davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-05

pie. Great Britain is the model after
which they pattern. They nave more
of their ships built there han else
where. Even when, recently, one Of
their cruisers was constructed in the
United States she was taken to England
to. receive her armament. The brown
man of the island empire swells with
pride as he tells the foreigner Japan
is the Great Britain of the orient"
Their merchant marine has made ire
mendous progress in the past few years
On the Pacific coast of the United
States they have taken a considerable
part of the ocean traffic from under
the very nose of the American him
self. There is one single line that in
cIude so steamers in its fleet. The
stock in this richly paying line is, more
over, owned almost wholly in Japan,
chiefly in Tokyo. The ships steam al
along the Asiatic coast, cross the Pacific
to the States, fit in and out among the
East Indies, pass the SueZ canal and
through the Mediterranean to the ports
of western Europe. The longest regular
steamer route in the world is that of
the Japanese ships which go from Yoko-
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-05

tongue. a saying that a man who has
never Travelled away from home is a
frog in a WELL" having seen no sky
except that above him in the spot where
he was born. They are regulating the
frog in the well idea with a will. The
japanese foot treads- the soil of all
lands, the quick Japanese intellect abb
serbs all mankind's wisdom. Young
Japan dates its awakening from the
visit of the American Commodore Perry
in 1854, a visit forced upon the island
people. They were compelled then to
open a port or two to outside
They have Travelled far since then
July, 1899. saw the last restrictions on
foreign travellers removed, and n may
now journey through the empire as
freely and safely as in "a white mans
country. Foreign nations, too. are now
willing to trust their subjects to the
justice of Japanese courts and laws.
Yet only 80 years ago a white man Wis
iting in a Japanese country mansion
had an experience that can scarcely be
credited. Everything was done in the
way of lavish and courteous hospitality
to show the white man he was welcome
to the home of his Japanese friend One
day the visitor missed some article from
his room. He concluded. the native
servant appointed to wait on him had
stolen the thing and so informed his
host What was his horror within five
minutes to see the dishonest servant
seized, dragged to the back of the house
and his head actually struck off then
and there Japan las indeed travelled
far, even in 80 years.
The degree of civilization of a nation
may be known infallibly by its cleanli-
ness. In a a C or individual, the dirti-
er the more degraded, as a general
/ nZinafnTa Tlo To-..a-1 80 ~ .11o
est of all the orientals. They battle like
white men, the whole people. 1t is
true there are small niceties of our
ways to which hey do not "catch on
For instance, it is not easy. to make
your Jap table waiter understand why
he should not wipe the Precipitation
from his heated brow with the same
linen cloth with which he polishes your
cups and knives. But a little thing like
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-05
SOME OF JAPAn's PROMINENT STATESMEN.

yet young Japan will not be impeded by
it. The emperor may release from the
letters Of low caste any man who has
distinguished himself and shown him
self specially gifted and promote him to
a higher one, where he is treated with
appropriate honor. There are three
castes-lords, knights and common peo-
pie. The ilustrious Marshal Ito. made
a marquis after the Chino-Japanese
war, was born to the caste of the COM
mon people, among whom are the fish
ermen, farm servants and theirs who
perform manual labor. Scholars, pro-
fessional men and officers come largely
from the knights caste. The daily and
nightly dream of young Japan is to
take its place as the paramount nation
of the orient. No small things will sat
isfy it. The national genius is that of
both a ava and a commercial peo-
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-05

you ask a Jap what Shintoism is, he
will tell you it is hero ancestor worship.
If you ask a missionary, he may reply
that it is devil worship under the full
impression that he speaks the truth.
Many Japanese are Buddhists, and of
the 40, 900, 900 inhabitants of the islands
some 225, GOO are Christians. Unitarian
ism rather commends itself to them.
They are the most intellectual race of
the orient. as well as the most artistic.
They can understand a religion hat
appeals to the reason or one that in
fine ceremonial shows appeals to the
artistic sense; but one of emotion, no.
Shouting, weeping, skipping over ones
religion is incomprehensible to them.
They canuot understand a theology of
gush; neither can they comprehend, in
deed, why young or ever middle aged
persons should trouble their heads with
theology at all. IL Japan a man has
commonly no religion till he gets old.
He needs none till then. they say. When
the period Of age arrives, he takes to
Buddhism, Shintoism or Christianity,
according to taste.
The caste system prevails from of old,
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-05

