Western Kansas world., 1886-03-27
THE JAPAN OF today.


The following translation of an article
in the Jyi Simpo, leading newspaper o,
Japan, appears in recent issue of the
Boston Herald: "It was hundreds q
years ago that Japan and western nations
first became aware of each others exist
ence. OF all western nations, the one
which held the most friendly intercourse
with with us in the old times, was Hol-
land. Indeed, our port of Nagasak was
for long time the seat of commerce be-
tween Dutch and japanese merchants.
While our intercourse with the Dutch
was thus going on, the knowledge of our
countrymen regarding the conditions OF
European countries made considerable
advance, and not few scholars among
our higher classes were enabled to obtain
through Dutch books, tolerably accurate
information in regard to things taking
place in the outer world. That such a
thing was possible in the country which
was firmly addicted to the Oriental poll
cy of seclusion was benefit which we
owe entirely to the Dutch people,
Thirty years ago Commodore Perry,
Of the United States, came into the bay
of Yeddo at the head OF an American
fleet and forced the government of Japan
to enter into the treaty of peace and
commerce with the United States. Since
this event the our foreign intercourse has
assumed new feature. All the civilized
nations of the world came, one after an
other, to our country, ana followed the
example of the United States. In addi-
ton Nagasaki, four new ports were open
ed to foreign commerce. And as our
foreign intercourse was growing more
and more active, we became dissatisfied
with simply receiving foreign visitors at
home, SO many of our countrymen left
Japan, travelled through Europe and
America, observed the condition of the
civilized people, and at once became ell
vious of them. We all said to ourselves:
'They are men as well as we; if they
could be a civilized people, why could
we not? Then we started to revolu-
toinize the whole affairs of our country,
and began determined effort to originate
alnew civilized nation in the east.
THE form and principle of our gov
eminent, our military organization, edu-
cational system, art, commerce, industry,
agriculture, have been changed and i'm
proved. The result of all our efforts
during these years of reformation is the
creation of the present empire of Japan.
There are many countries that maintain
their independence in the eastern world
But is there any among them whose sue
cess In adopting the western civilization
Can at all compare with ours? 1t is an
unmistakable fact that the civilization of
Japan ranks far above that of any other
country in Asia. Nay, excepting few
of the most civilized countries in Europe
and America, there is not nation in the
wide world to which we have to yield
one step in the matter of progress and
development. Even those nations in
South America which consist of decen-
dants and emigrants of the Europeans |
are, we believe, hardly in the same
state of civilization as we are. These
facts evidently add great deal to the
credit OF our country. Being not en-
tirely free from vanity, common to all
mankind, we, the Japanese, can not but |
feel satisfied to see the whole world be-
ing astonished by the progress we have
accomplished. And when we further re-
feet that all this pleasant experience of
ours is the result of the first opening of
our country by the United States, our
respect and affection toward the Ameri-
cans becomes especially strong. sour
admiration of the United States is very
great, not only because she was the lead
er Of other powers in introducing the
new civilization into our country, but al
SO because her behavior toward us dur
ing the last thirty years has always been
upright and honest, and she has proved
with her words and actions that she is
not mean enough, as is the case of all
other western powers, to turn the disad-
vantage of others to her own benefit. Al
though she once joined England and
France in extortion, yet afterward, when
she found out that she bad been wrong,
she at once returned to us her share of
that plunder, and thus showed to the
WOIl0 ludO Slc Is uOt DdCkWarQ In cor
recting mistakes. In addition to these
two causes for what We particularly ad-
mire and love the United States, there is
still another one. That is, of all the
western countries the United States is
nearest Japan. We can cross the Pacific
in fortnight. Hence, we
think of the Americans as our neighbors.
In the presence OF such favorable circum-
stances, it is no wonder that the inter
course between the United States and
Japan growing more and more intimate
ss the time advances.
at must not, however, be overlooked
that the intercourse of any two countries
can not be permanently maintained un-
less 1t depends on something more def
nlte and practical than vague, intangible
IDEAS OF gratitude, kindness, etc. For
however strong the mutual sympathy /,
may be, it is unreasonable to expect that
he people Of two countries win visit and
9nsociate with each other without any
PaEtcular business Indeed, there may /