The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-08-23
Japan 5 New
Treaty Regulations.
Some of the Queer Rules
Promulgated as a Result of
the New Treaty With
the Powers.

y
verbal EDITORS waste basket, be
cause did not enclose retnrn post
age for same or enclose an addressed
and stamped envelope for an acknowl
edgement Of the receipt OF same l
would not write now only some of
the recent events here in Japan in
regard TO the new treaties, reminds
me 80 much Of some of the actions
of some Of the city councils of Sum
ter in recen. years that | cant resist
the temptation Of showing them how
the same things look when done by
others Not making allowance for
Che different degrees of civilization,
some of the laws appear bGr!esques
of our OWE
On the 18th of this month, July,
Japan became, according to the
treaties signed by the powers of
Europe and America, one of the
powers of the civilized world If
The statesmen of the world have seen
&c TO recognize her as power, il is
iii fitting for any of Us out here to
express a different opinion. / may,
however, add tha. it is the universal
opinion of nearly every foreign resi-
dent in Japan. that great mistake
has been msde-
eaciose you 9 list OF the new
regulations as printed here by which
all foreigners have to be governed as
well as Japanese. Heretofore a for.
eigner was governed. tried and pun
ished By his consul A Japanese
having case against an American
had to bring it before the American
consul, an American against an Eng.
lishman before the English consul.
This applied to civil as we'll as Grim
incl cases Now ali come under
Japanese jurisdiction.
Reading over some of the rnles
for applications that are marked you
win note some very funny things.
ALI are not published in this lis.
A. discussion arose recently
amongst some of my acquainsances
here regarding reporting everything
TO the police The verdict was that
Is would be necessary for me TO
reportsif I should be shipwrecked at
any time, and that if drowned / must
give notice of myself as a floating
article II after that I should be so
unfortunate az to be affected by any
contagious disease. then l must
report my symptoms, report any
change ia myself and my physician
and any change in our medicine.
If acquired q new Jinrinkfsha
honesty or otherwise) then I must
report It, similarly when it got worn
out. and / must also obtain permis
sion to crematesthe 'Rlkisha wnen it
got 80 bad thatit would not stand a
report.
Finally, if any one paid my taxes
for me. I was to report him and
secure his punishment, after which if
ever l got on a.bicycie it would be
necessary to apply for permission
before I got off
Speaking. Of bicycles they now
have bicycle license here too 81 25
per year, and the tags are really an
ornament to the wheel. It is q block
Of wood 4 inches by q inches and
shout to thick 1t is covered
with Japanese writing. possibly a
pedigree of the wheel or . history of
your own life. and it must be carried
on the wheel.
/ had the opportunity of witness
ing one of the greatest of Japanese
sights last week, the Matsuri of
Geone. Nov wouldn't that jar
you y What the actual meaning of
same is l have pot been able to find
ont Ge one is one of their numes-
oas gods, and having a lot of follow
ers and believers bis birthday or
festival is considered the greatest
day in Japan The headquarters are
at the main temple in Kyote, with
branch houses ell over the country.
Temples are no rarity in japan. You
will find one, whether small or large.
in every 800 yards you walk Bot
the Matsuri / mnst not forget to
describe. 1t consisted entirely of
large foats that would have made the
decorations of the Columbia fair or
Charleston gala week turn their faces
to the wall.
They were all very similar in
design and exactly alike in construc-
ton. They were pagoda shape to
represent the temples and mounted
ON wheels of solid wood, the size Of
a lumber cart wheel The house
part was about 25 feet high, on top
CT which was flag pole about 80 feet
hs~h All %ofao.oph on1 o1oNfrSo