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

What 10 the attitude Of the Japanese people
toward the foreigners whom they encounter
in their country Is 1t true that they are
without gratitude to the foreigner. while he.
on the other hand has created the new Japan?
Answering this question. Mr.. Ransome divides
the foreigners IN Japan into four classes, ex-
Guiding legation and consul ar officials. and he
points out that the benefits conferred on the
japanese by Thorn are Of a varied nature. In
the first place. We have the business foreigners;
those may Justly claim to have built up the in
ternational trade OF tho Mikados empire
Next are the missionaries; these may Justly
claim to have taught English to many Of the
japanese. Then there are the passing visitors.
who may Justly claim to have spent certain
amount OF money in the country. Finally
there are a few technical advisers and others.
who. for one reason or another. live permR-
nently among the japanese. These may Justly
claim to have done far moro than all the rest OF
the foreigners in bringing about the enlRhten-
ment which distinguishes Japan at the present
day. Our author finds it hard to understand
why FnRlishmen should expect much business
gratitude from the japanese. for It would GER
tainly never enter the heads OF the former to
look for the exhibition Of such feeling on the
part OF the French or the Germans or OF
anybody else with whom they deal. On the
other hand. the Continental nations do not
consider the English people overburdened
with this ideal virtue. From the mission
airy point OF view. no doubt. the Jap
anese display ingratitude by accepting
a free education and then refusing to
adopt Christianity Unfortunately. the mis-
sionaries have not yet come to an agreement
between themselves as to the lines on which
Christianity should be preached consequently.
Japanese. II he were 10 feel inclined to ADOPT
the Christian religion. may be excused If he
does not know which OF the many conflicting
sects he ought to follow. The tourists COM
plain OF Japanese ingrattude on the ground
that. after they have treated a native guide
| very literally. they discover that he has been
taking a commission on everything that they
have been purchasing Apparently tourists
have expected to come across specimen
OF primitive unsophisticated man in the
shape Of a Japanese treaty port guide. Find
ing their guides possessed Of no more hon.
esty than Is usually encountered among
such functionaries in highly civilized coun-
tries nearer home. the visitor becomes indg-
nant at Japanese Methods. and reflects with dis
| gust that he could have arranged to have been
| robbed In n similar and more extensive man
| ner without going half way round the world.
| As to the foreign advisers. II has been often
! alleged though not as a rule by the advisers
| themselves. that they have been unfairly
| treated by the Japanese Mr.. Ransome does
not deem the charge we'll founded. unless we
| are to assume that the discharging Of instruc-
| tors as soon as the pupils feel that their own
| knowledge Is sufficient to enable them to get
| along without help constitutes a sign OF in
gratitude. The practice OF discharging the
| foreigner as soon possible has been in
varaby followed in japan. and there Is no
l I.N.,I hat Vhn uy,tk tlNta
| policy has been even more vigorously observed
than was formerly the case. The exhibition OF
undue citation and self con fdence Is to be OK
pected from any nation which has Just COM
| pleted a successful war. But our author sub
| mits that the behavior OF the Japanese after
their marvellous achievement compares favor.
ably with what might be looke cd for in the
case OF any other nation under similar con-
ditions. The foreigners who are still retained
in Japanese employ are mostly English. but
there are a few Americans and Germans. and
one or two Frenchmen Mr.. Ransome ex-
presses tho opinion that tho Japanese have
shown remarkable sagacity In their choice OF
the advisers retained. for. while they have
doubtless allowed many good men to leave the
country, they have comprehended that 1t was
needful to make it worth tho while OF equally
efficient exports TO remain with them We are
assured that the relations between the Japan
csc and their foreign advisers, il not OF an emu
sive nature. are often cordial and sym pathetic.
and while there must arise between people be-
longing to nations widely different in tradi-
lions and methods questions and situations
which both cannot look at from tho same view
point, their attitude toward each other is on
the whole ono OF mutual respect. Speaking
generally. with regard to the services rendered
by foreigners to Japan our author would say
that England may claim to have taken the
largest part in organizing the navy. finance.
internal commun cations. mining and indus
trial work. Germany has devoted herself
mostly to tho army. to medicine and 10 several
scientific subjects The United States have
given assistance In almost all departments
particularly in regard to educational and In
dustrial matters To France belongs chiefly
the credit for Offering the preliminary advice
which led to the formation OF the existing lega
code and for organizing on modern lines the
lokosuka dockyard. which until now has been
considered the principal naval depot OF the
country.
Is it easy for a foreiLner to form lasting
friendships in Japan2 Mr. Ransome says tina,
the casual visitor II he happens to come In
contact with Japanese OF tho respectable
class nearly always comes away with the ides
not only that they are an extremely agreeable
intelligent and enlightened people, but that he
has made a favorable impression on them
which is often not tho case This idea more
or less mistaken. is due to two reasons
namely. the conduct OF such japanese would
usually be courteous and very modern. anc