Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-08-14

A Detroit Man Tells of His Experience
Among the japanese Who Are People
Worth Cultivating.

A Detroit Man Tells of His Experienc,
Among the japanese Who Are a Peopl,
Worth Cultivating.
Mr. Frederick Stearns, of Detroit. ha.
returned after a years residence'in Japan
and has some interesting things to tell o.
that wonderful people To Free Press
reporter, Mr.. Stearns said among other
things. speaking of their agriculture
methods:
j Their methods are unlike ours in every
respect We can teach them nothing in
the line of agrlculture-on the contrary,
we have many things to learn from them.
| Our plCws. harrows, reaperS, mowers, ETC.,
while not unknown to them, have not been
| adopted, as they consider their own ideas
superior which they undoubtedly are"
Are the streets in their cities laid out
in similarity with ours?''
Yes. in much the same style. and each
is named after favorite god or deifed
great man. The houses of the majority
of the people are but one story in height
and are constructed of bamboo poles fasten-
ed together, surmounted by matched
roof. There are no walls, the Japanese
paper, which serves the double purpose of
providing shelter and light being substi-
tuted. Glass windows and shingled roofs
may been seen on some few houses. Ali
views from the house open upon the gar
den, the street being entirely closed up.
The japanese will have his garden if it is
half the size of an ordinary billiard table.
The love of the beautiful in nature and art
is inherent with the whole race-absolute
~ a part of their existence. On all sides
of the house are built porches, it being the
especial delight of the japanese to live in
the open air as much as possible. Rice
foliage and flowers may be seen in these
gardens. The chrysanthemum is the inn
perial flower, while the cherry blossom is
the most popular with the people"
Japan is populated with an aggregate
of S, 900, 900 souls, martial race that has
never yet been invaded. The people are
resolute, full of courage, and are very pat
rlOtlc. Since the revolution of 1903 they
have had a constitutional government.
The Mikado is the normal ruler, his powers
being limited by body of men divided
into two branches, which corresponds to
our Senate and House Representatives.
Their form of government is even more
liberal than that of Great Britain.
There are fewer social distinctions
there than in other countries, the people
living upon terms of equality. The men
have adopted the regulation English dress.
wherein | think they made mistake, be-
cause their own peculiar costume is much
prettier, lighter and more comfortable, al
lowing greater freedom to the movements
of the body. | noticed that, although
they wear the European costume In the
daytime, they discard it and don their
own attire in the evening. The women
have refused to adopt the dress of the Eng
lish and American ladies anu cling to the
garments they have been accustomed to
wear, although the court ladies wear the
French costumes.
Are the people possessed of abundant
educational facilities?'
They are, indeed-the men, mean,
for the women are not allowed the ad
vautages of requirement of knowledge.
They are beautiful and virtuous and make
excellent mothers, but are looked upon as
interiors. said to the Japanese: Your
greatest ambition is to reach a point
where you can be considered the equals of
he Europeans, but can never attain that
end until you alter your treatment of your
women, educate them, refine them and
consider them as good as yourselves.
1.-The Japanese are very receptive and
initiative. They have adopted many of
our own commercial ideas, and carry on
mining, manufactures and build their
own steamships and railroad cars. The
locomotives and rails are imported. Every
important point in the country can now
be reached by railroad. The Japanese are
very jealous of foreigners and will allow no
outsider to obtain a foothold in their coun-
try for the purpose of engaging in bust
ness-and they are right. America for
the Americans and Japan for the Japan
csc is nv sentiment"