF one
ecclesiastic quarreling with another.
The Portuguese lsity showed signs OF
pride, svarice and extortion. In this they
were sustained by the clergy. The inati'
tutions and customs Of the natives were
treated with contempt. The clergy as
sumed airs and dignity that i'll become it.
A Portuguese bishop declined to alight
from his sedan chair to pay his respects
TO q high officer Of state, as courtesy de-
msnded, which act greatly displessed the
Emperor. About this time the Dutch cap
tured a Portuguese ship and found on
board a reasonable letter written BY one
Moro, O native convert to the King Of Por-
.tugal, which exposed a plot by which the
naive Christians were to unite with troops
furnished by the Portuguese monarch and
take possession OF Japan in the lstter's
name.
This was brought to the attention Of the
authorities, and On Imperial decree ban
ishing the whole race of Portuguese and
all foreigners except the Dutch from the
empire was issued.
This was in 1859. The Portuguese
thereupon left, but'the native Christians
rem sined and were oppressively treated by
the government till finally they rebelled.
Holland then furnished arms and smmuni-
ton and aided the government in the mas.
sacre Of all,the,Christisns in the empire-s
blot that will stain her flag in whatever
ocean it may fly.
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The Dutch hoped to exterminate the
Portuguese and re establish their trade re-
lations. In this they rsaped little profit,
tor thew were confined to the small island Of
Nsgasaki and never allowed to visit the
mainland.
After this English and American veg
sells visited Japan, but it remained for
Commodore Perry to cause this nation to
open up her gates to the world. Whether
this has been an advantage to that coun-
try l will allow you to decide, let US look
at the two pictures.
When Perry knocked at Jspan's door
and demanded sdmittsnce, the people rich
and poor, lived in the simplest style.
Their wants were few, and the country was
rich. Gold and silver were of equal value
and plentiful. From fsh, rice and BAN
boo the Japanese supplied ell his needs:
He built bis house, rooted il, he carpeted
it with mating. He had his food, cloth
ing, FIRE and light. To-day it is the fash
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