The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-07-30
THE EMPIRE OF JAPAN.

THE EMPIRE OF JAPAN.
An Interesting Talk About that Country.
i Mc,ps and Courier.
On Wednesday last representative Of
the News and Courier had very pleasant
interview with Mr.. Jokichi Takamine,
the Japanese Commissioner to the N ew
Orleans Exposition, who has been in
Charleston for several days, and who has
been inspecting the phosphate industries
of South Carolina. Mr.. Takamine was
found at the New Brighton Hotel, and
the Reporter and the Commissioner had
quite long talk, during which many
things were said which will doubtless be
of interest to the public.
Mr.. Takamine seated himself at the
table in the reading room of the hotel,
and took from his pocket a queer.looking
little book which contained the statistics
of the Empire of Japan, but which was
totally unlike any book that has ever
been printed in this country. 1t had
two backs and one leaf, the one leaf being
folded like fan. The printing was in
Japanese characters, and was unintelli.
gible, of course, to anybody but Japa.
nese or graduate of Vassar College.
The convenience of its arrangement was
proved by the rapidity with which the
Commissioner answered the questions
that were addressed to him after referring
to the book.
MIR. Takamine said that he is q gradu-
ate of the Imperial College of Engineer.
ing at Toxic.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN JAPAN.
"Freee college?" inquired the Re.
porter.
"Oh, yes, it is supported by the Gov.
ernment and is under the direction of
the public works department. I learned
to speak English at college, as the pro.
fessors are ali English. After graduating
I spent two years in England, and on
my way home to Japan crossed the
American Continent, thus, like Mr.. Phin-
eas Fogg, making a complete tour Of the
world. There are about 10000 schools
in Japan, public and private. The pub.
lie schools are supported by the local
government from the proceeds of taxa
tion just as the public schools in this
State are supported"
HOW THE COUNTRY Is GOVERNED.
ELECTIONS? No, we don't have any
elections to speak of. The various towns
and cities are governed by a Chiji, or
local governor, who is appointed by the
Emperor. There is representative body
elected by the people, corresponding to
your board of aldermen, but their acts
are subject to the approval of the Chiji.
In Toxic the council consists of seventy.
FIVE representatives-quite large body"
"Our Emperor is named Mutsuhito.
He has reigned for eighteen years, and is
still under 40 years of age. He can
trace his descent back two thousand five
hundred years, during all of which time
his family have been on the throne.
There are three classes of the people:
The Kas,uazoku, or nobility, the titles
being hereditary the S1sisoku, or soldier
class, and the Raimin, or common peo.
pie.
"The population of the Empire is S7,.
600, 900, of which about seven thousand
are foreigners. The standing army num-
bers about 100000 men, and the Imperial
navy consists of thirty men.of.war and
seven thousand men. The three princi.
pal cities are: Toxic formerly Jeddo,)
with population of 1,0O0,00O Osaka,
with population of 100000, and Kiota,
with a population of 250,000.
"No, there is no Legislature or Con.
gress. In FIVE years time there will be
House of Representatives to be elected
from the different parts of the Empire,
and which will be, suppose, in its char.
acter something like the English House
of Commons. The Emperor has said it
shall be so. None but those who own
property will be allowed to vote. No,
there are no slaves or serfs in Japan. |
don't think there ever was. We are all
freemen. The agricultural lands are
pretty we'll divided up and there are no
large holdings worth mentioning. A
great many of the common people own
their own farms, others rent them"
THH RELIGION OF JAPAN.
"What is the religion of the Empire?
That is a subject upon which l have
some hesitation in speaking. Buddhism
is the State religion. I should say it is
the religion of the uneducated. The
educated classes are generally followers
of the philosophy of Confucius. There
are some Christians in the Empire" :"
"What do the Buddhists worship? l
don't know as they worship any particular
deity with some hesitation). 1 think
they go by the moral law to do no wrong
to any man, and to live out your life the
best you can according to your lights. 1
am confident that your Seven Command.
ments-"
"Ten," suggested the Reporter.
Yes, / mean your Ten Command
ments are embodied in substance in the
moral law which prevails in Japan and
which is inculcated as part of the Ja-
I:panese religion"
The Commissioner did not seem to
have very clear convictions on this sub
jsct, although he answered very pleasant
" and courteously the somewhat personal
questions that were addressed to him.
TEE POSTAL SYSTEM.
MIR. Takamine went on to give vast
fund of information about Japan. The
postal system, he said, is very complete.
There are six thousand postoffices in the
Empire, the rates of postage being about
the same as in this country. The post
masters are appointed by the Emperor,
their tenure of Office being at the Empe.
ror's pleasure.
"Would offensive partisanship be con-
sidered cause for removal" asked the
Reporter.
II understand" replied the Commits
sioner, with smile which evinced his
appreciation of the joke. eve have no