The morning call., 1894-11-11

ing from it, however. are these bands of
SOshj, who are young men. many of whom
are ready to sell themselves and their
swords to the highest bidder. Every
politician has a number of them connected
with HIM, and every political meeting is
filled with them. They carry sword-canee,
aud during elections the papers are full of
the attacks of one band of Soshi upon
another, and of statements as to how one
prominent man, accompanied by his Soshi.
was met by another statesman, with his
Soshi, and how the TWO fought the matter
out on the street.
During my stay in Japan one OF the
member Of Parliament was waylaid by
the 0osni or his opponent and we'll
pounded, and another man, also mem
Der of Parliament, was attacked about
o'clock IN the morning while on his way
in jnriksha 10 the House of Representa-
tives by ten of these Soshi. One of them
threw bottle of red ink and sulphuric
acid at him, and it struck him on the
shoulder, but fortunately did no damage.
He luckily happened to have two OF his
own Soshi with him, and these men ran
after the Soshi of the opposite party who
threw the bottle and caught him and
handed him over TO the police. This Incl
dent occurred on the 23d of last MAY, and
from my notes which | took at the time /
see that on May 10 the Japanese papers
record how twenty Soshi attacked the Of
fee If political newspaper and stoned
The editors. The most OF the officials of
Japan have some of these SOshi with
them when they go about over the country.
IN some cases they ride on the outside Of
their carriages and in others they follow
along on foot
These Soshi are numbered by thousands,
and II is surprising how well thew are
organized. Outside of those who are at
tached to the politicians, there are bands
or societies of them who work together Tor
their mutual benefit, and who are. 10 fact,
bands Of thugs, assassins. blackmailers
and strikers. Some OF them give their
services for their food and clothes, and for
TWO or three dollars day they will do
anything. III they are arrested you are
expected to pay them for the time they
stay in prison, and to send few luxuries
now and then to the jail They are not at
all fond OF foreigners, and they form
large part of the anti-foreign element of
the country. | heard of one instance of
a foreigner who had some trouble with
a girl There was a question Of SO
between them. and the girl had friends
among the Soshi. The leader of one
Of the bands called upon the man
aud told him he must pay. He refused.
Then they said they would Inform
his employer of certain practices which
he had been carrying on, and would mix
them with lies about others. They threat
ened to assault him, and he finally con-
cluded that the cheapest way TO get out
of the matter was to pay the bill. The
strangest thing about it was that when he
was handed over the money, they gave him
a receipt guaTan teeing that be would not
be troubled by any other Soshi in the
country or by them.
The action of the Government as regards
these people has shown that they were
evidently afraid of them, and it has been
the wonder of foreigners that they have
not been put down. They have carried on
their work openly, and signboard was
recently stuck up in one of the business
parts of Toxic which read: "Soshi pro-
vded here. Terms moderate for the day
Or month" Among The men, in fact. who
have shown much nerve in the matter are
our American Minister and the Rev. Clay
MacCauley, the head Of school in nElo ana
a Unitarian minister of great prominence
in Japan. For some reason or other the
Sosbi became incensed at DR.. MacCanley,
and they warnsd him that he must give up
his school They told him that he would
be mobbed If he did not. and they made
all preparations TO carry out their threat
DR.. MacCauley wentto the American Min
lister, Mr. Dun, and told him the situation.
Mr.. Dun, who, by the way. is one of the
best men who has ever represented US at |
the court of Japan, was very indignant, |
and he al once went tt the Foreign Office |
and told the Secretary of State that the |
Government was responsible for keeping |
tine Soshi in order, and that he proposed to |
drive with DR.. MacCauey in the legation |
carriage down TO the school on the day |
fixed for the mob. and If they were insulted |
or attacked in any way the American Gov