Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1895-08-04
4 JAPANESE FETE.
The Transformation Through Which
Japan is Passing.
The Charm and Romance Of the
People Disappearing in the Rush
and Hurry of the Present-It is
Pleasant to be Admired, But it is
Better to be Respected, Says a
Japanese Statesman.

Washington, August I'm December
1874, the town of Yokohama was the
scene Of a fete Of unusual splendor
The occasion for the celebration was
the settlement of difficulty with
China, which for several months had
threatened to become a casus belli.
Certain occurrences in Formosa had
brought the two nations to the verge
Of war, and only the most concillitory
and moderate counsel on both sides had
averted hostilities.
The savages of Formosa had been for
years a thorn in the side of every mara
time nation whose commerce passed
anywhere near the shores Of that is
land. Shipwrecks were Of common ocur-
ence there, and the sailor who escaped
death on such occasions found an even
worse fate upon the unacceptable shore.
The savages slaughtered all strangers
indiscriminately, and it is even said
that in some cases they were guilty Of
cannabalism.
Formosa was n part of the Chinese
Empire, but the Chinese government
always denied any responsibility for
these outrages. 1t could not control
the savages itself, and usually gave that
as an excuse for failing to make re-
dress.
On one OCCASION several shipwrecked
japanese were slaughtered by the For
mosan sayages, and the Chinese govern
ment in the usual way, professed itself
unable to right the wrong. During the
negotiations which ensued the Japanese
plenipOtentiary understood that he had
received a verbal assurance that China
would not object if Japan took the pun
ishment of the savages into her own
hands Accordingly the Japanese gov
eminent sent an armed force into For
mOsa which gave the savages a very
effective lesson. The Chinese govern
ment, however, subsequently denied
that it had consented to this action ana
for a time an open rupture between the
two nations seemed inevitable. An am
bassad0r, Mr.. Ollubo, was however, sent
by Japan to Picking, and, as a result
hostiiities were averted, and China con-
scented 10 indemnify Japan for the cost
of the expedition.
The return Of the successful mission
was the occasion for the fete at Yoko-
hama The town was gaily decoratd,
and the preparations were made to cele-
brate the event with all the pomp and
eclat peculiar to old fashioned Japan
csc methods
The principal streets in Yokohama
were decked out with lanterns and
bunting and here and there at the sides
were towers covered with bamboo matt
ing. These were intended as recep-
tacles for the Buddhist and Shinto di-
whites, which in old Japan always had
a prominent place in all festivities.
The neighb0ring temples accordingly
gave up their choicest treasures, which
were conveyed 10 the scene in huge bull
lock carts, lacquered even to the wheels.
at the appointed time the mating was
removed from the towers and on plat
forms above the images bands of musi-
clans, dancers, jugglers and pantomim-
lists did their utmost to interest and
amuse the people in the street below.
Comedies and tragedies in miniature
were enacted in the theatres crowded
into the smallest possible space The
singing girls sang their choicest songs
in shrill falsetto, while their dancing
sisters, clad in gorgeous silks and bro
cades. performed graceful terpsichor-
can feats upon shaky platforms twenty
feet in the air. Story tellers. possess
ing skill in elOcuton and mimicry re-
markable in their way, moved their
audiences from tears to laughter, play
ing with cOnsummate ease and by the
cimplest methods upon the whole gamut
of human emotion. In the densely
packed streets there was jostling and
pulling and pushing, but everywhere
the serenest good nature, distinctive
characteristic Of Japanese crowds. An
air of genial jollity peryaded every
where Even the dogs-those pariahs
which no one in a japanese community
seems to own and yet no one abuses,
appeared to drop for the nOnce their
to be almost awakened to an active in
terest in life. In brief, the whole town
and everything in 1t was en- fete, and
the holiday was not cOntind with mig
gardly hand to the short time during
which the ambassador and his suite
were present, but extended through the
whole day and far into the night.
That was the way in which imDor-
tant public events were celebrated in
japan only twenty years ago. Perhaps
nothing is more significant Of the trans
formation through which the empire
has passed than the manner in which
the people act under similar circum-
stances today. What, for example,
would be in a stronger contrast than
the celebrations recently held over the
victorious outcome OF the war with
China? Of course, old-fashiOned GUS
toms still lnger at places remote from
the great centers. but judging from the
accounts which the press has given, thu
japanese people as a whole celebrated
their recent victory in very much OF
same way as American and Englishmen
might have celebrated similar epochs
in their national life. There were con-
gratulatory addresses, banquets. max
ing Of speeches, fireworks, in brief all
the routine methods usually employed
in Europe and America, as the most apA
Dropriate vehicles for the exhibition
of popular Joy. There was, moreover,
some popular discomfort, as everyone
knows. with certain features Of the
final settlement between China and ia
nan. and this also found vent through
the same channels and in the same
manner as would have been the case
among Western people.
These occurrences are not Of great
Importance in themselves, but to one
familiar with Japan they serve as an
important index to mark a movement