The Dickinson press., 1888-03-03
ALMOND EYED YANKEES
OUR JAPANESE BUSINESS MEN AND
THEIR THRIFTY WAYS.

OUR JAPANESE BUSINESS MEN AND
THEIR THRIFTY WAYS.
Americanizcd Japs and Their Occupa.
tions-Essentially a Home Loving Peo-
plc-Japanesc Business Houses In This
Country-In n Wholesale Store.
HAS it occurred to you, said Il gentleman
toa reporter, us n couple of japanese gen-
tl"mcn walked up Broadway with their
characteristic rapid stride, that among all
the nations represented on American soil it
may he exceptionally recorded of the Jap
ancsc that not one has been convicted of a
great criminal oifcnsei in an American courtm:
Tn reporter was unable to state to the
contrary, and a culSory examination shows
that save M occasional misdemcanor result
ing from undue familiarity with John Bar
l%cyrorn, and confined chiefly to the japanese
sailors who now and then visit the Pacific
coast, the page is clean whereon may be
written any tranSgrcssion of the law. 1t is
true that there are comparatively few in the
country, probahl. not more than 500 or $40,
but these stand out in such sharp contrast
with the Chinese as to command unqualified
respect.
Since the expedition of Commodore Perry
i'll ISIS. undertaken for the purpose of cstab-
fishing friendly and commercial relations
with y hithcrt" comparatively unknown en-
pre-, the japanese have been remarkable in
their ragcrncsS to break dow all the ancient
barriers by which they We're restrained at
home and adapt themselves to the manners
and customs Of western civilization. In New
York they constitute IL little colony of their
own. hut they live III elegantly furnished
houses. dress with IL taste Indicative of the
utmost Refinement, are rilterprising i'll bust
les ami i'll every respect model American
citizens. They arc either merchants engaged
ill the importation and sale of raw silk, tea,
lacquer work and japanese bric-a-hrac, or
arr >;udeutS i'll some of our colleges prepar-
IN, 20 introduce our ullS and sciences ut
ho:ne. or they occupy official government po-
Slt!on'. lii imitation of American customs.
They have Il cozy club room, where they as
semitic alter the cares of the day to inter-
change views. and there is not Il more exclu-
siNe body "f gentlemen i'll the city.
JAPANESE rE%cULIARITIEs.
k:tlne>s If observation is II OF tho pecu-
l,a".t!ys of the japanese. Having started in
tic race. ii Is their ambition to keep abreast
of tnH progress of civilization. and hence you
will find them patrons of thu best literary,
mechanical. railway and agricultural maga-
G!,!rs. and eager 10 learn everything bat
Amer All politics. On practical subjects
the are tc:;er posted than the ma ioritv OF
orr " :; people. Another popularity is; that
TIE uA;!,l l.; more homogeneous than even
III" G2::la,s. and hence you find 81 kind of
patterned supervision exercised over them by
t,r colsl:is who represent their government.
such member of the little family in the
| ;'!tsl States is known at official headlua--
tvs. and hr q glance ut q CAREFUL" kept rec
ord ri addresses one may learn the where
aM"ui. of anv OF the permanently located
Japanese in the country. For instance, ono
is in Cornell studying physics, another in
Harvard in the law class, a third in Chicago
pcntcring over the iatricacies Of the railway
~syst2,a, q toarth in Iowa studying the sci
e,cc OF agriculture, and So OH. Nor do these
energetic people come hero u%npreparad. Be-
fore leaving Japan they had already ac-
quircd the rudiments of education and laid
the foundation for the higher knowledge
which they intend to make available in their
" country.
Arepo.ter in making inquiries, learned of
a Japanese gentleman that it was much
easier for al American to learn the japanese
tongue than for a japanese to master the
English. although" he continued, ''our
alphabet is not unlike the English in sound.
ii contains forty-cight letters, and these ell
allie us to pronounce with more or less ac-
crracy any of the languages of civilization.
From ancient times, however, having used
the Chinese character, the two languages
having become somewhat intclmiXed, but we
arc trying to remove the Chinese character
istics, and in the hope to have a form Of writ
ten and spoken speech that will be distinc-
lively our own"
s'Why is it," continued the reporter, 'that
VIC sec so few OF the working people-the
laboring CLASSES from your country!"
81 presume" was the reply, " it is because
they find abundant employment at home.
Besides, it is contrary to our public policy to
foster proniscuous legislation such Is YOU
have in America. Oar people are essentially
l.oiae loving. Although there are a number
OF japanese. sail,,rs who come to San Fran
ciscn and other p%oris-and ] Gm proud to say
they ar9 r"-%%a""'al Il, the most efficient sailors
i'll The wor!l-t'ir" seem to prefer their own
country. and it certainly is beautiful and at
t~iartive. because il is ancient. highly cult
waited, rich iii scenery and works of nrchi-
lecture t'at arc the wonder of travellers. and,
more than all. productive OF everything that
supports lit" and gives content"
BUSINESS HOUSES
"How many business houses are there in
this rolntry!" asked the reporter.
81 cannot accurately tell, but i'll this city
there are two on three Establishments
branches nf the Dosliin Silk company and