The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-01-24
Inside Information on Japan
Irving Ryttenberg Gives the
Facts From His Own
NJ Observation.

hVOc, vopsup DuC ~, iooo - n
Telegram received via London, ds,ed
Dec 81. givss the following informs-
tion |;
IA bill has been introduced into
the United Ssstes congress to author
ise the sppoiu,meu. Of a commission
10 report on the industrial condition
OF China sod japan"
Az tbis 10 in pursuance OF Presi
dent McKinley's message | have no
doubt that ere this reaches yeu Ii
vill have been passed aud the com.
missioners about TO DO appointed.
'ls shis commission going 10 be-
come another Of the isrces or will
really competent men be appointed
thereon Will they come out here
and DO wined and diusd by officials,
given Geishs sprees and dances.
have . lot Of statistics rammed down
shsir throsts snd then 20 home ssying
vhst 6oe country 10 10 and what q
splendid rsoe Of people the Japs are?
An investigation Of THE sort which
10 90 be . reference for commerce and
vill no doub, have some effect there.
upon, should DO made rigorous and
impartial TO oil concerned the
bed % we'll 80 the good side Of the
country being shown no to the light.
do not wish to take away from
che Jsps any credit that is due them.
bot % 90 much has been said and
written "pro." don't you think il
time that some one put few ICONS"
in the csse Comparisons being ct
sIl simes odious. | shall avoid them
altogether. besides sm not acqusipt
Cd With the Chinese except by hear
ssy, slough their sptness for business.
and eopmercisl proolivities are gu
pesior 20 any Oriental nation.
The japanese. - oil foreigners
doing business here know, are. with
very few exceptions, "striC,ly un.
reliable" fact Of which the govern
ment officials snd even some of the
beet merchants are fully aware aud
will when pressed admit ss truth.
Occasionally articles appear 10 jap
snese newspapers which when trans
lated prove TO be DO more nor less
than appesls for reform in this direc-
siou
''Striot honesty" in business is al
most unknown. What importer 10
the country when the question 10 put
straight TO him can deny that If the
market price fell how much trouble
he would bsve in mskiDg bis Gus
toner toke delivery of goods, II he
succeeded st oil |? Whsl exporter is
there Who hes not found out after
making Q contract for nerchsudise
thst his neigtbor. Who oil uncon-
scious Of the fact, hes been willing
TO pay triding advance in price. is
ssceiviug his goods. whereas he is
met with . "smiling bow" sud "no
goods" The jap says he 10 very
shuopsi (fulI of anxiety about IL. but
''shiksts gs nsi" Il can't DO helped)
When this latter phrase 10 oblitersted
from the language and no sustitute
allowed then will the jap become q
rclisble merchant.
10 10 90 much easier for him to
snrug his shoulders and cay "shiks,s
g psi' than to give the real and
truthful reply
mako contracts" the uuinitiated
ssys Very good. but . contract is
only good when you are holding
ossh money - . security, and this
cso seldom DO furnished. 90 the jap.
snese do . larger business on Q
smaller capital than any ono can
readily Imagine. Alec interest rates
ere very high. owing to the lack Of
proper security
VIII Q contract held good iu q
Japanese court Well. fgurstively
10 10 supposed to do so, but u will be
many dsys before . foreigner can get
justice in . japanese court uuiess
como Of the powers who were 90
ready to rstify the "tresiy" will step
in sDd 'ss hand
i beg TO call attention to q case
which 10 exciting the indignation Of
every foreigner in the Orient and l
fsel sure that the British consul is
osly waiting for the proper time to
have hls say in the matter
The case 70 question 10 that Of M
Kent, second officer of the "Tamba
Mara" Q japanese steamer. with
foreigners for chief officers
Mr. Kent reprimsnded and reported
the japanese qusrtermssier for
smoking on duty which was against
the rules
Next day the qusrtermss,er came
in the cabin Of Mr. Kent and in an
insulting tone said ii IVES q diamond
in his ring that was taken for q
ri0arette put hia IA In tho of};car, ,o