Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-01-15
FACTS ABOUT THE JAPS.
CHARACTERlSTI IN WHICH
THEY FAR EXCEL US.
Extraordln arily Polite are They, Marvelously
Clean and Fearless Of Death-Hatred Of
the Chinese-Unique reaturesof
Their Public Baths

Japan is the land of flowers and
Silks" said Mr.. Charles p. Dunno,
proprietor of a troupe OF performing
Japs. II have lived there some four
years now, and shall always live
there. No man ever lived in Japan a
year anc was willing to leave or live
anywhere else. I'm anxious to get
back. There isn't Japan in my
company as homesick to see Japan as
am. Flowers?-there il no end!
They make the very air balm with
their perfume. The chrysan:hemums
the national fower--are alone worth
trip across the Pacific.
Americans are especially the favor
ties OF the Japanese. The courtesy
and kindness which this government
has displayed toward Japan. in con-
trast to the somewhat abrupt and
dictatorial methods of England end
France. are responsible for this. Eng
land made her demands with threat
to blow down a town il they were not
met; the United States bowed politely
and put the same thing in the form OF
request. The Japs appreciate the
difference and love the Americans.
1.-THE Japs personally are the politest
people on earth. A Frenchman isn't
in it with a Jap. You lift your hat
and a Jap will lift his higher; you bow
and Jap will bow foot lower than
you do. This excess OF polite at
tention is at first little irksome, but
one gets used to it and likes it.
! 1.-The Japanese are adva ncing fast,
faster in fact than any people on earth.
They are building schools and filling
them with students all over the islands.
| 1t is peculiar but true that these young
, Jap students we'll educated, mind
you. and but little, if any behind tho
college boys OF the same age in Amer
ica-are the most bitter and fanatical
expositors of their old heather re-
ligion. SO far as the Mikado's gov
eminent and the people generally are
involved, they tolerate unhesitatingly
the presence of all religions and lay
no embargo on the efforts of mission
aries to reclaim all who will to Chris
tianity.
| ''These people are very clearly.
Their cities are models as being we'll
kept and pure. have been in one of
their fishing villages, which is the
poorest and meanest, and so far as Of
tense to sight or smell was concerned,
it was like conservatory of flowers.
In the big cities they maintain public
bath houses and all are free TO dip
themselves at pleasure. That brings
me to another matter of some delicacy
to foreigners. People OF both sexes
battle together in Japan. There is no
discrimination or difference. 1t is not
gents to the right and ladies to the
left with them. They mingle in the
bath without restriction and in natures
garb. This, which is shocking to- any
but JAP, is altogether common-p place
to these nonchalant celestials. 1t is
their custom, their fashion, the lesson
of their life. or anything you may call
it. and so they think no more of these
mixed lavations than you would OF
party OF men and women at dinner.
1.-The Mikado's government is very
jealous of any attempt to take the
women away from Japan. I venture
to say l am the only foreigner who
ever brought any women away under
contract and did it by lawful passports
and on the square. The four l have
with me had trouble to get, l assure
you. and / had lived in Japan four
years and was we'll liked and respect
ed by them. had to give big bond
10 bring them back aid right, and oven
then they fused around and made me
lose two steamers before got clear
with them. They are afraid OF the
women being drawn into an immoral
life, which, in their notion, would
bring shame and reproach 10 the i'm
perial government Of Japan.
1.-The Japanese laws punish crime
very severely. Their jails are awful
holes. The prisoner is cooped up in
little dungeon not big enough to swing
a cat in. and has for provaat no more
than one rice ball and about Il pint of
water daily. The Jap authorities are
not allowed to punish foreigners. In
each city is large tract. or part, of
the city. marked OIL for the occupation
Of aliens. This is entirely maintained
by the foreign element and is called
The ''foreign concessions"
'Oh! these Japs are brave. They
have no more fear OF death than has
q bullock. They will kill themselves.
The time was and is still for that mat
ter. when some high official like the
Mikado might find fault with some
member OF his staff or retinue, and
command him to commit hari hari.,
Not hari kari; hari hari. Now. I