day, too, they endure the white mans
heavy, close fitting garments and shoes.
When the evening is come and they can
get away to themselves, off goes the
white mans stiff harness; on comes the
gracefully flowing, soft and light kimo-
no, something like a bathrobe, while
the cramping leather shoes are replaced
by the easy toe slippers. This is the
Jap's protest against the armor of civ
~ilization.
Intellectually these people are subtle
and penetrating, and they have not
too much faith in human nature.
Who deceives them will need to rise
early in the morning, even though he
be a Russian.
OF theology they have little. There is
no state church. and public religious
observances are forbidden in their navy.
The emperor himself is a Shintoist. If
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-05

hama to Antwerp, touching at ports
along the way. The complete round
voyage from Yokohama back to he
same port occupies almost five months.
In the passenger ships that sail to the
white mans countries the Jap is shrewd
enough to place white captains and
leading officers, usually British, arguing
correctly that travellers from Europe
and the States would scarcely care to
risk their necks upon a steame manned
entirely by Japanese. But there is all
ways a large contingent of Japanese as-
sistants and seamen on board also,
learning the business, SO to speak, and
no man need doubt but the white off
GERS will be replaced by native ones as
fast as this can be done safely Japan
has set her soul to becoming a great
maritime power.
Although h average intelligent
young OF middle ageds Jap cannot be
said to have much more religious creed
than an owl. he is, notwithstanding. not
a bad man. He is good tempered and
cheerful. though determined to get the
best of everything for himself The
worst charge brought against the ma
ton by their eneHaies-is h a their word
is not always reliable in business mat
ters and thai they are occasionally. in
clined to be tricky.
Physically they are h finest people
of the orient, strong and tough, Injured
to heat, cold and storm. The manner
in which h Japs can go about aimost
naked in snow and frost temperature
would do credit to a P-atagonian. They
| have deep, full chests and are almost
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-05

"HE eyes Of the world at the pres
ent ome are on little Japan,
the Great Britain Of the orient.
Across the mountains of Korea
the little Jap and the big Russian are
glaring ominously at each other. That
the land Of the chrysanthemum should
defy the great and august Russian en-
pire seems a strange and almost a
laughable thing. A hundred Of their
little Japans could be dropped on the
territory Of the great White Car and
stlI not blot it off the map. But the
Jap is a belligerent little fellow who
has had his first intoxicating taste OF
blood, and for several years now he has
been getting ready to fight. he has
kept English shipyards busy building
battleships for his navy, he has drilled
his army and trained his navy and dur
ing the last ten years he has seen a new
national spirit spring up in his country.
Unless the great powers of the world
combine in some movement to guaran-
tee the political autonomy of Korea 1t
may be that the open door on the Asiat-
lie coast shall become a thing Of the
past. Unless that neck of coveted land
stretching down from Manchuria is pre-
served as the buffer state which ma
ture designed it to be. Russia and ia
pan, if one is to judge by existing signs,
are going to fight for its possession.
1t will be a bitter struggle. Russia,
It must be remembered. will never feel
safe with the Jap in possession of Ko-
Tea simply because that would bring
the oriental to the Yalu river. which
lies strategically between Port Arthur
n V~1adiyostok. If, on the other hand,
Russian soldiers once occupied Korea,
the officers of Japan would be able from
their own shores to sight with their
glasses the advance hosts of a rival
power. So it will be a fight to the fin
ish before either shall yield in this Ko-
rean problem.
Japan has always banked on her ma
Wy. n a wonderful young navy it is.
There is but one word for Japan's col
lection oe fighting ships. and that word
IS miraculous" Thirty-one years ago
the navy of this little nation consisted
of two old steamships, one an antique
and WORKOUT American battleship, and
the other an ordinary, small, renovated
tramp steamer. Today, in power, in
rate of speed and in the skill with which
they are handled, the ships of Japan
are second to none in the world. Even
in number the Japanese navy stands
eighth on the list of navies of the world.
Every month, too. new ships are being
added as fast as they can be built. and
at the end of next year it is estimated
that the Japanese navy will stand
fourth among the great fighting fleets
~ the world.
The ships Of the Japanese are, more
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-05
A PRESIDENTS ROMANCE.

