Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-09-02
GLOBE REPUBLIC THURSDAY EVENING SEPTEMBER 2 1856.
CHANGE IN MANNERS AND COSTUME
DURING TIE LAST DECADE

!
| PeopIe-Christianitys supersedinG Bud
dhism->ch"ol, and CuIIegr,-The En-
| pernr's Pruni~e,-Trade of the Island.
Among the late arrivals from Japan were
! W. c Dr l-Ino EHStlakr and his mother. who
! aD visiting San Francisco ou their way east.
! Mr EaSIlakr II SECRETARY of the So"lrty for
| the Advancement Of Medical Science in
| Japan and mrmher ot the Asiatlc 50 'letN,
| and has, during the three years II hls ree-
| ii"nre in the orient. bc,umr thoroughly aC-
| Iuant.l with the manners and customs Of
the pSoplr and not less familiar with the
country. both in political and physical $clls-'.
In an interview with reporter Mr.. East
lake portrayed in glowing Culurs the country
and It, p~pplr
The I-~,plo hr said, are fast advancing IN
the civ IIzutiun Of their pohtirAl, moral and
intellectual lives and S,arrly without cNCrp-
ton arr ANXIOUS t. reap tn" benefits Of Euro
pcan and American education In the Gus
toms IF dr,s> th,r, has isr'n marked change
during the last decade until now the officials
and the lz'tt"r claN~S ASSUME the English cr-
tune Among the former it l. compulsory,
and upon the Str~t the old JapancSr gnrh Is
S.lum >S'u except on the poorer classes.
Amun- the adi~, however, the lu'e' gowns
of the ulirn days are sail popular, hut even
th,>-' arr gradually growing obsolete" and at
fashionable halls the European dress Is gen
rralI, assumed. while the programmes of the
Japan,~r urrh,straS generally include the last
of English music
BANGS AND WHITE TEETH.
The odd Vet picturesque style Of hair dress
ing which has 80 long prevailed in the coun.
try la, hr,n superseded 10y that of the Amer
lean women, and the fair forrheadS Of the
ruyal ladies are already hidden by the bang so
,,rumuu in our own country. The fashions,
however, are not 1T 10y the empress The
Stylr adopted 10y the ministers wives is con
>idrr,i quite the proper thing. and. following
their example, all Ladies Of culture have
dropped the custom of hlacking their teeth
and shaving their eyebrows.
The intellectual progress Of the people of
Japan, said Mr. Eastake, has bnrn almost
unparalleled. Not only has the educational
system been established all over the empire,
but the capital city boasts of a university that
can compare faVoTahly with the b'-St colleges
Of the continent. German professors, prOnli-
mrmt for scientific ability and research. have
filled the chairs in the scientific and me,tical
departments nf the Imperial university, while
in literature, both ancient and modern, Eng
lish and American men of advanced thought
have btrn chosen aS instructors Recently
the staff IT foreign professors has tsSn dl-
lnimi~h,rl and the vacancies filled hv japan
-. Htrrati who have returned from study
abroad
The works Of Huxley. Spencer, Darwin
and others have been translated into japan
cSa and arr familiar handhookS to students IN
japan The prunulgators of Christianity
timl that they have proud SkrPticiSm to con
tend with The Japant~e talk of the 'ev"lu-
ton at Sp,,i,>' and the nchular hypothesis rs
Elihly aS our learned men. Buddhism IL still
the sredOminating faith, but Christianity Is
rapidly establishing itself among the more
intellectual claNI~, although many of the
high officials express extreme bitterness {" the
doctrine and its introduction. This bitterness
is 80 great that tu profess Christianity means
the los Of an official Position. Thr p,-uple
are not conservative, however, and 1t is ouly
a question II tim" when the Christian faith
will b. ucrrptNd Throughout tho country. In
all tn" lar..r cities public schools arr main
tanned, and 1t Is compulsory that after attain
ing a certain age children shall be sent 10
school In Tolln there are two large law
schools, one of which Is conducted i'll the
HT1AllNn ana lll' blitI III lilt
Added to th.-,. Is an engineering collegr, with
its library q! over 2n.sn volumes and its eN-
tansiv, laboratories, which have been recently
mergel with the Imperial college.
TIE EMPEROR'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 prepaI'a
ton for the national assembly promised for
$50 The ground is already purchased and
the assembly buildings commenced, although
ther, j. naturally some mlSapprehenSlon on
the part Of suspicious minds that the govern
mrut NAV not carry out lts promises To the
popr A. II now stands. the government II
in thr hands If the emperor, assisted by the
senate and houS. of lords, which in japanese
is called 'Cicn-roin.' Tn" national assembly
will be composed of representatives elected
Z by the people from the various districts into
which the country Is divided, thus making
the empirr, partial republic Laws regard
/ ing pres, criticism and public SIHNCh are very
stringent. and III neither Is criticism Of the
government allowed. Regarding Japan's re
latiJIls with America | am able 10 speak 1T
length Ny visit to this country is in the in
terest of AN extension of the mercantile
traffic The United States and its pcople are
regarded Win great respect DN tht Jdpdiltse,
AMI in their ewes, rs The Jiji ShlmpO, one of
| the leading journals, expresses it, America
stands out in the world like hlneSnming
/ plum branch among a thicket OF bramhlts,
! diffllsiny 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, tind their way to
Japan.
/ The railroads of Japan are constantly b+'
! ing extended and there are now six com
pam,S, embracing about 40 miles Of road,
! The~s, are equipped with English locomo
I tiveS, cars and rails, but Germany is making
| every effort 10 secure this trade, and con
| tract has recently been awarded to German
/ firms for furnishing the rails for eight years.
| You would be surprised 10 American
street cars rolling along the streets Of Toxic,
! but there are many Of them, and these with
| the iinrikishu, or pullman cars, are the prin-
| C!pal public cOnveyanceS- The latter may lie
| hired for seventy-tive cents a day, and the
street cars carry passengers for Ii moderate
charge, ranging from two !" eight cents, ac-
cordiuE Ia the distance travelled. San Fran
| ClSrO Chronicle.