The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-03-04
FATHER AGED 80, son 40.
SOME on THE QUEER THINGS sEEy
IN JAPANESE POLITICS.

~
nes Idoi-Not Ready for Actors Yet.
Il costs money TO run for once In Japan Just
- Il does else whers. The average amount spent
BY q candidate for election to the Japanese Par
iamen Mt Is 1000 To 5000 yen this, Ia, from about
O. 800 to $4,000. In addition to that the japanese
candidate must have paid $3.50 taxes . year
during certain Year, preceding the making up
Of the last electoral lists. II he hasn't paid 1t
he can make Il up In a lump sum, but he can
be elected until It u paid.
But there u one advantage the poor but AN
bilious young Japanese statesman has OF which the
American candidats Is deprived II he has not
the money hlmssli and II he can't get his family
70 give II to him. he can 60 and get himself adopted
By another family wish more money and . stronger
ambition for a son who Is a member Of Congress
Mr. Andree Bellessort, who studied the japanese
electoral system during the last election in japan
writes In a recent French publication OF this curl
Gus system a. follows
As the family names are not greatly varied
In Japan the Japanese candidate can. with q
l.ttle luck, get himself adopted into a family al
most without, changing or losing a syllable
Of his mans, So here you have, then, the can.
didate on a still hunt for a new father, a new
mother, now ancestors and q new heredity. DO
not think that I An testing Nothing Il moro
serious than this matter OF adoption in Japan.
II il that which constitutes and perpetuAtes the
Japanese family and which authorize the En-
peror to claim descent nom Jimmo Tsnno' who
disd nve or six years before Christ Some Jap
ansse, indeed. claim that the Empsrors features
are an exact reproduction OF those OF Tenno; a
pious illusion which only proves that more 70
markable results are attributed 10 adoption than
N actual heredity itself
From the day the adopted son enters the new
family he bids good by forever 10 the old one.
He becomes a stranger TO his own kith and Kin
He has changed his ancestors and his domestic
ties. From thai, time forth he will deposit his
sticks Of incense and his offerings Of moe before
the sacred tablets OF the dead ancestors whom he
adopted on his part at the same time tina, his new
family adopted him. The Romans, The Athenians
and the Hindops improvised for themselves simi-
lar genealogies. The only difference is that they
exercised a little more discretion about It than
do the japanese.
Every year political ambition turns loose a
number Of these poor candidates, voluntary
orphans, on q hunt for a rich paternity and very
curious and amusing adventures are often the
result. This year, for instance, Mr. Kotegawa, a
distinguished economist, wishing to enter the
canvas, for membership NJ the Chamber OF Depu-
found Ter some research a man in the Shibs
quarter Of Toxic OF Identical name with his own
was we'll supplied with money and who asked
nothing better than 10 have a son who was a
Tho business was all but concluded
md the adoption about to be formally made when
h was discovered that whereas the son was 40
years Of age the father was only 80 Mr. Kote.
1870 - - ~. ~, II a.. ,-,..
md 10 the Minister Of Justice for authority TO go
p, with the adoption notwithstanding this trrinG
But It was a little too much. The
replied that the laws could not permit
quite so fanta site a situation az that, and the hon
orablc economist was advised to continue his
explorations and to discover, II possible, a father
who was at least his own age.
AT Ise, Mr. Oishi, former Vice Minister OF
Agriculture, cams upon n family Of his own name
who were ready to adopt him His friends con-
graduated him on his good fortune Tho day
was fixed for the ceremony OF adoption and the
festival that always accompanies the event But
luck would hav. il that one Of Mr. Oishi's
strongest competitors for the Deputyship was
allied to precisely that sane family This person
fastened to the scene. The spirit Of his ancestors
up within him and Mr. Oishi was ousted,
These are only two instances. In other cases
there were those in the last election who died as
Tiayashi and were born again as Morimoto. And
~ on. The love Of public affairs in Japan is tho
-auss Of many curious sacrifices
And while these melancholy waits were floating
rom hearthstone to hrlrthstone and from coun
try to country in search Of propitious names Of
lead ancestors and hOspitahle living ones, the
lib'rals wpr, denoincing the Indulgence Of the
toward the Progressiyes, and the Pro.
gressiyes were equally severe upon the Ministry's
scandalous complaiSance toward the Liberals
Each party accused the other Of assassinations
mn each caught the other relhandei in electoral
And all these little rumors died on
the surface of the Japanese people like eddies u
foam upon a sheet of still water"
Women III Japan are beginning also IN make
according to Mr. Bellessort. Speaking
Of tho candidacy for the Chamber Of Deputies
Of = certain popular actor, Nr Bellessort SAYS.
An actor student, kawakaml by name, who
vas the founder II n sort Of Free Theatre, pre.
s.nted himself To tn voters 81 the Twelfth Toxic
as q candidate for the chamber II was
ip"n the political stage, and ] saw plainly enough
mat, Notwithstanding their general Indifference.
he PROPERTIES entirely blunted. They revolted
was simply out tho expenses II his
'ampaign The proprictors Of lose' were for
,ldden 70 rent to kawakami their halls those
humble little conference halls where. in the even
adrnit takers are wont to I'LL the ears II the
little shopkeepers and persons Of moderate indo I
Iendence Of the neighborhood with their stories
md har,ngues The women alone worked
Tor Kawakami All the 'Shamisen' conSrirod
IN his favor, and II the i'm pertinence Of This rest
eas comedian in making himself a candidate
regarded as an alarming symptom of the
lines, the small vote he got only forty five
,ught To have treasured the Government on the
LANCER Of frminin" influence in politics"
II you are a candidate for public Office In Japan
here is one thing you must have II you expect
n win. AMI, incidentally to keep your head from
being broken during the canvass, and that is
body guard Of "soshis The "soshis" is a sor,
v political bouncer OF bully with historical ante
,edcnts Mr. Bellessort thus describes the
80 'his
In former days these soshis might have been
wandering along the bywavs singly or I'm
Dalds, III rags or dressed TO kill, but always
naughty and always ready with the sword They
usually wore a straw hat like an inverted hevkat
md the girls followed with curious ewes Ihsss
independent and bold ndventurers who somc.
ines were on he track Of their own private vrn.
ysances. hut often IN search Of adventures under
! new master. They corrpspundel then IN ill.,,
bravo who neatly despatched his man
the twilight shadows fell. Part condnt
lieri, ran knight errani, less knight Grant ib,n
the legends of bravery and vendetta
were associated with them threw ,rru,J
call"i Ronl1 IN those early dHve, and The re-
NOVA ~ Their EXPLOITS has always haunted the
linaelna'na Of he japanese people.
lotiay, with tins inySt"rY all gone and s,rippad
lheir ieiupIy OF ChivA. y, ~.ecrultsI Al Lst.
hazard ampnC IDLE boon conn Einrs an, students
|allrn frrm grace, vorkmrn E,--. ul Of, any
hut reputable tast>. he" r-y.,,hplpss
sui maln,aiI n certain r-"StICr Nhech p'-,rrts
'cat IN influences does u n:rn'rn fut shrc, l.u'e
outag' still weld IN n. 'atau"" nuI!.
.H"A' N"NlilS i"rm hi"!n' u ce"Gr.atH a. sort
II hrdy guard SO narb"a an '',n.,u ~. IA,
I makes him look lkr ar auci,.' 'stmia sill.
by his rctdlnrD The, 0ahr rh"rr 80,
rom y chief whu keeps hirS.,f ~ a rrsucc'.