The following little story is told about
President Steyn and his wife: The
president had lofty ideals before him
when he set sail for Europe to finish his
legal education, but his dreams Of fu-
ture greatness did not absorb all his
time. He found a few moments to study
the face of a pretty girl whom he met.
1t was only the face Of a girl u years
of age, but it remained before him dur
ing his six years sojourn in Europe.
When he returned to South Africa. he
saw the face again. which had grown
more beautiful than ever in the inter-
val. She was now Is, and the young
barrister was fascinated to such an ex-
tent tina he must needs propose. He
soon carved a career for himself and
married the young lady. who is, Of
course. the present Mrs. Steyn-
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-05

over. as in%telligently designed as any
warships riding the ocean wave. They
are particularly designed for the spe-
cihc work which they are expected to
perform. The naval authorities of the
land of the rising sun know that their
battles viii be fought at or very near
home. The Japanese man-of-war,
therefore, need not have very large
holds for carrying coal, and the space
which would otherwise be filed by
bunkers can be devoted to additional
guns and more projectiles.
Practically all of these ships are Eng
lish built and have been made of the
very best materials known to scientific
shipbuilding. Their engines and arma-
ment are of the most modern style.
Japan is rich in torpedo boats, and at
the present time has a large number of
torpedo craft building not only in Eng
land, but also in the shipyards of Ger
nan and France The Sazanami, the
latest accession to the torpedo feet of
Japan, is an English built boat and will
serve as a type of the sort Of fighting
craft Japan is acquiring. The Sazanami
has a speed Of over 81 knots an hour.
its machinery consisting of two sets Of
four cylinder triple expansion engines.
These are designed to develop no less
than 5000 horsepower, but are capable
under stress of circumstance Of devel-
oping about 1000 horsepower.
A power that is arming itself with
such first class nautical fighting ma
chimes as these nay well be looked
upon with interest by the rest of the
world at the present time. At the same
time it is interesting. and perhaps prof
table, to contemplate the character of
the men Of this nation of the orient that
seems so eager for a fight with some
body.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-05

that is of no in the orient.
You get used to worse, yea, much
worse.
A feature that impresses the foreign
er strongly is the number of young men
in japanese government councils and
in high command in army and navy.
Among their important officials almost
the only really old man is Count Mat
sukata, minister of finance. He has a
shrewd, Chinese looking face and prob
ably knows how to disburse the yen to
best advantage. Marquis Yamagata,
the prime minister, is no more thai
middle aged.
Lieutenant H. Saito, who brought the
crew of the torpedo boat destroyer Axe
bono from Yokohama to London to
place them on board their vessel. which
was built on the Thames. is a good type
of young Japan in the navy and one of
it's rising men as well. When scarcely
q, he bore his part in the Chino-Jap-
anese war and distinguished himself so
brilliantly that he won both medals and
promotion. During the long voyage
from Yokohama to London Saito kept
his men up to their physical exer-
cises admirably. Whatever tended to
strengthen them bodily and make them
regardless Of danger or hardship. that
they tackled in their daily drill. What
' Ii Ia AAA0AOA ~
1ustrious victories or deeds of daring by
national heroes, tending to fill them
with enthusiasm to fight their ceuntry's
battles and die for her, his they had in
song and recitation.
h goddess of the sun was the an
cient patron divinity of Japan. The
naval battlefiag device is a blood red
sun, with crimson rays streaming o u
around its circumference. h fas
arouses in the Jap all the fire and devo-
ton awakened in the American by the
star spangled banner or in the Briton
by the union jack of old England. 1t is
significant at this transition hour of a
new century thai the national emblem
of japan is the rising sun. Young ia
pan is full of the spirit of victory n OF
growth toward the light.
The Japanese power of acquiring
knowledge is extraordinary. The race
learn with the q~uickness of children
whatever they set their heads to. Al
present this interesting and gifted peo-
pie have set their heads toward becom-
ing civilized, and civilized they will be.
If western nations deal honestly and
justly by them, they will conclude it is
civilized to be honest and just; if not
not. Civilized they are bound to be
however, according to the western
] scheme, for they see that along this
way lies. their Dad to power and con-
| quest. TRISTRAM W. WILCOX
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-05

