The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1885-10-30

rupeed, . thorough quickening Of the
Intellectual life Of the nation Will have
been achieved.
] must tell you of the present Treas
ury Secretary. He foated bonds ON
the Imperial Indebtedness some years
ago that sold then ct the rate Of one
Mexican dollar for $3.50 in bonds.
Gradually he narrowed the distance, at
which the English bankers laughed.
pretending that this was only tempo
rary; it would stop shortly. Next the
bonds were brought down to lis, at
which the Englishmen said it was in
spite OF the Secretary; that the times
were unusually favorable. But when
the bonds were put on par with sill
Yer. then these captions critics opened
their eyes and acknowledged that af-
ter all. the Secretary was an able man
and had done big thing. Specie pay
ments are now practically in vogue.
The Post-office Department is as ably
managed. Out of the millions of let
tiers passed through the Post-office last
year. registered and all. only seventy
i've were lost They have as efficient
q system of transfer and delivery in
Japan as in the best regulated of
countries. The best of talent is appro-
priated and put to the best use in tho
administration of the Government
But you want to know about tho
press. There are now about 200 news
papers in Japan. patterned and man.
aged after most enterprising papers 10
this country. with editorial writers,
and city ed tors. reporters,
type-setters pressmen, and all. The
Japanese press is very decent and re-
spectful, but they are hunters after
news. and have been called ont Of bed
at m dnight to give Information. OF
course Japanese reporters are not as
sharp and quick-witted as our best re-
porters. and their sources of informa-
ton are often faulty. They are getting
now to printing several columns in Ro-
man type so as to familiarize the peo-
pie to the letters l have taken pains
to tell them from tine to time that En-
glish is the great commercial language
OF the world. fact they are beginning
to appreciate The teaching of the Lam
guage is being extended. and in time l
expect to see the papers partly pr ntcd
in English.
A great secret of success lies in the
sending out an embassy of
observat on to foreign countries some
thing after the manner of Peter. the
Great whose business it was to post
in every way possible in
Of practical and useful infor.
and submit the same to the
home government. In this way they
learned that the public press was
great machine for gathering and
spreading Information all over the
and that in this lies one great
source OF National strength. They
learned also pregnant facts as to edu-
cation and the value Of thorough sys
Eematic instruction. They cleaned
lacts and figures as to railway en-
cheering. naval architecture, finance.
statecraft. State, munich
pal and territorial law. useful forms
IT legal procedure along with
} thousand and one other things
which have proved of incalculable
benefit to the home government As to
he difference between them and the
Chinese. there is no comparison. The
Japanese number only $1,000. 900. |
vhile the Chinese number over 2OO.-
100. 600. The latter are enterprising.
cushing adventures, and are an apt |
business people. take no stock |
n this abuse that is being heapcd |
N them here. They mind their
)wn business. and are hard, consci- |
lntious, thrifty workers. They bv NO |