The Washington weekly post., 1900-08-14
OUR ALLY IN THE EAST
Japan, Her Aims, Arts, and
Her Fighting Strength.
DESIRES COOPERATION WITH Us

says that the japanese Consider War
with Russia Inevitable, and that They
Are Eagerly Awniting the Time When
They VIII Fight the Czar-Art- of Japan.
From the New York Sun.
Thomas Z. Kirby, Of the American Art
| Association, wno has just returned from a
visit to Japan. remarked in a chat with
some friends the other day that vhsn he
got TO the Island kingdom he found nia-
| self among some interesting friends who
knew US and liked US. Mr. Kirby's ob-er-
vations among the japanese gave him not
| only the impression but the conviction
| that the opinions expressed by some dis
! tinguishe returned travellers and promul-
gated by some foreign papers, that in re-
| ahty Japan is drawing closer to China all
| the while and will eventually ne found al
| lied with her in opposition to Western
| aggression in the orient are W thout sub
stance. In official circles and among pri-
| vate citizens, in the commercial cities and
in less Travelled places, the general senti-
ment developed itself in the same key,
Mr. Kirby said, and was altogether one
| ~ AAA'AipAAl4'SS " liit llilft DlditS am Ol
desire TO back up the position that This
country has taken toward Oriental af-
| fairs. .FTiendIiness toward the United
States and the general belligerent feeling
| toward Russia which pervaded all classes
and threw itself forward at every turn
| were the chief characteristics of the peo-
| pie which impressed him, outside of the
alluring pursuits of art.
They EuOyV al tbax- r-ofoor,a
US, and they like US in Japan" Mr.. Kirby
said. They are with us and want TIE
| United States, England and Japan TO pull
| together. In that course they see the So
luton of the far Eastern question But
the first thing they want to do is to lick
! Russia. They don't talk about fighting
! her; they expect to whip her They feel
very sore about the Port Arthur affair.
They talk of a war with Russia as sure
| to come, and they seem to anticipate going
! right on as successfully with it as they did
| against the Chinese. All classes are speak
! ing of ii, from men IN office and high in
| the cOuntry's councils 10 hotel servants
and the peaceful dwellers in more remote
| places. For one thing. all seem to want
the war, as we'll as believing that It is
| bound TO come. For another thing. the
| EmperOr's word is, Of course absolute
| Nobody thinks Of disobeying him, and he
wants to use his army to administer to
Russia the punishment he thinks she de-
| serves. The Emperor is very proud of his
army, more so even than of his navy. He
| gives his personal attention to its devel-
Opment, looking constantly for ways to
| improve it and 10 bring it up to the high
est point of perfection.
Japan's Fine Army.
THE army of Japan Is a fine body of
men. too. One could not help but admire
the regiments and sympathize with the
pride the officers take in them. There are
5000 men in the army ready to be thrown
right into China, and they will make
splendid soldiers for that country, all of
them finely developed physically and of
great endurance, men like a jinriksha
man. who took me twenty-five miles in
one day, for instance. men well suited for
service in the mountainous part of China
| If the fighting gets up there And JaDan
is ready TO go right ahead alone, on her
own hook, if she is not interfered with.
and she will go on alone, as she is doing
now She knows what Russia is after
and she does not intend that Russia shall
be ahead of her. As fast as the railroad
allowed her to do so Russia advanced
troops; Japan knows that she will con-
tinue to do so, and Japan will meet her.
1T IS the wish of the japanese that the
| United States, England. and Japan shall
be found together. They like the peopIe
of England and of this country. the Amer
| leans and their ways little better.
gathered from authority that NAV be con-
sidered excellent that in government cir
cles il has been understood tacitly that.
( in regard to the general Eastern situation.
Japan would &c ahead in harmony with
the United States, that she was sat-. fed
with our stand regarding il, and would
back up whatever we did. and thar the
feeling was that England would be found
at the right time with both Of us.
THE men of affairs know our cities and
what We are doing They know our pub
lie men. The people know Gov Roosey..l II
and his record, and they admire him. The
head of an important public body said to
me: You will elect President Mckinley
again in the United States You are not
fools. You are going to re-elect him and
to continue on the course the country has
taken"
Mr.. Kirby went to the East with the
expectation Of touring in both China
and Japan, but planned to go to China
i''1t" 1 III N477t tel Do-A4NNS lltIt came on so
rapidly that he did not get to that country
at all, and he found himself with more
time to look about Japan and 10 talk with
some Of her artists At Kioto ne met
again Mr.. j. Kawa ashima. the greatest
master Of the art OF weaving in the en-
pire, who was in this country. where he
had an exhibition that many people will
remember in 1888. Kawashima who
makes most Of the fine fabrics for +ba iy,
DHTlTI hpu<ah0lF had n hand .
cent robe which he was making for me
Emperor. on which he has already been
work for three years SO patiently d.
the Japanese artists SUI work on tbeir
cherished creations. When KawashIma
was in New York seven years acl he
made COPY OF Melin's painting IN Full
Cry picture Of the chase, as its title
implies. with the purpose Of reproducing
IL IN tapestry II was his intention to
send the tapestry 10 Europe or 10 ii
country. Mr.. Kirby asked him what ha
had done with il, and learned thar tha
tapestry had been purchased for the i'm
perial household as soon as il was fin-
ished, and that it is now At the Paris Ex-
position, having been loaned by the En-
perOr for exhibition.
Exquisite japanese Vases.
One Of the most interesting meetings Of
which Mr. Kirby has been induced 10 tell
some Of his friends was that with Makud
"a KOZan, al Yokohama Nakudza porce- |
lains are familiar 70 a great many people |
here 10 whom IL will De news when the
Sun tells them that the first piece Of this |
porcelain sold in the United States was
sold by Mr.. Kirby. The accomplished pot
ter took Mr. Kirby 10 his workshop
whore the white pOrCelains with their
decorations Of mandarin ducks and fow-
ers done in colors are made. and lovers
OF the Oriental spirit in art may ina ginz
the feelings OF the American visitor when
he saw there a japanese decorator coDv-
ing upon one OF MakudZa's 5 paste forms
the ornamentations OF a Dresden vase
which stood on low table before him
There was illustrated just one Of the
unfortunate features OF the disposition Of
The japanese artists and artisans OF TO-
day." Mr. Kirby remarked. They have
grown somewhat tired OF doing cranes and