The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-08-12
THE YANKEES OF
THE EASTERN WORLD
Interesting Description Of the Customs
Of Modern Japan.
COUNTRY OF GREAT POSSIBILITIES
Labor and Wages, Japanese Farming,
Marriage, Divorce and the Social
Evil Studied by an Experienced
Observer..American Very Popular
in Japan.
NJ. ". H.. in the Sun.

II Is a SOBER ana sensible, anu, tneTe-
fore, trustworthy account OF contemp-
orary Japan which William Eleroy
Curtis has given us in the two volumes
collectively entitled ''The Yankees Of
the East" (Stone & KimbalD. The au-
thor evidently was convinced that
new book on Japan was needed. for he
has no high opinion of the comments
of some preceding observers. He points
out, for instance. that Murray has pub
lished a guide to Japan. but he pro-
nounces It incomplete and unsatisfac-
tory. In his opinion, the most useful
books for the ordinary traveller are
Chamberlain's Things Japanese and
Miss Scidmore's "Jinrlkisha Days"
Griffis' ''The Mikado's Empire" is re-
garded by Mr.. Curtis as the most ade-
quate of all historical works, while Dr..
]. j. Rein's remarkable but costly vol
ume is acknowledged to be the best
authority on the arts and industries of
the country. 1t is also suggested that
one may get an accurate and compre-
hensive glimpse of japanese home life
by reading Miss Alice Bacon's "A Jap
anese Interior" and her Japanese
Girls and Women" On the other hand.
1t is alleged that Sir Edwin Arnolds
roscate views of japan We're obtained
from a pretty villa at the top Of a
hill in the residence district of Toxic.
The author thinks that it would not
be polite or proper to repeat the gos-
sip that Is freely circulated concerning
the behavior of this gentleman during
his stay in japan, but 1t may be said
hat ba. mic ri. ln rafpI.
him as shining example of Western
morality. We are told that he wrote
1.-The Light of Asia" at Omori, a sea-
shore resort, where he was surrounded
by a choice selection of Eeisha girls.
and the guides now point out the
scenes of his adventures as they do
other places and historical interest.
AS for the prose poems and pictures
of Japanese life that have come from
the pen of Lafcadio Hearn, these are
admitted to be "a little more accurate
than the writings of Sir Edwin, but
continues Mr.. Curtis, practical people
have not been able to see the same
things in the same light as they ap-
pear to his eye. Mr.. IIearn is a Greek
by birth, and lived for many years in
the United States, where he did news
paper work at Cincinnati and New
Orleans. For a time he was teacher
In O. government school in the interior
of Japan, but later has been living in
Kobe. He is a dreamer, with poetic
temperament and wonderful gift of
words"
In a useful preliminary chapter the
American traveller is warned not to
buy anything in Yokohama until he
returns, after vivsiting other cities. tie
is further told, what other travellers
have omitted to mention, that great
drawback to travel in the interior of
Japan is the vigor and activity of the
insect life The natives. who are tough
ened by continual exposure, do not
seem to notice the infliction; the tender
flesh of foreigners is more tempting,
and whenever one arrives in rural
town, the creeping and jumping things
have a matsuri, which is, it seems. the
name of a japanese festival, when
everybody comes out for a good time.
Mr.. Curtis is. we repeat, the first OBJ
server who has revealed this fact. and
he adds that the Japanese insects are
peculiarly active. "They are always
on the lookout for job" he says.
land when night comes they begin
business in earnest" Much more
agreeable is the admonition that.
wherever an American traveller goes
in Japan, he should make himself
known as an American. That, 1t seems,
is an open sesame to every home and
every heart The Japanese hate the
English, the French, and the Russians,
although they treat them politely be-
cause politeness is due to their own
self-respect and the laws of hospit-
ality. A citizen of the United States,
however, requires no further introduce
ton than q mention of his nationality.
The first question asked of a stranger
is, 20 kuni wa?" (What is your hon
orable country?) Englishmen who
know the sentiments of the people Of
ten proclaim themselves Yankees in
order to get the best rooms in the
house and the largest share Of atten-
tion.
OF the twenty-three chapters in this
book we can touch only upon those
which deal with the question Of labor
and wages, with Japanese methods of
farming and with the subject of mar
rhage. divorce. and the social evil,
which cannot be wholly overlooked in
any conspectus of the Mikado's empire.
According to Mr. Curtis, It is a grave
mistak. 10 say that the japanese are
not an original people, but that they
have always been, and still are, merely
Initiative. 1t is undoubtedly true that
the japanese workman can make any,
thing he has ever seen. Give him q
most complicated mechanism, q watch,
printing press, or an electrical appa-
ratus, and he will reproduce it exactly,
and set 1t running without instruction.
He can initiate any process, and can
copy any pattern or design, more exact
ly and skilfully than any other work.
man in the world. 1t is undoubtedly
that faculty which has enabled Japan
to make such rapid progress in western
civilization. Amid the circumstances
In which the lot of the Japanese people
has been cast during the last quarter of
century, originality has not been
needed. but rather the power of adapt
ability and imitation. These very pow
ers, IL they stood alone, would make
Japan dangerous competitor for the
European nations in manufactured
merchandise. AS matter of fact, they
have evinced a remarkable faculty of
selection. They have found one thing
In Switzerland, another i'm Sweden, an
other in England. others in Germany,
France, and the United States. and they
have rejected what is not of value to
them as readily as they have adopted
those things which are to their advant-
age. At the same time, AYERS Mr. Cur
tbs, 1t Is mistake to suppose that the
Japanese people have no originality.
The records of their patent office, to
which reference is made in a chapter of
this book, are enough to settle that