The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-02-05
INDUSTRIAL JAPAN.

An interesting sketch Of the COM
mercEal expansion of Japan is given by
a recent writer in The Contemporary
Review" It SHOWS clearly that the peo-
pie Of that island empire are applying
to peaceful industries and commerce
the same intelligence, enterprise, energy
and adaptability that have already
made them 50 formidable in war. Vast
sums. as the world knows, have been
Iavished upon the army and navy Of
the Mikado. No less a sum than 300,-
100000 yen, the Chinese war indemnity.
is now being devoted to such purposes.
But such expenditures are small COM
pared with the capital that in the same
time is being invested in manufactures
and commerce. Between January. 1885,
and April, 1896. new enterprises were
started with a gross capital Of 644, 1885,,
790 yen, OF which a little more than
one half was invested in railroads. The
list Of enterprises includes railroads.
banks. insurance companies, foundries,
paper mills. docxyards. steamship lines,
cotton, wool. hemp and silk mills, brew
cries, mines, bicycle companies and oil
refneries. There are now ffty-three
railroad companies in Japan, with
charters for 3.2S2 miles, Of which 1852
are in full operation. and most Of them
are so profitable that their stocks are
quoted at from 100 TO $50 per cent above
par
Nor do ocean steamship lines lag be-
hind. The Japan Mail Steamship Com
pany. which has just added 12,OO0,0OO
yen to its capital. now has the largest
neet in the world. II is running lines
regularly to Europe the United States.
Australia, China. Corea, and Siberia,
and is planning to increase vastly its
present service. The increase in Jap
ans foreign trade has been enormous.
In 1868 imports and exports together ag-
gregated. i'm round numbers, 26,OOO.OO
ven; in 1872. $4,000, 900: in 1878. $4,000, 900;
in 1888. 1872 900 900; in 1894, 230, 100000, and
i'm 1895 264, 600 0OO-an increase Of lOOO
per cent in twenty-seven years. Imports
and exports, as a rule, have pretty
nearly ba anced. At this rate Japan
may not become the commercial leader
of the world, but she win become,-in-
deed she already is-an important fac
tor in It, which must be seriously taken
into account, and by no nation more
seriously than by the United States.
The writer quoted points out, however,
fact too often ignored, which is really
the key of the whole situation. That is,
that Japan is steadily and inevitably
losing the great advantage over other
nations which cheap living and low
wages have hitherto given her, and is
coming to the same standard as that OF
her rivals The cost of living is in
creased in Japan in a marked degree
IL not commensureably with the in
crease Of industry and trade. In 1877
4 lower middle-class family Of five
could live on 20 yen a year, but in 1s9;
1t required $50 yen. In rent, food, fuel
etc, there was from 1873 to 1894 an
average rise, among all classes. of 81
per cent, and since 1894 there has beer
q further rise Of at least 10 per cent
Wages have also risen, but at only
about half that rate. The result is much
suffering and discomfort, which will, the
writer thinks. inevitably lead either tc
social revolution or to very consid