The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-31
,r,Ion of the small sum he is able to devote to


recreation SproRgett does not trave
much-only thirty miles a year by railway
average. not medlnn). He has On American
clock on his mantelplece an Austrian bent.
wood chair In his sitting room: his children
ore nourished on Swiss milk the meat he eats
IL mainly from New Zealand. the eggs from
Normandy. the butter from Denmark. His
clothes are made by Russian Jews domiciod
in England. The few toys his children use
are made in Germany
| "As to his personal habits 1t Ia difficult 10
generalize The amount expended on wash
ing materials is applied TO the clothes and linen
| ~ Mrs. SproRRett. who. however. tubs her chill
| d,'n ut least once a week. on Saturday night.
! SprosEc't himself. II he Ia not magned. does
| not SEQ the necessity OF this. and there Is GER
| tainly no such thing as bath capable OF
| holding him IN his house. while the use OF
! public baths Ia not so extended as to include
| the mean Englishman. The tradition In tho
| north is that he reserves himself for grand
| occasions when lie visits the seaside.
Washing materials, again. do net include
the use Of starch. Sproggett does not wear n
collar. except occasionally IA paper one on high
days and holidays: the neckerchief Is the mark
OF all his tribe He does not use toothbrush or
handkerchief Except the latter for carrying
his midday neal. but he generally gets shaved
Saturday night
Such. so far as can be ascertained from the
somewhat scanty and scattered materials at
our disposal. is the normal life OF the mean
Englishman. Unattractive as Is the picture
which this bare outline shows. 1t must not
hastily be assumed that he represents low
level OF civilization. We cannot determine
this till we have obtained similar details for the
mean Frenchman. the mean German. the mean
American. and tho mean Russian. and have re-
A. - l01~l a.,
some common measure. Indeed. there is
a further process still to be gone through
in regard to the inhabitants OF these isles.
and we have yet to compare our mean
EnRlishman with the mean Irishman, Scotch
man and Welshman. The key OF tho whole
inquiry 10. Of course. to be found in the living
wage. determining the standard OF comfort.
and in the consequent weekly budget. and I'M
til we have fuller material In regard to that in
formation It il impossible Mt present to make
this comparison for the British Isles"
Less than half a century ago. in 1857 to be
exact. Japan made her first treaties with for
eign States. At that time she was regarded as
pagan country, unfit to be trusted with the
protection Of Christian lives and properties,
and the Western powers stipulated that they
should retain the right OF jurisdiction over
their own nationals. Five days ago. after
what might be termed q minority OF forty
two years. japan came OF age and was fully
admitted into the comfy OF civilized States.
for on the nth OF this month the foreign COM
munities within her borders passed entirely
under japanese jurisdiction. Irksome as 1t
may have been OF late years to so ambitious
nation. this period OF waiting has really
been Of great service to Japan. As a writer
In the Times points out. 1t may have
even saved her independence. There can be
no doubt that had she been permitted to apply
her antiquated theory OF official monopoies to
foreign trade her present prosperous condi-
ton could never have been reached. while to
have intrusted the lives and properties OF
foreigners to her in tho days when her laws
we're defective and her judiciary OF the crudest.
and when foreigner was. at the best. an object
OF universal suspicion. or even hatred.
would have insured a series Of the gravest
troubles and complications with foreign
States. which might have forced them to have
robbed Japan OF her independence at a
period whom she would have been unable to
offer effectual resistance. AS II is. she has been
guaranteed against those complications in
variably disastrous to an Oriental power. and
has utilized the interim In revising her laws
and reforming her judiciary until they meet
the requirements OF Western civilization.
Japan approached the problem Of treaty re-
vision In 1871. but 1t was not until 1882 that
she put forward really practical scheme
on broad and liberal outlines. The whole
country was to be opened freely to for
eign trade, travel and residence. foreigners
being at liberty to carry on trade and
exercise any other calling. and to acquire
real and personal property on the same
footing as Japanese subjects. provided that they
passed under Japanese jurisdiction. But this
complete opening OF the country was not
to take place at once There was to be a
transition period OF five years. during which
free travel-wthout residence-for purposes OF
trade would be permitted. and the japanese
authorities would be invested with only such
a measure Of jurisdiction might be essen
tial for the preservation OF law and order
After the expiration OF the period OF pro-
baton Japan was to recover complete
judicial autonomy and the country was
to be fully thrown open rs above stated,
but various conditions were offered
namely. that the entire body OF new japanese
laws should be in operation and authenticity
translated into at least one foreign language:
that the system OF judicature should be organ
lied and modelled on that of France. Italy
and Belgium; that competent and RESPONSE
Bile foreign legal experts should be engaged
as Judges in number sufficient to guarantee
their majority In every case where foreigner
appeared as defendant tina tin the event OF the
jury system being adopted by J apan. every jury
impanelled to try foreigners should DO COM
posed in part OF aliens; that exceptional treat
ment should be accorded to foreign prisoners;
that, in matters relating to personal status,
foreigners should have their cases decided by
their own authorities In accordance with their
own laws. and that. as holders OF real property,
they should have a voice In the management
OF the local municipal affairs OF their former