Telegram-herald., 1889-06-16
JAPAN AND AMERICA
Wonderful Change IN Fweaty
Years IN the Island Empire.
4 FIELD FOR aaERICn COMMERCE
A ssas p.Eisoa ga tEs Japan 81 t-s De
e@a~s Ags " TN the Japan "a
Tsd4y-A Fiaes fssr fsFBatars
4ea :. a1ssldsx.

Two deeades ago Japan was al an
Known country, the iahsbltauts 81
whleh excited olly transient curios-
ity. just E0s . new era has begun.
When the present emperor, Aatssihito,
resumed the throne 81 hIs foEefathers,
after the conclusion 0f the cisl war -
whlch the Sh0-gOon was deposed, be
was considered ~ be a god, visible only
10 few officers of his household
When De passed through the streets
carefully concealed IA his nOTlmon
sedan chair, the windows remained
closed for fear that mortal eyes might
behold the autocGatlc ruler. And at
the end of twenty seven years this SAME
autOerat has granted his people con-
stituton, and Japan has taken It's rank
among the civilized nations.
Wonderful as Is this change IN this
short period, no less striking il the
revolution which has taken place IN
the habits and custom, Of the people.
/ "a 1859 Japan vas intensely japanese.
Ii was la that year that. according 70
the treaty stipulatlous, Toxic, then
called ledO, Wss opened a. "A treaty
port Tbs city, situated at the head OF
the ledO hay, - 40 distance OF about
twenty miles trom Yokohama. and
could be- reached ny steamer or by
stage, or InrksEa. A. the wretChed
little steamer regularly ran aground,
tne overland way was much preferred,
especially since the road MAS highly
picturesque. Approaching the capital
the traveller was Obliged 20 pass through
shinagaWa, a suburb wholly devoted to-
sra. On meaning the gate large sign-
boards covered with Chinese characters
attracted the attention. They were
proclamations prohibiting the preach
ing OF Christianity, and threaten
ing with direst punishments those
Who might dare 10 become fol-
lowers OF the cross. The impression
made by the city itself was one of dire
poverty. The narrow streets OF the
business portion, the low, mean stores,
the deserted thorOughfares of the
castle, all combined 70 cause Il feeling
ot depression. And II a stranger was
allowed % visit the house of one of the
mobiles, this feeling could only be
strengthened. The nude walls OF the
screen and hlbachi-lliputian fire
place-u.terly void of furniture, the
host, IN his simple native costume, IN
yiting his visitor 10 squat down, all COM
binct % make a foreigner feel wholly
out of place and morbldly lonely.
Twenty years have passed since that
time, and everything Is changed.
Leaving Yokohama by the railroad, one
passes through the villages OF Kama
gAwa. kawasakI and Shlnagawa, now a
humble rishing village, and IN one hour
reaches the depot ut Shinhashi. Here
the boulevard NlhOn bashi begins, q
stately street. with a double row of
trces. with BRICK houses on both sides.
Although the native dress j. still worn
~ the lower classes. those Of any pre-
tcntIOn % respeCtabllity have assumed
our garments, and II We visit the house
0f a merchant. Official or nObleman, we
irc invited INTO room. the furniture
D. which is almost counterpart of our
OWN.
Where was this furniture made'
ihIs Is "a question of interest 10 our
OWN enterprising manufacturers and
merchants, the more - since the whole
of the interior of the empire Is follow
ing M the footsteps of the capital, and
the whole country offers very desIr-
able market for our industries
From the earliest opening of Japan,
the English and German governments.
appreCatlng the resources OF the island
empire, have earnestly strlven To mon
opolize the import trade. Both
countries, but especially Ger
many, catering 10 the ignorance
of the natives, manufactured
uumherless gaudy and cheap articles.
which found = ready and profitable
sale. America has never thoroughly ap-
precated the wealth of It's Asiatic
neighbor. No systematic effort has
ever been made TO place our manufac-
tures IN Japan. And Yet, it would be
very easy matter, not only to COM
pete with bat even to replace the poor
importatioEs now bought by the Jap
aueSc.
To demonstrate the value of this
trade, 10 ls only necessary To point out
that the steamers of three lines DIV reg
uiariy between san Francisco and YOko-
hama the Fscinc Mail, the Oriental
and Occidental and the Canadian Pa
Clhc. The time used IN the passage Is
about sixteen days. the duty Is per
cent. al valorem. While America buvs
vast quantities of teas and silk. Japan
With the exception Of flour. scarcely
buys anything 0f us. And yet. the
japanese are eager and even anxious
O. establish closer commercial relations
with the United states. Tho thousand 4
of young men who have been educated
here have now reached mans estate.
and have NOT forgotten the kindly hos
p,taI ty they have received. They have
Spread the renowu Of our wonderful
nsuufactories throughout their island
home. III a systematic effort he made
to introduce our manufacture. 70 IS
safe 20 predict that new and lasting
market VII he opened. and that furu
turs Of American makers viii soon re-
piace the gaudy articles which lack of
competition has now placed i'm the
hands of ignorant japanese. r. VI. Z. =!