The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-12-18
JAPANESE PROGRESS.


cfdental Dress and Manners.
Among the late arrivals at San Fran
cisco from Japan were w. C. De Lane
Eastlake and his mother. In an inter.
view with reporter, MIR. Eastlake por-
trayed in pleasing colors the country
and its people.
The people are fast advancing1in the
civilization of their political, moral and
intellectual lives. In the customs of
dress there has been a marked change
during the last decade, until now the
officials and the better classes assume
the English costume. Among the former
it is compulsory, and upon the street
the old Japanese garb is seldom seen
except on the poorer classes. Among
the ladies, however, the loose gowns of
the oIden days are still popular, but
even these are gradually becoming OBJ
solete and at the fash enable balls the
European dress is generally assumed,
while the programmes of the Japanese
orchestras generally include the best of
English music.
The odd yetpicturesque style of hair
dressing which has SO long prevailed
in the country has been superseded by
that of the American woman and the
fair foreheads of the royal ladies are
already hidden by the bang so common
in our own country. The fashions,
however, are not set by the Empress
The style adopted by the Ministers
wives is considered quite the proper
thing, and folio wing their example, all
ladies of culture have slapped blacking
their teeth and shaving their eyebrows.
The intellectual progress of the peo-
ple.of Japan has been almost unparal-
leled. Not only has the educational
system been established all over the
empire, but the capital city boasts of
university that can compare favorably
with the best colleges of the CONT
nent. German professors, prominent
for scientific works and research,
have filled the chairs in the scientific
and medical depart nents of the I'M
perial Univers ty, while in literature,
both ancient and modern. English and
Americans of advanced thou yht have
been chosen instru tors. Recently the
staff of foreign professors has been di-
minished and the vacancies filled by
Japanese literati who have returned
from study abroad.
The works of Huxley, Spencer. OAR
win and others have been translated
into Japanese, and are familiar hand
books to stud nts in Japan. The pro-
INDICATORS of Christianity find that they
have proud scepticism TO contend
with. The Japanese talk of the ''evo-
luton of species" and the nebular
hypothesis as glibly rs our learned
men. Buddhism is still the predomin-
ating faith, but Christianity is rapidly
establishing itself among the more in
tellectual classes, although many of the
high officials express extreme bitter
ness to the d )ctrine an its introduce
ton. This bitterness is so great that
to profess Christianity means the loss
of an Official position. The people are
not conservative, however. and it is
onlya matter of time when the Chris
tan faith will be accepted throughout
the country. In all the large cities pub
lie schools are maintained, and it is COM
pulsory that after attaining certain
age children shall be sent to school. In
Toxic there are two large law schools,
one of which is conducted in the FNnch
and the other in the English language.
Added to these is an engineering col
lege, with over $4,000 volumes, and its
extensive laboratories. which have been
recently merged with the Imperial Col
lege.
Political affairs are not behind in the
onward march of civilization, and the
chief excitement of the country now is
the preparation for the National AS
sembly promised for 1890. The ground
is already purchased and the Assembly
buildings commenced, although there
is naturally some apprehension on
the part of suspicious minds that the
Government may not carry out its
promises to the people. AS it now
stands, the government is in the hands
of the Emperor, ass sted by the Senate
and House of Lords. which in the Jap
anese is called "Gen ro-in." The Ma
tional Assembly will be composed of
representatives elected by the people
from the various districts into which
the country is divided. thus making the
empire partial republic Laws re-
garding press criticism and public
speech are very stringent. and in neith-
err is criticism of the Government al
lowed, Regarding Japan's relations
with America | am able to speak at
length. My visit to this country is in
the interest 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 Fiji Shinpo, one of the
leading journals, expresses it, America
stands out in the world Ike p blossom
inglplum branch among a thicket Of
brambles, diifusing a rich fragrance
and compelling the admiration of all
for her great name and vigorous policy
San Francisco Ctr0f, Gle.
What Would Follow.