The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-19
JAPAN MEAT-EATERS.
A Great National Change Is Now in
Progress.
From the Baltimore Sun.

Great National Change Is Now in
Progress.
From the Baltimore Sun.
Washington, Nov. ia great national
change is now in progress which vegeta-
rians and all scientists who are interested
in anthropological mutations should fol-
low closely and on the results although
they may not be preceptible for many
years, may be safely based a number OF
important ard interesting conclusions Ref
erenCe Is made 10 the change of the Jap
anese from a diet composed principally of
rice and fish 10 one in which meat pays
an important part. The whole nation is
changing from a race of vegetarians to
one of meat eaters and 1t is reasonable to
conclude that within a generation or SO
the results of the substitution viii be ap-
parent in the alteration of TIE racial char
acterisics. Meat eating has developed in
Japan within the past twenty-five years to
such an extent that the government is now
casting about for a means to bring the
supply up to the demand. For the purpose
of investigating the methods of stock rais-
ing and slaughtering employed in the
United States Mr. Inazo Nitobe, Japan
csc official of unusual intelligence and ed
ucation ard a graduate of Johns Hopkins
University, has spent the last few months
raVefng through the different cattle-rais-
ing states. He has been sent here as a
special commissioner of the japanese de-
partment of agriculture, commerce and
industry. Mr.. Nitobe reached Washington
yesterday. In regard to the effect of meat
eating on the japanese, Mr.. Nitobe said
to-day:
1T Is too early yet to say that there has
been any change In Japanese characters
tics because of their beginning the con
sumption of meat. Possibly changes will
De noticeable In time when meat eating
becomes more general and more extensive.
one thing the change In diet may do Is
to create desire for more and stronger
stlmuants. AT present our national drink
is sake rice beer, quite harmless, COM
paratively. More meat may mean desire
for liquors stronger than the sake You
know the Japanese have not been meat
eaters long and the industry of cattle and
stock-raising in Japan is In it's infncy.
Nature did not apparently, contemplate
that the japanese should be meat-eaters
as neither the horse nor the COW is a ma
tive Of Japan or was ever on the island
until comparatively recently, as is shown
by the absence of their remains from geo
logical researches. Philology says there
never was word expressing sheep or an
animal similar to it in the Japanese Ian
guase Animals were imported into ia
pan many years ago, but came in with the
Buddhlstic religion, which, as you know.
forbids the killing of animals for food
Our native religion, Shintoism. also for
bids to a measure the killing of anything.
so that partly from the lack of natural
supply of animal food partly from .relig-
ious influences and partly from the fact
that vegetarian diet has hitherto amply
satisfied the Japanese, they have never
been eaters of meat to any extent Not
much stock has been raised in Japan
While horses and COWS have been used
for agricultural purposes, their use has
been limited to certain districts It is
peculiar that, owing to religious tenden-
cies, the country is divided into distrcts
in one cows being used exclusively fo-
farming purposes. in an adjoining dis
trict stations and in another Mares In
the first district no horses whatever are
used and in the other districts no cows
are used. These districts are scattered all
over the island and have been engaged
In mapping them out.
1.-The beginning of meat-eaiing in Japan
was due to the introduction of Western
civilization some twenty-five or thirty
years ago. AT first the common people
were very superstitious about II and II
was not until the Emperor set the example
by having beef served on his table that
the common people overcame their scru-
pies and began to eat meat. They found
1t good and the demand has increased con-
stantly until now, in order TO supply the
demand, we are killing our cattle at a
rate of II per cent. yearly more than the
natural increase. This will soon result
in the depletion of the stock of the island
unless something is done, and it is to OBJ
tain an insight into American met hods of
stock-raising and slaughtering that have
visited the United States.
Japan is well adapted to The raising of
cattle and sheep. 1t has an abundance of
grazing land. The low lands, which are
principally covered with rice fields. take
up but u per cent. of the island so that
IS per cent, being mountainous region.
may be utilized for grazing purposes.
When we first introduced sheep we treated
them like gentlemen, feeding them on
timothy and other kinds of expensive
grasses. They did not pay and the sheep
were turned out to grass, with a result
that while they deteriorated In size. they
became much harder animals. The BAN
boo grass is, however, very hard on the
stomachs of the sheep. Mutton Is now
brought from Australia and sold in Japan
for cents per pound.
During the recent war with China.
Japan awoke 10 the necessity of having a
character of the ricehelds it had never
the horses, while hardy, were of a noun
tain breed and quite small. When The
army was fighting in China the lack of
the government has done all Il could to
encourage the raising of horses by estab-
fishing studs, Offering premiums, purchas-
ing horses. etc.Y We want the horses for
our agricultural purposes and our cav
airy and the cattle for food"
Jaartlaee win Won T.ta ..,l,o,,