Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-04-02

many stores deal in goods for him
alone. All this is one Of the ways
which prove the wonderful talent the
Jap has for absorbing the work OF 9TH
er people for these are not original
with him. Our vices seem to be the
most readily absorbed by the part CIV
ilized.
The amount of rot which has been
written about Japan and the Japs is
immense. The scenery is sometimes
fine, often good and pleasant. Inc
book would have you believe that there
is but one sight-Japan. The cherry
blossom makes an Eden of the land,
the apple tree at home is sweeter, more
beautiful, and should be as much an
inspiration to the word painter. she
has moderate climate, but colder IN
winter and warmer in summer than
part of our own. While the Japs have
developed a civilization of their own,
it is not complete. 1t has more shad-
ows and waste places than that OF Eu-
rope. An artist, he has no music, or
sculptor, or painting. His woman is
a play-thing, or a beast of burden. A
wonderful capacity to assimitate the
discoveries and knowledge of the west
ern world, he has given little in ex-
change save the ornamental.
They are a most courteous people,
very polite, willing to oblige, at all
times cheerful. No people are more
temperate in eating or drinking! They
are now making beer, and from the
number Of places where it is sold the
demand must be good. Quality, l am
told is fair, rather sweet and dark.
Some of the upper class drink to ex-
cess at times They will then remain
at home, or go somewhere else for a
week, and have the matter out. Will
they become a competitor in other
lines of goods than they now make, is
a question often asked and answered in
more ways than one.
If the next thirty years shall show
as much gain in absorbing and adopt
ing the science and methods of Europe
as the past thirty, we will probably
have a competition which will not be
pleasant. He has wonderful initiative
powers, is craftsman rather than a
mechanic, lacks invention, and at pres
ent does not show up as well as
hand in large factories. He does not
remain long in the cotton mills OF Os-
aka, the manufacturing centre OF the
Empire. He has a strong tendency to
return to his native village and work
ait the small loom there. These you
often see outside the house in suitable
weather. He does not take good care
of machinery, is careless and does not
see why he should not take day Off,
when he feels like it. At one of the
large establishments, some of whose
departments are managed by Ameri-
cans, | was told two hands were used
to do work that was done by one at
home, while in one branch in this
same factory, six hands were only do
ing the work of one in heQerica. Their
great conceit is an injury. They part
ly learn something, believe they can do
it all, discharge the European manager,
take charge themselves, and have bad
results One of the greatest troubles
my American friend had, was when the
rather complicated machines under his
charge might need adjustment. The
Jap foreman would take it apart to re-
pair, and when he put it together
would leave out part, and the work
must be done over. In the early days
of European influence the Japs started
to run a steamer which they had pur-
chased and did not know enough to
stop her. The captain ran her ashore
on sandy beach, where she stopped.
The woman of Japan is much smaller
than the man, always dark eyes, which
are cut a little bias, lips rather thick,
a small mouth, with her upper teeth
often crossed. When young she is at
tractive because she is young, but
fine looking or handsome one | have not
seen. They are said to be cheerful,
amiable and docile, an excellent thing
in women. Some people state the men
are brutal in their treatment OF them,
making them work very hard, often
turning them adrift when they are tired
of them. When they marry they of
ten have their teeth colored black, and
their eyebrows shaved off, which would
have a tendency to render them more
attractive perhaps. l have seen them
doing the hardest of work, hoeing, pull
ing wagons and boats, cOaling steam
er, with great loads of brush, bamboo
and charcoal on her back, veritable
beast of burden. Through it all they
seem cheerful and are always ready to
laugh People who have lived here
lifetime like them much better than
the men; say they are brighter, and If
they had a chance would show up much
better.
They are very ambitious, and imme-
diately after the China war were will
ing to war with most any nation. Their
educated class knew how senseless this
would have been, and prevented any
more fighting. People who know them
state we were fortunate in having a
stronger war vessel in the Sandwich
Islands year or so ago than the Japs.
Some of their public men expected trou-
BILE there, and were not averse to cross
ing swords with Uncle Sam. There has
been a change for the better within a
year, which may have come from re-
suits of Dewey's campaign in Manila.
One of the ambitions of Japan was to
possess the Philippines, and they were
very much chagrined at the result.
They have in cultivation about all the
land in Japan suitable. Population in
creases rapidly, and the food question
must be met in the next generation.
IT'S a pleasant land to visit, interest
ing because of the differences between
man there and man in Europe, but he
is after all only little different from
those we know better.
WILLIAM H. WOODWARD.
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