The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1888-11-09
JAPANESE PRISONS.
An interesting Visit to One OF the
Mikado's Jails.

Mode OF Conducting the DureRu NJ News
paper rship--DetectIves and Their
work-Thc daily l. YES of this Con-
victs-A Weli-Msnnged Prison.
Tho Japanese policeman carries a
roll OF string cord. and when he makes
an arrest he winds the cord several
times around the prisoners waist, at
taches his hands ut the small Of his
back and then takes hold Of six feet
OF cord that remains and politely
draws his man to the lookup. The
calaboose is composed Of wooden cells
like elephant houses. The prisoners
first trial Is secret inquiry before the
Judge and clerk. and after tho trial the
man Is led away in cords. Japan's po-
lice system Is modelled ON the French
method. and French Is the language Of
the department.
My guides took mo. over every hole
and corner OF the Department OF Po-
lice, a huge green and white wooden
building surrounding q fountain and
pleasant garden court. There was
tnt Uurtstu VI TIC uetcStisC AOftCs tHS
bureau Of the political force. who look
after possible political intrigues. ques-
tionable lectures, public meetings, and
SO forth; the bureau Of prostitution,
the translators' bureau; the library;
the financial auditors Office; the pri-
vate bank Of the department, the
temple-like place Of detention for po-
litical prisoners, the police barracks
and fencing-room. and score more.
After awhile we reached room where
twenty particularly intelligent-looking
officials sat at both sides Of . long
table piled up with newspapers. scis-
sors, blue and red pencils, paste-pots
and all the familiar equipment Of the
exchange editors sanctum. II was the
bureau OF newspaper censorship. and
these gentlemen with the spectasles
and scissors and paste were examining
AL the newspapers OF Japan for
reasonable or seditious sentiments or
improper criticism Of ministerial or
imperial affairs.
This" said my guide, waving his
hand proudly over the piles OF news
papers and the teapots Of the ccnsors.
lis an institution you have not yet
reached in England"
The procedure Of this branch OF the
Japanese police Is simple in the
extreme A lynx-cyed censor tiscov-
ers an article which seems to his con-
sentative notions 70 threaten the
stability Of the Government. to bring
Minister into contempt. or to foster
improper agitation among the people
He extracts IL and submits il to the
director Of the bureau. who probably
takes counsel with the higher authori-
ties II the ccnsor's view Is confirmed
the editor Of the paper is percmptorily
but politely summoncd--every thing Is
done politely in Japan. and l have no
doubt that the school-boy Is politely
birched and the criminal politely exc
cuted-to appear at the Department OF
Police ut a certain hour on a certain
day. When that summons comes TO
Join the innumerable caravans OF mar
tyrs TO sense OF journalistic duty. he
knows that-in the expressive Ian
guage Of the B0wery- he is a ..goner.-
Sir" he is told. '.your estimable |
Journal Is suspended for 30 many days.
Good morning."
VOLTA tout The Bureau OF Newspa-
per Censorship has plagiarized the
methods Of fate. II neither warns nor
explains nor justifes--it simply
strikes. But the Japanese editor Il not
the least willy Of his tribe. and he, too,
has taken a leaf from the same book.
Noticing how often fate strikes the
wrong person, he has concluded 70
make the imitation complete in this re-
spect also. and be therefore provides a
dummy editor. in the form OF some
worthy individual who for small
weekly consideration and the attrac-
tion Of long periods Of inactivity. con-
scnts TO take upon himself the editorial
punishment when II comes, for not In
frequently Imprisonment accompanies
suspension.
MY friend" says the real editor 10
the dummy editor some zine morning.
II am about TO 60 before tho Minister
Of Communications. Pray make your
arrangements accordingly II
SO Justice Is satisfied and Japan Il
guarded and providence Is initiated.
The whole system Of secret police Is
highly developed In Japan. There Is
: regular staff Of detectives who dis