Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-09-11
JAPAN FORGING AHEAD.
LIGHT AND LIBERTY ABROAD IN
THE LAND.
The Changes From Absolute Despotism
to Constitutional Monarchy Have
Been Strengthening to the
Nation.

In no country have such momentous
political and industrial changes oc-
Cured in a brief period rs Japan
! Prior TO 1868 il was an alb .oiate des-
potism based upon divine right. The
common people. and. above all, the
laboring classes, were mere property
attached to the soil. Socially and po-
litically the Japanese coolie of the past
generation was lower than the negro
slave of the United States prior to
1860, the Russian serf prior TO 1886,
the feudal villein or the Saxon thrall.
A daimio or prince was justified in
killing one for an insolent look.
To-day Japan is a constitutional
monarchy. says the Chicago Herald.
under which the laborer has almost
the same privileges as has an Ameri-
can citizen at home He can own land
and bring suit against the most power
full prince or richest arch-priest; his
life, liberty and property are as secure
as law can make them.
Unlike France and America, these
changes have come from the govern
ing and not the governed. The peo-
pie still cling to and love the old
forms and usages. IL on the road
when on horseback or in vehicle
they meet a superior. they dismount
and kneel or bow until he is hundred
yards away. If one of a higher caste
enters their home or store, they ex-
press their delight and gratitude at
his condescensiOn by salaaming and
kotowing until to the American mind
it becomes utter WEAKNESS and vexation
of spirit. If prince or noble takes
fancy TO a young girl, daughter OF
tradesman or farmer. the parents hand
her over TO the admirer as if it were
the greatest possible favor TO he al
lowed so TO do. In the theatres, al
though they are passionately fond OF
amusement they give up their seats
without murmur to any late party of
social superiors who chance to drop in
for few minutes TO see the show.
Up to 1870 society was purely patr-
archal. The patria potestas was al
most unlimited. A man could sell his
wife, daughter, daughter-in-law and
even grandchildren. Within the fam
lily his will was law. He had the pow
er of life and death over all the other
members and used it at his discretion
Among curious powers possessed under
this system, he could pawn his wife
and daughters for concubines and his
sons and grandsons for slave laborers
for period not exceeding five years.
The peaceful revolution mentioned has
instituted the domestic relations of
| Europe and America and has abolished
the patria potestas. The people ac-
cept the change as necessary evil
and in their habits preserve the old
! system.
In the old days the people were
| Buddhists with sprinkling of follow
ers of Confucius and shintolsm 1t is
now fashionable to be christian, and
there are probably 800, 600 nominal
christians in Japan. No matter what
| the sect or denomination the people
are rapid believers in that queer doc
| trine known as faith cure and christian
healing. The result is that hundreds
of thousands die or become disfigured
or manned for life, who with proper
medical treatment would have been
| healthy members Of society. A wealthy
family in Toxic affords good illustra-
ton. Their children. six in number
were attacked with ophthalma. They
! declined to cali in physician. and
when two friendly doctors volunteered
| their services refused them in positive
anger. For three months the father
mother and relatives spent all their
time in prayer at either the temple or
their home. BY that time the disease
had run its course and the children
were hopclessly blind. Even then
they displayed no sorrow, but declared
the misfortune to be an inscrutable
providence of a loving Lord. ANY
one who RECEIVERS from illness, no
matter how slight or trivial, is believed
TO have regained health through
! special interposition of the divine
! being through the instrumentality o.
! some particular shrine or priest
/ Gratitude is the same the wo-ld over.
/ Under these auspices it expresses
itself in an immense revenue to the
temples. M. Kato. publcist of
standing, states that varies in amount
according to the hcalthfulness or I'M
| healthfulness of the year and that il
never falls below $50, 600. 900 per an
mum. The wealth and power of the
hierar eny are a. formidable in Japan
as even those of the church in Mexico
before our sister republic confiscated
tho church properties.