The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-09-08
THE SITUATION IN JAPAN.
The Many Changes of the Last
Few Years.


Prof. Z. w. Clark Of Rockford, Ill.
who resided in Japan for four
wears, and was professor in the
Government University of Toxic.
He enjoyed unusual facilities for
ascertaining the political situation
in that wonderful country, which
has made such extraordinary pro-
gress in undermining its system of
government, and educating the
people. With this explanatory in
PRODUCTION, the account follows:
"Korea," said Prof. Clark sis a
nitiful country, barren, unproduc-
tive. unattractive, and Improbable
land. The present war, so far as Japan
is concerned, Is counterpart OF the
Franco Prussian war so far as France
was concerned. Napoleon III was a
long while seeking some cause OF war
with Germany as Il device for healing
the internal discussions of his own
country, which at last reached an
acute stage, and demanded a foreign
war as the only possible means of uni
fyiug once more the French people.
1t is precisely fer the same reason
and with the same intent the Japan
csc Emperor is promoting with all
his might war with China over
Korea. Tue traditional and invet
crate hatred of Japanese for the Chi
nese has been invoked 70 cure most
dangerous movement at home.
WThis dangerous dissensiOn in Japan
concerns the foreigner. There has been
going on in the country for several
wears a growing reaction against the
INCONSISTENCIES OF its rulers. There
never was a country IN the world but
Japan which has undertaken and car
ried through so many radical REFORM
ations in such a short space OF time.
The change which has taken place
since went there can be summarized
ONLY as a jumping out OF the four
tenth century sheer into the nine
tenth. 1t all began in an anomalous
way with the dethronement or the
Tycoon and the establishment of the
Mikado as the real ruler of the coun-
try.
tsUp to that time the Tycoon had
been the grand patron OF foreigners
and the introduction OF foreign civil
ization. But when he was over
thrown, his opponents became con-
WINGED of the wisdom of his course,
and even excelIed him in their encOur-
agement of American and European
ideas. Close upon the heels of this
revolution in the political system
came equally radical revolutions IN
the military system, in the feudal,
social, and economic system, ana even
in the educational system. Caste
was abolished, property. rights were
upheaved, religion was disturbed, ana
the very dress and language of the
people were rudely altered. FROM
being a medieval, agricultural coun-
try, Japan aspired to the front rank OF
art. war, civilization, and learning.
Telegraphs and railroads covered the
land, and fleets of warships rode In It's
harbors.
"NoW, am free to say, all this gilt
ter and parade of civilization has not
made the japanese happier people.
On the contrary, the radical ana dras-
tic character Of the reforms and the
endless number of them have been
source of deepest misery to the masses,
and have been carried out only by the
most merciless application OF brute
force. Those two years which spent
in the remote district OF Shldzuoka,
before the new Japan, were the happi-
white face, and my sole diet was rice
and fish, with g few canned vegeta-
bles. But the amiable character OF
the people and the simplicity OF So
cietv, so free from scorching troubles
and annoyauces of a high strung
American civilization, fairly charmed
me. But already the change had set
in in the city, and when 1 removed to
Toxic, was saddened and shocked
at the difference. To tell you the
truth, l absolutely pity the japanese
for the changes inflicted on them oy
modern civilization
"Now, like all movements which
take place too rapidly, the great and !
reforms introduced in |
japan have had their reaction. The |
Conservative party has grown strong |
enough to suggest to the Emperor TO |
make radical changes in his official
encourage and to drive him to dis
solve one of his Parliaments. Even
in the institutions of learning the for
eign professors, who gave the country
Its start ia nineteenth century learn
ing, have been discarded, and native
scholars put in their places. Indeed,
the reaction has reached stage
where the stability OF the govern
ment is threatened.
"Under the circumstances, there Is
nothing left the Japanese Emperor
but the NapOleonic expedient. Ma
poleon invoked the French hatred OF
Germany, and the japanese Emperor
invokes the Japanese hatred OF China.
For you have observer how, in the
recent troubles, the Japanese are
forcing the quarrel and forcing the
fighting. The Chinese, who are COM
phIegmatic, wake up slow
iy. But the events Of the last few
weeks have thoroughly aroused them,
and awakened such a war spirit as
they have never displayed before.
Everything, therefore, points to an
obstinate and bloody struggle. The
japanese on the other mana
are Drawer individually than tbs
Chinese, and will die in the late
ditch before they will yield. 1t has /
been their boast for centuries that {
they have never been conquered.