Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1885-05-20
JAPAN SOCIETY AND MORALS.
An Observant Resident Tells About a Fa
nous People-Japanese Women-Pa-
triOtism Marriage and Divorce

for a quarter of a century. Her prog
ress in that time is unparalleled in
the history of nations OF this prog
ress, her people, their customs, man
nerS and ambitions, much less is ac-
curately known than we could wish.
What is known has been gathered
largely from books and magazine arti-
cles, written by superficial observers
mere globe trOtters, who get their
information where and from whom
they may. The seaport towns, the
two great cities of Yokohama and
(, Toxic, are skinned over-something
new, strange or startling is recorded.
the materials for the book obtained
and the writer is satisfied. The scenery
OF Japan Is unsurpassed in beauty
and variety; mountain and valley,
sea, river and garden-like cultivated
fields corsplre to make this country a.
land OF vondroUs beauty. Here is the
home OF the tea plant and the mulber-
ry tree. Here are the homes of crafts
men whose skill and patience and cum
ming handiWork have made a high
place for Japanese art in the Western
world. 1t is evidently impossible for
the simple traveller to do Justice to
Japan, as lifetime will hardly suffice.
The writer's residence in this country
OF quarter Of a century, his knowl-
edge OF the language and of the people,
gained In the practice Of his profession
among all classes and conditions, from
the prince to the peasant, give him the
rlghtto speak for it. Japan was we'll
advanced in civilization when her
ports we're opened to the world, and
her customs and institutions were not
only worthy of study, but in many
cases of imitation by nations who
locked on her, seemingly from q van
tage ground of Christianity and cult
IRE. On no point has there been
greater misunderstanding than in re-
gard to the family and it's relations.
POlygamy never existed, Concubinage,
which was formerly recognized, was
lconfined mostly to the princes and
mobiles for the avowed purpose Of Sc
! curing perpetuity to the family in the
male line.
Early betrothals have never been
as general in Japan as in other East
ern countries, and they are now de-
creasing yearly. Marriages are ar
ranged by the respective parents as
sisted by a man and his wife mutual
friends OF the familiesJ as an interme-
diary. Contrary to the usual notion
on this subject, the wishes of the
young people are generally consulted.
The statement sometimes made that
the wife in Japan is a mere chattel, to
be lightly acquired or disposed of, is
absolutely false. Divorces among the
better classes are scarcely more fire.
quent or more frequently sought for
than IN many parts of our own coun-
try. Our tricky divorce LAWYER would
starve In Japan. If divorce is de-
manded, the matter must be laid be-
fore the families of the couple, with
the Intermediary spoken of, as arbi-
traitors, and neither the man nor the
woman can be released from the mar
rlage vow without their concurrence.
AS divorce must result in the sending
OF the wife back to the father for sup
port, separations, except for a grave
and sufficient reason, are not easily
obtained. The position Of a wife, and
especially of a mother, in Japan is all
that a true woman can desire It is
not the custom, except on special oc-
casions, for woman to mingle socially
with men who are not of their own
family by blood or marriage. This
restriction is not opposed by the legal
lord alone, 1t is a part of the family
organization and by the family i'm
posed for the promotion of morality
and good order in society. Nothing
can exceed the beauty and harmony
of the Japanese home. Disrespect
and disobedience to parents are rare,
and we have often been compelled to
contrast the family discipline of ia
pan with that of our own, much to
our modification
The Japanese, like the French, do |
not seem disposed to emigrate; nor do |
any considerable number seek other |
than temporary employment outside |
of their own country. There are in |
the United States west of the Rocky |
Mountains few more than a hundred |
Japanese. OF these, over half are GOV
eminent officials and their families, |
students and heads of mercantile |
houses, nearly all belonging to the
families of the old feudal aristocracy.
Many OF those employed as statesmen
In the Japanese shops are also de- |
scendants of these families It may
1dV6 UOCH OOS0IN0u UudJ Un0 Japan !
csc show irritation and annoyance of
their being mistaken for Chinese in
this country; but it being once known
that the Chinese here are exclusively
from the lower classes, except in the |
case Of government officials, their re-
sentiment of this mistake cannot be
wondered at
Concerning the morals of the wom-
len of Japan, much that has been
written and spoken is false. We ven
ure to say that a majority of those
Who are most severe in their adverse
criticism never entered the house of a
japanese of the better class, nor
spelt fifteen minutes in the presence
of aJapanese lady. Japan has pro-
videl university which compares
favo1sbly with many in our own
county in breadth and scope, and ev-
cry day sees a step in advance of the
old position, along the lines of which
Europeand America are marching to-
ward sound scholarship. The young