The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-11-09
TEMPERANCE Reform ~ JIPAN.
How all tho Families on One Island Took
90 Sobriefy and Prosperrd.

How all tho Families Oh One Island Took
to sobriety and Prosperod.
In the northern part Of the Sea Of Japan
lies a tiny island called Okushiri says the
Japan Mail Its soil Is fertile. Trees Of
varying proportions cluster thickly over
its surface. The agrlcuIturist ana lum-
herman might find profitable occupation
there. But the chief pursuit Of the peo-
pie Is fishing Every spring great shoals
of herring approach the coast, and the fish
are easily captured In such quantities
that this one bOuntlful dispeusation OF
nature suillces TO feed ana clothe the IN
habitants from years end TO years end.
Living thus I'm ease and plenty tie people
might be expected TO develop qualities
usually incidental to such circumstances,
and they appear 20 have fallen pretty
freely into the vice Of drunkenness. In
1855 there were some 2iO souls in the is
land. They possessed only four fixed nets.
They lived In houses thatched with coarse
grass, they had scarcely any roads, ana
they could boast only a single school.
Yet they consumed annually $1,000 worth
of sake in addition 60 shOchu ana othef
strong drinks. In short, these common
fisher folks spent upon Intoxicating beVe-
RACES more than 81 per month FOR every
unit of their number, including women
and children. In the face Of this reck-
less outlay for liquor the people often
suffered severely from hunger and cold
during the winter the price Of rice rang
ing very high in the midwinter months
and the dwelling houses being III adapted
10 exclude the iuciement atmosphere.
These circumstances induced some bold
men among them 20 openly denounce the
excessive use OF alcoholic beverages as
the cause of ali the peoples suuerlnss,
and 10 preach the necessity Of applying
10 useful purposes the funds thus squan-
dered. The crusade provoked violent 0p-
position but I'm 1881 the inhabitants were
Induced 70 enter into an agreement pltlg-
ing themselves TO wholly abandon the
sale, purchase and use Of alcoholic beYer-
ages. The consequences OF this covenant
were very marked. lt was vigorously
observed Even government oilciaiS
whatever their rank had so give up sake
drinking when they visited the Island
and as a matter OF course, every dram
ster who could not reform was compelled
10 take his departure. order thence-iortn
reigued completely, and prosperity came
with rapid strides. The population lh-
creased tve fold in five years, ana the
capital invested IN the fishing industry
ten fold New lands have been brought
into cultivation and hemp 10 the value
of $1,000 is grown annually for the manu-
facture OF fishing nets. which before the
signing Of the covenant, had 20 be I'M
ported entirely from the mainland. Stat
istics also show marked decrease or
crime and so famous dld the success OF
the experiment become that a large COM
munity OF settlers in the neighborins Is
land of Ezo pledged themselves 10 a
covenant similar 70 that OF Okushlri, ana
with similarly happy results Finally
when the nve years originally contem-
plated by the covenant expired 1t was
renewed for another term OF tiYe years,
despite the opposition OF an influential To-
cal official