Arizona weekly citizen., 1886-10-16
PROGRESSIVE JAPAN.
IN MANNERS AND COSTUME
 DURING THE LAST DECADE.

rDparaIIeIcd Intellectual Progress of the
 People-Christianity Superseding Bud
 dhism-s.hooIs and CoIIcges--The Elm
 peror's PromIses-Trade of the Island.
 Among the late arrivals from Japan were w q De Iano EaStlake and his mother, who are visiting san Francisco On their way east Mir. EaStlake is secretary of the Society Tor the Advancement of Medical Science n Janan and member of the ASiatic society, and has, during the three years of his res idence in the orient, become thoroughly ac- ouainted with the manners and customs or the ueople and not less familiar with the country, both in political and physical sense.
 In nm interview with a reporter NIT. East lake portrayed in glowing colors the country and its people.
 The peopIe. he sail, arc fast advancing in the civilization of their political, moral and intellectual lives, and scarcely without excep- tion are anxious to reap the benefits of Euro uaan and American education In the GUS toms of dreSs there has been marked change dnring the last decade until now the officials and the better classes assume the English cos tune Among the former it Is compulsory, and uuon the street the old Japanese garb IS seldom seen except on the poorer classes Among the ladies, however, the loose gowns of the olden days are still popular, but even these are gradually growing obsolete, and at fashionable balls the European dreSs IS gen erally assumed. while the programmes of the Japanese orchestras generally include the best of English music.
 BANGS AND WHITE TEETH
 The old vet picturesdue style of hair dress ing which has SO long prevailed m the coun- try has been superseded by that of the Amer ican women, and the fair foreheads of the royal ladies are already hidden by the bang 50 common in our own country. The fashions, however, are not set by the empress. The style adopted by the minister's wives Is con siderel quite the proper thing, and, following r their example, all ladies of culture have dropped the custom of blacking their teeth and shaving their eyebrows
 ~The intellectual progress of the people of Japan, said Mr. EaStlake, has been 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 favOrably with the best colleges of the continent German professors, promi- nent for scientific ability and research, have filed the chairs in the scientific and medical departments of the Imperial university, while in literature both ancient and modern, Eng fish and American men of advanced thought have been chosen as instructors. Recently the staff of foreign professors has been di- minished and the vacancies filed by Japan ess hterati who have returned from study abroad.
 aThe works of Huxley, Spencer, Darwin and others have been translated into Japan csc. and are familiar handboOks to students in 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 Ereiominating 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 of an official position The people are not conservative, however, and 1t k only a question of time when the Christian faith will be accepted throughout the country. In all the large cities public schools are main tained and 1t is compulsory that after attain ing a certain age children shall be sent to school. In Tokio there are two large law schools, one of which is conducted in the French and the other in tue English language. Added to these is an engineering college, with its library of over 3O,OOJ volumes aEd its eN- tensive laboratories, which have been recently merged with the Imperial college
 THE INTERIORS PROMISES.
 Political affairs are not behind in the on- ward march Of civilization, and the chief ex- citement ot the country now Is the prepara- ton for the national assembly promised for iSJ The ground is already purchased and the aSS, mbly buildings comnlenced- although there is naturally some misapprehension 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 called '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 a partial republic Laws regard ing pres criticism and public speech are very stringent, and in neither is criticism of the governI ent allowed Regarding Japan's re- lations with America I am able to speak at length My visit to this country k in the in terest 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 out in the world like Q blossoming plum branch among a thicket of brambles, diffusing rich fragrance and compelling the admiration of an for her great name and vigorous policy
 America is Japan's largest customer in s 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 are constantly be- ing extended and there are now six com panics, embracing about 1OO miles of road These are equipped with English lOcomo- tives, cars and rails, but Germany k making every effort to secure this trade, and q con tract has recently been awarded tu German firms for furnishing the rails for eight years. You would be surprised to see American street cars rolling along the streets ot Tokio, but there are many of them, and theSe with the jinrikiShu, or pullman cars, are the prin- cipal public conveyanceS. The latter may be hired for seventy-five cents day, and the street cars carry passengers for a moderate charge, ranging from two to eight cents, ac- corJling to the distance tTaveled San Fran cisco Chronicle.
 Girls at the Seaside.
 have carefslly looked around me for some of those fair maids of the shore you rad of in correSpondence But uD to date