Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1895-08-04

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in whom the. conservative tendency at
tains the fullest development, and for
whom custom enforced by the long
usage, has a sanctity of its own.
To all this, however, Japan is not
able exception. The changes through
which that country has passed are as
much social and economic as political.
I do nor mean by this that the japanese
have totally discovered themselves from
the past. or even that they have the pur-
nose or the desire to do SO, but rather
that they have striyen and are still
striving to eliminate from their present
life much that hitherto has been re-
garded as neculiarly characteristic OF
them and their country. The conse-
ouences which flow from this tendency
are not always pleasing, al least upon
the surface. For one thing a great
deal of the picturesque beauty OF Jap
anese life is disappearing. The spirit
Of ulitarianism is gradually extending,
and its reflex action upon national life
and customs is not always attractive.
Japan is gradually ceasing TO be the
worlds fairy land, and IT IS not alone
the pressure of the steam engine, the
factory chimney or the grimy work
shop which has wrought the change.
The customs of the people are chang
ing. laying aside the old and taxing up
the new. with an unanimity ana avid
itv without parallel in the history OF
national development. Some have ar
gued that this tendency denotes a lack
of stability in the national character.
Others have ascribed it to an abnormal
deveIopment of the initiative faculty.
I remember that this last was the view
EXPRESSED by a. distinguished Chinese
gentleman. himself a graduate OF Yale,
who many years ago contrasted the
conservatism of mis- own country with
the love Of change which ne thought
was undermining the japanese nation
al character Time has shown the fal-
lacy of that judgment at any rate;
whether it will finlly demonstrate that
the japanese as a naticn have gone too
fast. have abandoned too much, or have
struggled for an unatainable ideal, the
future alone can answer. What makes
this case most remarkable is not so
much the changes in their condition as
the time in which those changes have
been effected. They seek to do in de-
cades what it has taken other nations
centuries to accomplish. IL is natural
that the success of such a movement
should be distrusted. but, on the other
hand, it is hardly fair to content ones
self with the eXcathedra declaration
that no nation can do what Japan is
attempting to do, and succeed. EX-
perience is not an infallible guide in
this case for no nation in the history
of the world has ever been situated
precisely as the Japanese are situated.
Immured for centuries from all inter-
course with the world, and then sud
denly brought into contact with the
civilization Of the Nineteenth century,
why may not the japanese, if they have
the intelligence the ambition and the
energy, adopt for themselves those fea-
lures Of that civilization which are suit
able to their condition and their needs,
and thus as it were, pluck the flower
in full bloom, for the slow growth of
which other nations have had to wait?
The answer may very well be in the
affirmative, so far at least as the mater
ial and even the political advantages
of modern civilization are concerned
AS regards the question of ethical or
moral, and more especially of religious
change and growth, the answer is moro
difficult
In one thing, however, we may find
strong assurance for the future. The
changes through which Japan has mass
ed have not been made hap-hazard and
by chance. The minds which have di-
rected japanese progress within the
past thirty years have had a definite
object in view, and, so far as human
agencies could control it. this unique
national development has been guided
toward fixed goal. The purpose which
has animated those who have had a
leading part In directing japanese af-
fairs was on this occasion very well
expressed by prominent japanese
public man. A foreign gentleman ex-
pressed i'll his presence the regret
which he felt ut the havoc which mod
ern progress had wrought with some
Of the picturesque features of Japan
csc life. Il understand your position"
said the japanese statesman, you
would have Japan remain like an old
curi0, wonderful, even beautiful, but
practically useless. We Japanese de-
sire our country to be more than that.
II IS pleasant to be admired, but it is
better to be respected"
That summarizes the attitude Of those
who have had charge Of Japan's destiny
during the most important epochs of
her recent history. They do not reject
or put aside the old merely because it
is old, but desire to abandon those
things which cannot be brought into
harmony with the ideal they have
chosen When one remembers the ear
nest, and in tn main the successful
efforts Of the Japanse government to re-
tain and even to improve the forms Of
art and of manufacturing for which,
Japan has always been famous. it NAV
be safely concluded that none at least
Of the really valuable excellence of the
past viii be lost. If, on the other hand,
some Of the charm and romance of
japanese life disappear in the rush
and hurry and confusion of the practi-
cal and busy present, we may regret
the fact that we cannot impute as
fault to those who are attempting to
make their condition conform to their
environment The May-pole and the
rustic wayside inn and many other
pretty and pOetical things are traditional
even in our own history.
d. w. STEVENS.
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