Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-22

when il comes TO an artist. one cent per diem
is large remuneration.
1T seems puzzling how a man with a family
to support can set along even on this high pay
given for skilled labor. But you do not realize
how different scale it is upon which people
live in Japan. cent with them is divided
into ten parts. each represented by a small
| rectangular bronze coin. With an income OF a
penny a day man jingies his ten pieces OF
money IN has trousers pocket and spccUiatcs as
to how he will get awav with ii all. Supposiug
that he has only himself to provide for. he must
really be quite eNtrayagant IN order 20 dispose
| of it. For breakfast he buys with OF the
COINS pound OF rice or other gram ans fairly
| gorges himself in consuming il. IL he has any
appetite left for lunch he eXpends a second
coin in Ike manner and hls dinner costs a SINH
lar sum. SupposIns that be cares to attend the
| theater, two mere bronze pieces will pay tor IN
orchestra stall. Thus he has not less ;han 1--WE
COINS left to pay for lodging and throw away in
mere dissipation.
80, you see, skillful draughtsman and
thinner with an income like this can afford 10
be a rollicking ram. with lots of poe ket money
to squander during his leisure time upon
Injuries and frIpperlcs. Necessarily, dress
VIII cost him something. but artists are not
usually given TO dadery and this item ~ not
! serious Time Is money IN even Japan. out IL 10
| valued at what would seem to you a low ra:e.
For example, this saber and ivory scabbard
took one man four years TO carve and the price
| OF IL is only Sa5. You can zee for yourself how
carving, but the temper of the fne-edged steel
blade. with which you could easily cut of a
mans head at one sweep. The scabbard is SO
long that il must have taken nearly a whole
tusk OF an elephant to make il from, aud vet
the original price OF tins finished article in
japan was only about 81 This will give you =
sufficiently clear notion of the cheapness Of
japanese labor.
WONDERFUL LAND.
at seems puzzle why the Japanese co not
come 70 America for employment Doubtless
they would, were it not that they are so at
tached to their own country. 1t is a wonderful
land. Twenty-Five years ago it was almost in
darkness, and now 1t Is highly enlightened
country with a constitutional government. You
may remember that, only 30 short time back,
the empire OF Japan was on n feudal basis, with
the throne occupied by monarch whose au-
thority was really in the hands of the shiogoon
or tycoon The latter Office, originally that OF
prime minister, had become hereditary. The
tyranny OF the tycoon grew finally TO be 30
great that the feudal princes. $50 IN number,
each OF whom had small standing army OF
his own, rose and overthrow the government
Whereupon ensued the most remarkable reyo-
luton known TO history. The 800 princes, or
daimios, voluntarily laid down their arms, dis
banded their soldiers and retired into private
life. By their hands the emperor was reinyested
with the proper authority Of monarch, the Of
fce OF the hereditary tycoon being done away
with. Up to that time society In Japan had
Deen intensely aflStOcraIlc. EullAS CLASS De-
ing the military caste, which represented Q
former conquering race from the mainland Of
Asia. The warriors who formed the standing
armies of the princes, called samurai.' were
terrible fellows, holding III dread the merchants
and other commoners But the revolution up
set all this and tho empire Is now TO all intents
and purposes a republic, socially speaking. A
constitution was granted to the people not long
ago by the emperor. parliament was estab-
lished and even European costumes have be-
come the fashion. Unfortunately, with these
changes the art OF the country has become de-
Perforated, go that the wonderful bits of work
manship executed in Japan during earlier
days-such as ivory carvings, lacquer work and
30 on-are no longer reproduced What you
boy in a shop like mine today is usually an in
ferior imitation Of the art of old Japan"
Booths Yachting Experience.
From the Detroit Free Press
The story is told by yachtsman who was
proud to have once had Edwin Booth for .
guest that no sooner had Mr. Poosh corns