ers, which alternately enter upper and
under guides in rising to bend the tread
into steps.
Justice Garrett of the southwestern
police court of London say it is a
shocking thing to find that the evidence
in that court showed increasing drunk
enness among women and that on one
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-05

day every prisoner charged with drunk.
enness was a Woman
Bicycle wedding trips are all the rage
in France. One couple recently return
ed to Paris after a tour Of LOO miles,
all made on their wheels. They were
absent seven weeks and had visited s14
villages.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-05

James v, the
father Of the
lovely and I'M
fortunate Queen
NJ a r Y. T h e
sword OF state
is a little older,
having been sent
by Pope Julius
II to James W
shortly before the
disastrous field
of Flodden. To
these has been
a d d e d t h e
George" worn
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-05

He was in full possession of his facul-
ties until h day of his death and was
able to read without spectacles.
There is a hospital for trees on the
banks of the Seine in Paris. Trees
which grow weak along the boulevards
are taken there to cover
Lewis Wilkins is said to be the tallest
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-05

man in the world. He is 8 feet II inches
TALL, broad in. proportion and weighs 1854
pounds.
A Pennsylvania has patented an i'm
proved inclined passenger elevator
which has in place of the inclined end
less chain a set of treads, which are
formed by mounting the chain on roll
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-05

the age of 1OS years, was the last sur
viving witness of the presence of the
French fleet in Bantry bay in December,
1896. when Hoche and Wolf Tone con-
templated the invasion of Ireland.
Hayes had a distinct recollection OF
having seen the French fleet in the bay
when a child between 4 and 5 years Did.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-05
GATHERED IN A NET.

hat a sound ear could not hear the
note of the fork, but an ear in which
disease a already made nroads could
perceive it distinctly.
Patrick Hayes. q native of Kerry,
Ireland, who died at Cardiff recently at
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-05

DR.. Bounier, a French physician, re-
Gently described before the Paris Acad-
envy of Medicine a new method of test
ing for deafness-namely, by applying
a tuning fork to the knee or some other
part Of the bonX sEueture. He said
Waterbury Democrat., 1900-12-24
Fire In n Iiinc Checked at Last.

TAMAQUA, Pa, Dec. 2l.-Ihc off cials of the Lchigh Coal and Navigation company are jubilant over the fact that the fire in the celebrated burning mine at Summit Hill, which started 42 years ago, is now under control, and it is said that the next two years will sec its eX- tinguishment. The fire, which has con sumed about 3o acres of the Chest coal land in the anthracite coal region, has moved westward toward LansforI. Two immense drilling machines which have been constantly probing for the fire have now honeycombed the earth to the west of the burning portion. Cum is being poured into these holes. and solid mass will thus confront the fire.
Waterbury Democrat., 1900-12-24

