The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-28
.IAPAN'S WEALTH
IS INCREASING
This is Shown by the Late
Returns of Income
Tax. Payments.
Tactics of Rival Contracting
Firms Cause an Ugly Fight
on the Tama.
During the Plst Month There Were
Five Thousand Cases of Smallpox
in the Kingdom.

TOXIC, JAPAN, Dec. 13.-That Japan's
wealth is increasing is proved by the
latest returns of income-tax payments.
The tax collected this year has been about
quarter of million yen more than that
collected last year, which means an in
crease of taxpaying incomes to the extent
of about 20, 000.0 600 yen. In 1890, when the
tax began to be levied, the total OF the tax
able incomes was S1,000.0O0 yen. 1t is
now 100, 000, 600. ~
Rivalry among the employees of two
firms OF Japanese contractors led to an
ugly fight on the 9Th of December, near
the mouth of the river Tama, which runs
into the sea about midway between Toxic
and Yokohama. One of the firms having
obtained contract to supply quantity
of stone for the construction of u coast
defense fort the employees of the other
conceived the idea of hiring all the boats
available for carrying the stone, so that
their competitors might not be able to
fulfill the contract. The second firm
dispatched a party of stalwarts to recover
the boats, and three hours fight ensued.
Forty men were wounded, thirty of them
being police constables.
Another of the school disturbances so
common of late years in Japan has oc-
CURED at the Nagoya High School The
students objecting to the severe methods
of new director, struck work, and when,
instead of obtaining redress for their sup
posed grievance, their ringleaders were
expelled, the whole body-700 in all
broke out into open rebellion against the
director and the principal schoolteachers,
SO that these latter hao to obtain police
protection. An unusual feature is that
the youths are backed by their suretles,
VIII complain that the explosions were
made without reference to them, and the
consequence is that Nagoya is in state of
considerable ferment.
The citizens of Toxic seem to be at
iengtn waking up to the necessity OF Wig
orous action for the purposes of harbor
Improvement. Since 1880 the subject has
been on the tapis in a desultory kind of
way; but the difficulty of evolving a good
plan and the heavy expense of carrying it
out has hitherto proved deterrent. Ships
cannot get within three miles of the city
at present, and all goods destined for it
have to be carried in lighters or junks. 1t
is now thought that, in view of the growth
OF the city, the value of the land reclaimed
in constructing good harbor would cover
the outlay. a4s
Smallpox prevails IN several parts of
Japan at present. Between January and
Septem Der the total number of cases
throughout the country was 1880, but b,
the end of November it had increased to
over 5000. In Toxic seventeen or eighteen
fresh cases are reported daily.
The district of Chungsan in Korea is in
the anomalous condition OF having two
magistrates, neither of whom knows
whe ther he is the right man. Both are
named PAX Hangyang; both were in ex-
pectation OF an official appointment when
the Official Gazette announced that PAX
Hangyang" had been nominated Magis.
trate OF Chungsan, and both hurried off to
assume the duties of the post without TAX
ing care to establish their identity.
The exact facts about the plot SAID to
have been recently discovered in Korea
for numbering the pro- Russian Cabinet
Ministers and carrying off the King from
the Russian legation to his own palace
have not yet been made public. AS time
goes by the general impression gains
ground, namely, that the p OF was de-
vised by pro- Russian Koreans III order 10
prevent the Kings removal from The Iega-
ton. 1t is not pretended that the Rus
SLAMS themselves were implicated in the
matter; they are beginning to wish that
the Kings residence in their legation
should be brought TO the speediest pos
sIble termination. The prime movers
were probably Korean politicians who be-
lieve that their tenure of power depends
upon the Kings remaining where he is.
There are only tifty-two Europeans and
Americans residing in Chemulpo, namely,
thirty-eight men and fourteen women.
But the Japanese residents number 1858,
namely, 3458 men and 1896 women.
Appearances, said not TO be deceptive, of
a growing thirst for the acquisition of for
eign languages and sciences are noted in
various parts OF China. Men that can
give instructions in these lines are de-
cidedly in request at salaries sufficiently
tempting to native of China. There are
no signs as yet of a disposition to employ
foreigners as teachers i'll the interior, nor
is it at all likely that anything of the kind
will be seen for many day to come.
largely as was the practice resorted to in
people speak of the things that are taking
place as a most hopeful indication of
China's awakening. But if the masses of
China are reused by intellectual contact
with Western knowledge the first desire
prompted by their new acquisition will be
to overthrow the present dynasty.
To effect that an immense number of
props must be knocked away. Every Off
cia Is a buttress of the present system, for
under it he thrives and grows financially
fat. 1t is all very we'll to rail at Chinese
corruption, at the extortion practiced by
local officials. and at the invertebrate
character of the central Government But
the fact is that the administrative organ
ization existing in China is one of the
most cleverly devised mechanisms ever
known in history. rs very abuses serve
to prolong its life. Every individual con-
nected with it finds his account in main
tanning it.