New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-03
JAPANESE CIVILIZATION.
SOMETHING ALTOGETHER DIFFERENT FROM
THAT DESCRIBED BY EX-ATTACfE

SOMETHING ALTOGETHER DIFF fhtNI fhoM
THAT DESCRIBED BY EX-ATTACTIE.
To the Editor OF The Trbun
SIR: Perhaps am asking you too great favor
II | r.1Ie., YOU 20 publish this communication In
your paper for the sole bcnch, OF "Es-Attache."
WHOSE article On 'One View OF the Japs" appeared
In the last sunday Tribune. ] say FOR the sole
benefit Of Ex-At,ache.' because feel confident
that 80 groundess assertions and 50 ridiculous state
rnents IA he condesc-ndcl 10 make cannot possibly
rnlslead the enlightened American public. 'onse-
quentIy It IL not my intention to inform. much less
20 begul. the public with my refuiatlon Some
wears ago II / remember rightly there appeared
In one Of the New-York papers with the same
name and with the same purpose. vindict've al
tack UPON the japanese. do not know. nor DO
care 70 know, th1t these two articles were written
by the same individual. but wish It clearly under
stool once for all that II any writer Of the type OF
"Ex-Atinche' cannot accomplish his object. what
ever that objec, may be- unless h. stoops 80 low
as 10 attempt to cast "A blame upon my country. by
rcsortlng TO such means as he WAS compelled TO
resort to In this instance. the best thing he can 40
IL to save his honor by golden silence. Instead OF
trying To save II by assumed name In speak
ing TO 'Ex-Attache' through your paper, my only
PRAYER ~ that | have the honor OF addressing
zane man. for | cannot help doubling the normal
condition OF his mind when his every effort to
pretend 10 know all about Japan shows that he
knows very little about that country wheh MS
very words claiming thoroughly to understand the
things Japanese show that he understands them
only siperfcially. when his very act Of accusing
the japanese OF being nars tends TO show his own
susceptibility OF the same weakness.
"Ex-Attaches" article. column and half IN
lts length Illogical In its argument superficial IN
It's observation. rash In Its conclusion harsh ana
ugly In It's tone-wherefore all this? Woulu he
have the American public say that the chinese
are far superior In civilization and morality to the
japanese when every careful and Impartial oo-
server has admitted established fact that the
contrary is the caqe? lie reminds me OF the
Chinese Premier Of old. who. eager to "'urp the
throne OF his imperial master and anxious to ma
out whether all the mobiles would heeh h~ Wotus
more readily than those OF the EMPEROR anu
whether they would obey his VIII rather IMAM '"at
Of his master caused n horse 10 be proush' INTO
the august presence Of His Majesty ana asked MIN
what the animal was His Majesty expressed h''
a,rnrise AT the Premier who could not tell horse
uh.n ne saw H. He thereupon. begging his MAJ
esty's pardon. insisted that II was deer' anu
finally referred the dispute 10 the judgment OF '"ose
present. Dreading the consequences OF dsasree'ns
with the Premier they all announced III one 'o'oe
that the horse In question not horse. but IA
deer True the Chinese Premier mus succeeueu
in establishing that black Is white but our EN-
.,,cba" being such az he is and the American
nuhlic being also such 1t IL. mif8 be pardoheu
n express my reasonable doubt as 10 MIS- Ap'ity
I'm convincing the American public by means o' MS
harancue however awe-inspiring It may be. that
the Inferior is the superior, that the more advanced
Is the less advanced.
Or does he again borrowing the fg'ire from the
country for which ne 10 cherish 80 much
admiration have blind audaclty to assim" the
snme relation toward his publk as the Chinese EN-
peror recently id toward his famous Niceroy' Ill
HING Chang? The Emperor. We all know deprived
the honor OF n yellow jacket TO the Viceroy. whose
he regarded
-, Z, fact of all his countless subjects the
v,cerov was the only capable OF seeing the
situation in ,s true light. We are laughing at the
sbsurdlty OF the idea but 10! here steps forth an
American despot In the fulness OF his glory ana
absolutism and In a stern and commanding VOICE
cha ti.es his public for It's Judgment when Is en-
,,rn,, wrong from hi. point OF view. but which we
have reason TO regard as the unbiased Judgment OF
the only unbiased public. Have the thoughts ever
occurred 70 him that japan 10 now wasins the