Critics are loud in their praises of w. Butler Duncan, Jr., who has been selected to manage the new Amer ica's cup defender. No stone will be left unturned by either side this time to get the best sailors that the world knows, the best shippers and the best spars and sails. That every lover of sport wishes that no accident will happen to the challenging boat this time, goes without saying. While it is an element of the contest to in clude the matter of construction and relia bility of materials, still there is widespread idea that the race will give more satisfaction if it is sailed without "walkovers'' or nishaps.
 From England comes the informa- ton that the only alterations yet made in the old Shamrock are to re- place her corroded plates, improve her sheer plans and reduce her draught IS inches. There is a new British yachting rule in process of preparation which, under section 5,
Waterbury Democrat., 1900-12-24
OAKVILLE HAPPENINGS

The St Mary Magdalene's church is beautifully decorated for Christmas. Mass will be celebrated at 10 a. m.
 Charles Graef of Waterbury was in this place yesterday.
 Miss Mabel Smith entertained out of town guests Sunday, among them being MT and Mrs George Jackie of New York city.
 The closing exercises at the Newton Heights school were very fine, giving great credit to the teachers. There was Christmas tree with pretty pres ents for each pupil. and the teacher re- ceived numerous gifts from the chil- dren, the prettiest being q handsome pink ripple shawl, hand made, present. ed by Stanley Andrews. The teacher is Miss Susie Chambers of Cherry street, Waterbury. -
 George Stanley, Jr. has lost a valu- able horse. A few days ago it had one of it's legs broken by q kick from an other horse and was so badly hurt that it had to be shot.
 Frederick Slade was very danger ously ill and was not expected to live many hours when last heard from. He has been given up by the doctors.
Waterbury Democrat., 1900-12-24
Mystery the Order of the
 Hour in YACHTING Circles

four times, with the Mayfiower, Vol
 unteer, Vigilant and Columbia, may
 be placed at $9OO,OO0. It will be safe
 to say that half million dollars
 will about cover the expense of the
 foreign challenger and of Managing
 Owner c. Oliver Iselin, of the new
 defender
 Mr. 1selin is as active these days in
 making plans for the cup event as if
 it were but a few weeks off. On Q
 recent visit to the HerreschoT works
 at Bristol, R. l.. he informed a friend that he hoped Mrs. 1selin would again don her sou'westerns and oiled silks and sail on the boat which would keep the cup on this side. After look ing over the plans of the new defend
 CT MT. Iselin said that it was very
 probable that Columbia would be brought to Bristol and overhauled for a series of races with the new boat and that the cup winner would give the new boat a good argument. Sir Thomas has left it to the dis cretion of George l.. Watson, who | has designed the new challenger, whether Shamrock II. will be taken | into American waters for d trial series with Shamrock l. The Glas- gow exhibition committee havin E l charge of an International race ar ranged for the Clyde may request l that the trials be held there, and
 that but one boat will therefore be l brought across the Atlantic.
Waterbury Democrat., 1900-12-24

F ENTERMITTENTLY this winter and
 next spring the American people
 will be thrown into mild sort of paroxysms by discussion of the 1901 America's cup races. Upon the slight est provocation the news agencies will cable over a lot of stuff about the designing and building of Sir Thomas Lipton's new challenger and then the equally enterprising news gatherers on this side of the Atlantic will stir up Bristol and New York and more mysterious details of yacht construction will burden the cables.
 At a conservative estimate over $4 HOO, ,O0O has been spent in racing for the worlds greatest yachting trophy, and if the interest shown at the present time in Sir Thomas Lip tons second attempt to lift" the cup is but d faint shadow of what it will be when Shamrock II. and the new defender are in the water, an- other million may be added to the vast sum. It has often been a mat ter of discussion with American crit ics as to whether the English peo- pie as whole show as much interest in the Americas cup race as is dis played by the people of the United States.
 One very good Glasgow authority says that they do not and 10 prove his statement he says that when it was rumored there December l that the prince of Wales was to build a