The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1896-02-04
S0SHI ASSASSINS.
JAPANESE STUDENTS WHO ARE
PAST GRADUATES IN MURDER.
The Outcome of the Extraordinary
Change That Has Taken Place In
Japanese Clvillzation-Addi
ed the "Happy Dispatch"

eminent has arrested many of those
suspected of being concerned in her
assassination. The soshi are n con.
slant source of trouble to the japan.
csc Government, and every newspa-
per reader who peruses tho foreign
news with intelligence must have
noticed that on occasions of great
political excitement in the Mikado's
empire the soshi are reported as Gre
atlng grave alarm.
In Japan the soshi occupy q some
what similar position to that held by
the German university students in the
tatherland, save that they are more
turbulent, moro important and more
numerous than the Teutonic represen.
tatlyes of the same class, and there is
a greater admiXture of political agi.
tator IN the soshi than there is in the
German student. The modern soshi is
the outcome of that extraordinary and
rapid change of heart that came over
Jagan so short time past that some
OF the new system has not yet become
well grated upon the old order of
things.
The word itself, soshi, is derived
from two Chinese chnracters--so, n
strong and able bodied man, and shi IL
scholar or sage. At first the term
soshl was applied only to students of
the different schools aud universities,
and the soshl was only n. young stu
dent OF any age between fourteen and
thirty. just such young men rs would
belong here in America to the HIGH
schools and to the universities at Berk-
ley and Stanford, for example. TWEEN
tyyears or more ago the soshi was n
scholar and n soldier. AS he was
young and frequently hotheaded, he
was sometimes something of swash-
ouckIer, beIllgerent and self-asgertive.
but brave with9l and fierce TO main
tam that stern code of honor to which
SO many of bis kind sacrificed their
lives.
The soshi then was the future Sa.
mural, belonging to that class that
mas proudly but justly been styled the
soul of Japan" He was the son ofa
retainer of some great and powerful
noble, some daimyo or feudal lord,
and he was in training to become, like
his father and erandfathcrs before
MN, warrior serving under the same
banner as that for which his ancestors
mad Willingly fought and died. Some.
times OF course he was only n ronin or
wave mtn," wandering Samurai
and owing allegiance to no particular
lord, but at liberty to enlist in the
service of any master he pleased. Still
attached or unattached, he belonged
to the warrior class, and rs such was
gentleman; young, it is true, but in
training for great deeds
This was the old application Of the
word, but within the last few wears the
term soshi has been used discriminatory
OF almost any political or professional
agitator in rank above the farmer or
peasant. They have grown to be
a dangerous class only since the
restoration of the Emperor to power.
Before that they were students pure
and simple, and the fact that good
deal of their time was devoted to mill
farY studies and duties did not make
them any more dangerous to the public
peace or lead them to cause the powers
that were any more anxiety than do
our own students to-day.
But when the governing power has
restored to the Emperor and the dnim.
yos yielded up their fiefs and estates
and retired to private life their retain.
ers, the SGmurai, found their occupa-
tton gone. They could not work, and
they could not steal, nor could they
earn living. They we're trained war
riors or the descendants OF warriors.
men taught and brought up 10 believe
the life OF tradesmau far beneath them
and unworthy oftheir rank and attain
ments. Yet they could not stnrvc. and
earn their living in some way they
must.
Many of them entered the police
force, for Japan maintains n military
police and here the former warrior
found restored to him the sword which
a recent cdict had forbidden him TO
wear as n customary part of his attire.
The fact that SO many of the Samurai
families found in the Police Depart.
ment n field for their talents explains
the secret Of the extraordinary defer.
ence shown by the shopkeepers and
lower classes to the policeman Of his
district.
Others entered the Government ser.
49, 90 Ni'l DO III " -lDlS thINClIleH,
Tor they were highly educated class.
But still there is not room in the Gov.
eminent service for all these descend.
ants of the Samurai an I there vet
rankles in the hearts Of many Of them
the Notifying fact that they have lost
those caste privileges which were so
dear TO their souls And there is moth
ing they dread so much as the bitter
humiliation Of falling into insignia.
canoe and oblivion.
The recent attack upon Ii Hung
Chang, the Chinese Envoy, was the
work OF fanatic soshi, and the rest of
tho japanese felt this stain upon their
National honor kcenly. Due to them
also was the attack upon the Russian
Czarowitz. One of the most notori.
ous of the soshi assassinatious was
that OF Viscount Mori, the late jap.
anese Minister OF Education. That
unlucky gentleman dared 10 make
changes in the educational system
that did not meet with their approval
and one OF them assassinated him.
The soshi never lack for COURAGE.
and 10 is notable circumstance in
connection with these assassinations
and attempted murders that the soshi