River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1891-06-11
JAPAN AND IT'S PEOPLE.
An Interesting Chapter on the Nations His
tory, Customs and Resources.

WY tdstphts anu ft@ouFcts-
Until 1858, when the treaty between
Japan and the United States was con-
eluded, little was known about this
nations people, industries or govern
ment.
The Jesui's were the main cause of
the expulsion of foreigners; they were
greedy of power. and had destroyed
some of the temples built in honor of
Japanese gods. Remembering that the
first emperor, according to the Japanese,
was the son of the god that made Japan,
that is, the god of the universe, it will
be seen that the preaching of the Jesuits
was Numerically opposed to Japanese
law.
I'm 1917 all the ports were closed to
foreign commerce with two exceptions.
In 1921 Japanese were forbidden To visit
foreign countries in 1924 all foreigners
except Dutch and English were banished
from Japan, in 1910 a Portuguese en-
bassy was executed at Nagasaki, and
in l641 the Dutch were sent to the little
island called Deshina, which adioins
the port of Nagasahi and Japan re-
manned closed TO all other foreigners. In
1857, thirty thousand native Christians
are said to have been executed"
The present inhabitants are probably
descended from conquerors that camo
from the mainland about $50 b. c. and
gradually became masters of the aborig-
ines. 1t is from these conquerors that
the military class, SO prominent in the
early history of Japan, are probably
descended. Their origin, however, is
still involved in mystery. 1t is more
than likely that the broad-faced peas
ants of the present day are, with a mix
ture of other races, the descendants of
the original inhaaitbnts. The Indians
of Japan, i. e., the pure blooded aborig-
ines, are established in the northern
part of the island of Yezo, and are ca led
the Aino.
The physical difference between no
BILE and peasant is plainly marked.
Those of the high caste have high nose
and oval faces, the East Indian type;
the peasants, on the other hand have
broad, fiat faces and noses The mobiles
are the descendants of the conquerors;
the peasants, of the conquered. In this
we see the old historical story of fef
and vasSal
The food of the people is made up of
a great variety of fruits, vegetables and
fish; rice being the principal food of the
lower classes, that is most abundantly
raised
The whole coast swarms with fish, and
this makes fishing the bus mess of its
people. Mining is carried on TO con-
siderable extent aud profit, the islands
hai,,fr i,.l, in, fr,lI cf1 nj
other useful metals
The chief exports are tea, camphor,
copper, silk, porcelain ware, and silk
worms eggs. Their works of art com
mand the highest prices. japanese
metal art-work in brass, bronze, silver
or copper, has never been excelled.
All their works of art clearly show
that the Japanese artist is student of
nature; birds, plants, vegetables, flow
ers and foliage all being placed so as to
give an acknowledged beauty and
grace to anything they may be executed
on, whether it be rice-paper, silk. ke-
ramic ware, wood or metal.
he empire is goverend by the Mikado,
assisted by his cabinet of eleven depart
ments-State, Foreign Affairs, Finance
War, Marine, Education. Public Works,
Justice, Colonization of Yezo, Imperial
Household, and Interior. An assembly
of the people by representatives has
been formed, but as yet it has little
power in regulating affairs. The eoun-
try is divided into three Flu, and these
are subdivided into thirty-five Ken, or
procedures The departments of State
and Foreign Affairs are the same as in
other countries; the department of
Finance is trying to pay off a national
debt of about seventy thousand pounds.
The department of War looks after a
fine army, which is kept drilled, and
ready for disturbance. internal or eXter-
nal. The army is furnished with the
Murta repeating rifle. The department
of Education looks after a national
system of schools and colleges Justice
is basedOn the Code Napoleon.
If Japan had kept its ports open to
foreigners during the revival of learning
in the seventeenth century, Japan would
not have been Japanese, Europeanized.
European things and customs would
have been introduced, it's potteries
would have been absorbed by foreigners,
and Japanese art would not have been
so distinct from all other as it is. Japan
would not have been what it is to-day
japanese.
The Japanese are an Industrious, in
telligent, patriotic and courageous
people, and have progressed in a few
years far beyond all the other Eastern
nations.-H. w. Burnett, in n. y. OBJ
server