The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-06
SOME NEW HOOKS.


Japan of To-Day.
The latest addition to the literature relating
70 the Mikado's empire Is entitled Japan in
Transition, by STAFFORD RASsoME tHarpersl
The writer was. for some two years after the
close OF tho recent war between japan and
China. the Toxic correspondent OF the London
Morning Post and Engineer. For those news
papers lie depicted the political and social ef-
fects Of the war and outlined the engineering
and Industrial progress Of the country. II Ia
his letters on these subjects which. with many
additions. are here reprinted. The purpose OF
the book ia described in the subtitle "A
comparative study Of the progress. policy and
methods OF the Japanese since their war with
China The com parisons are made between the
methods 81 the Japanese to-day and the meth
DDS OF Western peoples in view OF the fact that
Japan ia endeavorlng 10 bring herself into line
with the most advanced nations of the earth
Mr.. Ransomo has striven not to be classed
either "a a "pro-Japnnese" or "anti-Japan-
ESQ.," and. consequently. his conclusions are
not unlikely to offend one or another section
OF the japanese community. On tho whole.
however. tho Mikado's subjects ought to be
satisfied with his opinions. He IL a firm be-
lever In the solidty OF the political. CONNER
eial and Industrial advance effected by the
Japanese. From a social point of view. he
thinks their old customs better suited TO them
than are those imported from the West In
his opinion. their moral instincts. though not
based on Western doctrines. are not. as rule.
OF q lower order than those of European ma
tions. In the ordinary transactions OF life he
found the Japanese particularly honest. even
when dealing with foreigners. Particularly
was this true at a distance from the treaty
ports. At tho same time he admits that. In
conducting business on a large scale. they
1nxt tu nrI
TO tho fulnlment OF contracts. but this he at
tributes largely TO misconception as to the
fundamental principles which control COM
mercial affairs. Like other observers. our
author considers the most marked trait In the
Japanese character to be feverish anxiety to
acquire and a wonderful ability to absorb
knowledge OF every sort, but he takes more
optimistic view than Is taken by many we'll
known authorities with regard to Japanese
capabilities for giving practical effect to the
knowledge attained. Another conviction at
which he arrived Is that. 30 far as the interests
OF various countries can ever be the same.
those OF Great Britain. the United States and
Japan are and must be for many years to come
identical so far as a Far Eastern policy ia con-
cerned: for those three powers are alone In
disappearing OF the smemberment Of China
and In respecting international law throughout
eastern Asia. He has no doubt that the two
nations first named would find in the Japanese
not only efficient but perfectly honorable allies.
An especially Interesting chapter deals with
popular m misconceptions OF japan Many OF the
mistaken notions current should be ascribed
to the fact that those responsible for them
have based their views OF tho country and its
Inhabitants on what they have seen in the
treaty ports 1t would be Just as reasonable to
regard q book dealing with life In Gibraltar as
an exhaustive treatise on Spain. The truth Ia
that life int he treaty ports is SO absolutely I'M
like tho life In any other parts OF Japan that
hardly any statements concerning the former
will be likely to hold good respecting the lat
ter. Treaty port people. and especially treaty
port journals. assure the visitor that all Japan
ese are bad 1t appears that the treaty port
resident is in n continual state Of wrath or irri-
tation. His interests in the country being. as
q rule. purely Of a commercial nature. he 10
naturally sore when he finds that the new gen.
GRAFTON Of Japanese are increasingly able to
carry on their foreign trade without his assist
hnce. When we add that the better class Of
natives never live In the treaty ports II they
avoid it. we can that the treaty port esti-
hate OF Japanese character and methods must
Needs be misleading. AT the same time. tho
frst impressions OF Japan on treaty port sur
roundings. al he has to land at one OF tho
faces thrown open by treaty. and often gets no
further during his stay: II he does his jour
nevng merely takes the form OF flying trips to
certain famous sights In the interior. which
all tourists wish to see. and he speedily re-
turns to his headquarters within the conces-
sion limits in one Of the coast towns. The man
whose experience is thus limited will. 10 doubt.
report that the Japanese are devoid OF integ-
rity and sexual morality: that they are grasp
ing. untrustworthy. rude and even dangerous.
He has read these assertions every day in his
treaty port newspapers, and he has been over
charged by his rikIsha boy. who is probably
the most reputable specimen OF q Japanese
with whom he has come in contact.
There is a visitor OF another sort who Is apt
to mislead people at home on the subject Of
Japan. though In quite another direction. This
Is he who endeavors to "Japonify" himself at
short notice. and without being able to speak
the language. He becomes enamorsd of the
country. aud. possibly. OF one OF its daughters.
and ia rapturously maudlin In telling all about
II. To such man. Japan is peopled with dear
little giRging dolls. living in dear little mina-
ture houses made OF cardboard" He eats
fairy food out OF miniature dishes; hangs the
graceful costume OF the country on him as il
tho kimonO were towel and he a clothes
horse; he strains tho sinews OF his legs in
suuatting on the floor and he relates that he
fears his head would knock a hole in the
fragile ceiling II he were to stand upright: SO
twould II he were eight or nine feet high.
and his head were not softer than the wood
work. He laughs in innocent glee as he lots
the rice fall fsOm his chopstcks onto
the spotless pdtomt for he is in such de-
lightiul. little. shallow IN nded. light hearted.
immoral paradise. He hugs himself in the be-
lief that he 10 living among laughing children
again. and he has no thought for tho morrow
for he has not grasped the fact that his femi-
nine companions are bored with it all. but that
etiquette and business exiGences obiRe them
to appear amused at his eccentricities. He
does not understand that, if their laugh is
genuine. they are laughing at him rather than
with him. and that 1t is he, in reality. who IL
the child. Meanwhile his treaty port guide is
making terms with the landlady Of the card
board" house as TO the extent to which it viii
be safe to run up the bill. and AS to how much
commission is TO be reserved out of the amount