The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-11-16
JAPAN AFTER THE WAR.

Lafcadio Hearn contributes timely
Japanese sketch to the November At
lantic. Under the title After the War,
he says
But in this radiant spring OF the JAP
anese year $3.50, the koi might be taken
to symbolic something larger than pa
rental hope,-the great trust of nation
regenerated through war. The military
revival of the Empire-the real birthday
of New Japan-began with the conquest
of China. The war is ended; the future
though clouded. seems big with promise;
and, however, grim the obstacles to lof-
tier and more enduring achievements,
Japan has nsither fears nor doubts.
Perhaps the future danger is just in
this immense self-confdence. 1t is not
a new feeling created by victory. 1t is
race feeling, which repeated triumphs
have served only to strengthen. From
the instant of the declaration of war
there was never the least doubt of ulti-
mate victory. There was universal and
profound enthusiasm, but no outward
signs of emotional excitement. Men at
once set to work writing histories of the
triumphs of Japan, and these histories
sold by subscription in weekly or
monthly parts. and illustrated with
photo Autographs or drawings on wood
were selling all over the country long
before any foreign observers could have
ventured to predict the final results of
the campaign. From first to last the
nation felt sure of it's own strength, and
of the impotence of China. The toy
makers put suddenly into the market
legions of ingenious mechanisms, repre-
senting Chinese soldiers in fight, or be-
ing cut down by Japanese troopers, or
tied together as prisoners by their
queues, or koactoaoing for mercy to illus
trious generals The old-fashioned mill
itary playthlnss, representing samurai
in armor, were superseded by figures
in clay, wood, paper, or silk-of Japan
ese cavalry, infantry, and artillery, by
models of forts and batteries and models
of men Of war. The storming of the de-
lenses of Port Arthur by the Kumamoto
Brigade was the subject of one ingeni-
GUS mechanical toy; another, equally
clever, repeated the fight of the Matsus-
hima Kan with the Chinese ironclads.
There we're sold likewise myriads of
toy-guns discharging corks by COM
pressed air with loud pop, and myriads
Of toy swords, and countless tiny bugles,
the constant blowing of which recalled
to me the tin horn tumult of certain
New Years Eve in New Orleans. The
announcement of each victory resulted
in an enormous manufacture and sale
of colored prints, rudely and cheaply ex-
ecuted, and mostly depicting the fancy
of the artist only, but we'll fitted to
stimulate the popular love of glory
Wonderful sets of chessmen also ap-
peared, each piece representing Chin
ese or Japanese officer or soldier.
Meanwhile, the theatres were cele.
brating the war after much more com
plete fashion. 1t is no exaggeration to
say that almost every episode of the
campaign was repeated upon the stage.
Actors even visited the battlefelds to
study scenes and backgrounds. and fit
themselves to portray realistically, with
the aid of artificial snowstorms, the
hardships of the army in Manchuria.
Every gallant deed was dramatized al
most as soon as reported. The death Of
the bugler Shirakami GenIiro; the noble
but fatal courage of Harada Jiukichi,
who scaled rampant and opened fort
ress gate to his comrades; the heroism
of the fourteen troopers who held their