Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1889-07-12
Some Startling Facts About Ja-
pan.

Some Startling Facts About Ja-
pan.
The treaty with Japan which the Mex
can government has just promulgated brings
the Mikados empire to front once more.
The japanese are remarkable people,
not wholly unknown to the Occident, but
not sufficiently known to be appreciated.
They are our neighbors on the Pacific side
of this great domain, and there are moral
and commercial reasons why the relations
between them and the United States should
become very much stronger than they are
now
There is very little doubt that democrat
ic ideas will belt the globe in the not dis
tant future. The government of the great
to- morrow OF history is to be a government
oi the people. Thrones are transient, hut
the dynasty of the educated masses i per
petual The last discovery of political
economy is that the crown of the monarch
is the sentiment. the power of the people
fact The Europe of to-day is not the Eu-
rope of Napoleon. Thrones are yeiled and
democracy is at the fore. 1t alone is mas
ter of the situation aud kings are becoming
extinct
Our curiosity and sympathy are there
fore excited when we see n nation like like
the Japanese full OF life, vigor, ambition,
gradually adopting the principles on which
our institutions are founded and absorb
ing the spirit of freedom which has so long
been our boast.
Japan covers an area of one hundred and
fifty-seven thousand square miles and is
therefore over three times as large as the
Statc.of Penn'a. but not quite as large
as California.
1t has population of thirty eight mil
lions, seven times as many people aS this
State holds
The Mikado, not yet forty years or
age. has been on the throne about half of
that time Public opinion has been strong
enough to demand from him modification
OF the unlimited power which his anees-
tors enjoyed lie has 50 far yielded aS to
decree that in 1890 Japan shall turn over
new page in her history, and become
constitutional monarchy, with an upper
House like the Lords of England and
lower House to represent the interests Of
the people. This will create new era,
all the more conspicuous because the tenn
per and traditions of the Orient are wholly
despotic. 1t separates Japan from China,
and gives her a position in modern civil
zatiOn not unlike that of Germany and far
in advance of Russia.
You will scarcely be surprised at this
quiet and bloodless revolution when you
come to observe the condition of the peo-
pie. On the contrary, you will see that it
is an inevitable step in the evolution of ma
tional life among the Japanese.
Progress in the arts, sciences, education
and commerce of the Empire has been phe
nominal. Prior to the visit of Commodore
Perry, in 1888, for example, Japan had no
vessels, steam or sail, of any account. She
was hardly abreast of China in this regard
and her merchant marine presented pitt
able spectacle. To-day she has a well
equipped navy and dock yards. Her re
sources have so developed that she can de
| sign, construct, equip and officer Il fleet of
war ships.
| She has one hundred and thirty eight
national banks, with capital of forty four
million dollars forty five hundred postal
stations; telegraph stations in one hundred
and twelve towns and cities; eight lines of
| telegraph communication and five thous-
and miles of wire.
All this shows progress. But by her
educ ational system Japan excites our as
tonishment. Her kindergarten schools are
far ahead of those in this country, as is
amply proved by the exhibit at Paris. In
the matter of elementary education she
leads the world Scattered throughout the
Empire are thirty thousand schools of diff
ferent grades in which sixty thousand
teachers give instruction to well nigh three
million pupils. She supports one hundred
and seventy three colleges, six schools for
the higher education of women, seventy
eight normal schools and two universities.
In the law school at Toxic are more than a
thousand students, nearly half of whom
study in English. She has also thirty one
medical schools, in one of which are nine
hundred students, and six hundred and
sixty five hospitals where patients are
sheltered.
The exports and imports of Japan
amount to about ninety million dollars
The United States buys seventeen million
dollars worth Of products and sells her
something less than three million dollars
worth i'll return.
All of which shows that we have a neigh
Dor in the West whose acquaitance is well
worth cultivating. Japan is more closely
allied to us commercially and politically
than to any other nation, and it should be
the policy of our government to establish
between the two countries the closest and
| most amicable relations.