The Hawaiian gazette., 1894-09-14
THE SITUATION IN JAPAN.
The Many Changes of the Last
Few Years.

! IOl. L. w SldI VI lNOShAOAo' LII
who resided in Japan for foul
years, 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 ip-
PRODUCTION, the account follows:
"Korea," said Prof. Clark, sis a
pitiful 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 device for healing
the internal discussions OF his own
country, which at last reached an
acute stage, and demanded foreign
war as the only possible means of uni
| fyipg 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 a war with China over
Korea. The traditional and invet-
crate hatred of japanese for the Chi
nese has been invoked to cure most
dangerous movement at home.
"This dangerous dissension in Japan
concerns the foreigner. There has been
going on in the country for several
years growing reaction against the
INCONSISTENCIES of its rulers. There
never was 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 jumping out of the four
teenth century sheer into the nine
tenth. 1t all began in an anomalous
way with the dethronement of the
tycoon and the establishment of the
Mikado as the real ruler Of the cOun-
try.
Cup 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 excelled 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,
81 ~ 10 cxrsfan1 ond
in the educational system. Caste
was abolished, property rights were
upheaved, religion was disturbed, and
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 its
harbors.
Nov, 1 am free to say, all this gilt
ter and parade of civilization has not !
made the japanese happier people.
On the contrary, the radical and dras-
tic character of the reforms and the
endless number of them have been a
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 l spent |
in the remote district of Shidzuoka,
before the new Japan, were the happt- |
est years of my life. never saw a
white face, and my sole diet was rice |
and fish, with few canned vegeta- |
bles. But the amiable character of |
the people and the simplicity of So
ciety, so free from scorching troubles !
and annoyances 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, I absolutely pity the japanese
for the changes inflicted on them by |
modern civilization.
"Now, like all movements which
take place too rapidly, the great and
nultitudinous reforms introduced
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 aud to drive him to dis
solve one of his Parliaments. Even
in the institutions of learning the for
eign professors, who gave the country
It's start in nineteenth century learn
ing, have been discarded, and native
scholars put in their places. Indeed,
the reaction has reached a stage
where the stability of the govern
ment is threatened.
"Under the circumstances, there is
left the japanese Emperor
but the Napoleonic expedient. Ma
poleon invoked the French hatred of
and the japanese Emperor
invokes the japanese hatred of China.
For you have observed how, in the
recent troubles, the japanese are
forcing the quarrel and forcing the
fighting. The Chinese, who are COM
phlegmatic, wake up slow
ly. But the events of the last few
weeks have thoroughly aroused them,
and awakened such a war spirit as
they have never displayed before.
therefore, points to an
obstinate and bloody struggle. The
Japanese on the other hand
are Drawer Individually than the
Chinese, and will die in the last
ditch before they will yield. 1t has
been their boast for centuries that
they have never been conquered.
I'm my opinion, however, neither