New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-29

the West II has not presented Itself 10 his
mind even AS counsel OF perfection WIN
japanese women Of the better class ho""'er
chastity IL a very distinct ideal OF Probity
apart from the mere rrfraining from actua
theft shall speak below TIL" more abStrac,
virtues benevoience. temperance. humanity. ana
the like-ar". like many Of our Western abstrn'-
tons difficult for the Japanese mind 10 grasp
working "a it always does in an atmospher" OF
the concrete. or their conduct IN some or these
respects / shall speak later For the rest
Japanese ethical conceptions are suffering. az
ethical conceptions always suffer In periods "i
transition Buddhism in Japan has been h'an
for centuries though even now inehrctuai 81
forts are from time to time made to reanmate
IN. CORPSE. Confucianism Is antiIuat"d Delohg
ing TO a period of national life To which y"uhE
Japan looks back with contempt AZ perion Oh
harharism Christianity as already said. makes
no Roadway Utilitarianism. regarded by MI
Kidd AZ Ineffective for true ethical Development.
Is in its higher forms understood IN japan onS
by very few But in spite 81 THIS chaos the
ethical ideals OF the Tokueawa period y", sur .
vive: the samurai spirit. necessarily som'"h',
modified in its new environment. mas p,e'. anu
still remains the vivIfying factor IN Japanese
nroeress But at present IL Is little more IMAM Il
conventional survival. and AZ such cannot. III
Mr. Kidd's view long retain a vigorous eHis'-
epce II il must indeed. disappear. there can
~. M doub, that the whole future Of Japan IL
involved in finding equally potent ethica'
force to take it's place 49,,
Second-The question Of Japanese devotion To
conceptions Of duty need hardly be further ais
cuss.d after what has been said In the last
nar,eraph In 80 far duties are clearly
r.coenized-the duties. for instance. or loyalty
and OF obedience 10 parents-the Japanes" dr-
vntIon ,o them is intense. and this devotion ~
now AZ IL has been for several centuries. en-
,irelv devoid Of any supernatural sanction
THE JAPANESE LACK OF REVERENCE
Tbird-Reyercncc il OF two kinds reverence"
",,r things unseen" and reverence" Tor elders
and suneriors Considering the latter hrst. we
Gnd II highly developed in japan In the loyalty
ard in the obedience To parents alrcahy ue-
nr;had. and II was fully cxemplied IN the
|,an.r,ilv speaking) excellent discipline or the
r,,y during the late war But AZ regards rev.
rnncc for teachers. formerly inculcateh AS
an. OF the cardinal virtues. there ~
,r;oynus defect in the youth or iattcr-iay
ia,,n The extraordinary frequency AT Jap
uns. schools Of STRIKES. in when ior
,n f,ncied slight or trfing grievance the
.,,,s rorsakr their studies until their dicta-
s' !. accepted Is regarded by many foreign
w. 40 Indicating n serious lack or discipline
T., ,hc newer type Of japanese character. DIM
III, ,hnuyh il lie to discuss the question serious
~, 1, ~ none the less n matter worthy or at
- ,'n and one the gravity OF which the Japan
.. themselves hardly seem iulIy 10 feaIi|'
Thn niher form of reverence" reverence Tor
,h;n,s unseen'-cann0t be said To cxist IN
, , Sunerstition indeed is stu rife among
80 n.asantry. but it is superstition without
,, o,hical bearing whatever. Inc Japanese
@ certainly the most irrelgiouS or all the
aihiv civilized peoples. and as such are the
,,air of the missionaries. In low-caste
tJ,ndoo even in an Australian savage. the con-