Wichita eagle., 1886-10-20
9ai19 r. eagle
PROGRESSIVE JAPAN.
CHANGE I'M MANNERS AND COSTUME
DURING THE LAST DECADE.

dhisrn--Schools and Colleges--The EN-
peror's Promises-Trade of the Island.
Among the late arrivals from Japan were
W. G. De Lano Eastlake and his mother, VINO
are visiting San Francisco on their way cast.
Mr.. Eastlake is secretary OF the Society Ior
the Advancement of Medical Science In
Japan and a member OF TIE Asiatlc society,
and has, during the three years OF hls res
idence il the orient, become thoroughly &C
uuainted with the manners and customs OF
the people and not less familiar with tho
country. both in a political and physical sense
In an interview with a reporter Mr.. East
lake portrayed in glowing colors the country
and its people
The people, he said are fast advancing in
the civilization OF their political, moral and
intellectual lives, and scarcely without exceT-
ton ere anxious to reap the benefits Of Euro
pean ana American education. In the Gus
toms of dircss there has been marked change
durng the last decade until now The officials
end the better classes assume the English COS
tune. Among the former it is compulsory,
and upon The street the old japanese Gafb il
seldom seen except on the poorer classes.
Among the ladies, however, the loose gowns
of the ollen days are still popular. bat even
these are gradually growing obsolete, and at
fashionable balls the European dress Is gen
orally assumed, while the programmes OF the
japanese orchestras generally inci:de The best
of English music.
BANGS AND WHITE TEETH
The odd yet picturesque style Of hair dress
ing which has so long prevailed in the coua-
try has been superseded by that Of the Amer
ican women, and the fair foreheads Of the
royal ladies are already hidden By tie bang SO
common in cur own country. The fashions,
however, are not set by The empress The
style adopted by the minister's wives is con-
sidered quite the proper thing, and, following
their example, all ladies of culture have
dropped the custom of backing their teeth
and shaving their eyebrows.
GThe intellectual progress of the people OF
Japan" said llr. Eastlake, "has been almost
unparalleled Not only has the educational
system been established ali over the empire,
but the capital city boasts OF university that
can compare favorably with the best colleges
Of the continent. German professors, promi-
nent for scientific ability and research, have
filled the chairs in the scientific and medical
departments Of the Imperial university, while
in literature, both ancient and modern, Eng
lish and American men of advanced thought
have been chosen as instructors. Recently
the staff Of foreign professors has been di-
lminished and the vacancies filled by Japan
ESQ literati VINO have returned from study
abroad.
"The works OF Huxley, Spencer, Darwin
and others have been translated into Japan
ese, and are familiar hauGl;oOKs to students i'll
Japan. The promulgators of Christianity
find that they have a proud skepticism to con-
tend with The Japanese talk Of the 'evolu-
ton of species and the nebular hypothesis as
glibly as our learned men. Buddhism is still
the predominating faith, but Christianity is
rapidly establishing itself among the more
intellectual classes, although many Of the
high officials express extreme bitterness to the
doctrine and its introduction. This bitterness
is SO great that to profess Christianity means
the loss o an official position The people
arc not conservative, however, and it is only
question of time when the Christian faith
will be accepted throughout the country. In
all the large cities public schools are main
tanned, and it is compulsory that after attain-
ing certain age children shall be sent to
school. In Toxic there are two large law
schools, one OF which is conducted in the
French and the other in the English language
Added to these is an engineering college, with
its library Of over 10000 volumes and its ex-
tensive laboratories, which have been recently
merged with the Imperial college.
THE EAPERoR'S PROMISES.
political affairs are not behind in the on.
ward march OF civilization, and the chief ex-
citement OF the country now is the prepara-
ton for the national assembly promised for
1890 The ground is already purchased and
the assembly buildings commenced, although
there is naturally some misapprehans:on on
the part of suspicious minds that the govern
ment may not carry out its promises to the
people As it now stands, the government is
in the hands Of the emperor, assisted by the
senate and house OF lords, which in japanese
is calleC, 'Gen-ro-in.' The national assembly
will be composed Of representatives elected
by the people from the various districts into
which the country is divided, thus making
the empire n partial republic. Laws regard
ing press criticism and public speech are very
stringent, and in neither is criticism Of the
government allowed. Regarding Japan's re-
iations with America | am able to speak at
length. Ny visit TO this country is in the in
toreSt of an extension of the mercantile
traffic The United States and its people are
regarded with great respect by the japanese,
and in their eyes, as The Jiji Shimpo, one OF
the leading journals, expresses it, America
stands ont in the world like q bloSsoming
plum branch among a thicket Of brambleS,
diiTusing a rich fragrance and compelling the
admiration of all for her great name and
vigorous policy.
america is Japan's largest customer in a
commercial way, while, on the other hand,
none OF the staple products OF the United
States, except kerosene, find their way to
Japan.
"The railroads of Japan ere constantly be-
ing extcadoi and there are now six COM
panieS, embracing about geo miles of road
These are equipped with English locomo-
tives. cars and rails, but Germany is making
every effort TO secure this trade, and a con
tract has recently been awarded 10 German
firms For furnishing the rails for eight years
Hou would he surprised to see American
street cars rolling along tho streets of Toxic,
but there are many of them, and these with
the jinrikiSlu, or pullman cars, are the prn-
cipal public coIycyances. The latter may be
hired for scycnty-fivo cents a day. and the
street cars carry passengers for moderate
charge, ranging from two to eight cents, ac-
cording to the distance ;raveled"- Fran
cisco Chronicle
Girls at the Seaside.
have carefxliy looked around me for
some of those fair maids of the shore you