The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-02-28


rncity-the French ef the East; ppt me
atle does scant fustice-to the French
The Gaul Is a temperate. immoniie, Statd-
fast nan. OF relentless and answering
purpose. compared with the average q
this nation Of Weathercocss.
rhe Japanese blow hot and cold form
friendships and cnmities. change their
clothes. their politics, their cfeeds, aitef
everything down 10 The very names ot
their towns. with such startling raflpifN
that the dazed foreign observer a. times
hardly knows where he-and the nation
stands.
Already the crazo-hot and strong while
is lasted for au Angl0-Japaneae entente
has pretty wen died out The japanese
papers are laughing heartily al the ap-
surdity OF the whole thing. pointing our
the imposslbihty Of countries with inter-
ests 50 conflicting every making COM
mon cause. and limiting, even that the
points of contact between Japan ana
Great Britain are not numerous OF in-
p0rant
It Is only history repeating itself
Japanss life as modern nation has been
one succession Of crazes. great and
small Tho whole country went mad over
the mighty question Of rabbits in 1873.
Rabbits were unknown In Japa0. ana
when they were FIRST introduced every
up-to-datc Japanese yearned % be the
p0esessor Of a lop-cared pet The craze
lasted year Extrava CANT prices. as
much as fl1n apiece were paid for choice
specimens. Then came a reaction, rab-
bits could be had al three a penny.
There havc been many other fads-tor
eackfshung. bicycling whist waltzins,
German manners. customs and instltu-
tons. meancrism. wrestling. joint stock
companies. From The effects of the last
the country Is still suffering.
Some time ago Christianity was the
fashion" Now bitter hostility Is being
shown to the Christians. The native pa
f pors are continually recording noisy DEM
onstrations at Christian meetings; the
I Western religion IS denounced hy Budd-
4 hist lecturers. eager TO profit by the state
Of public opinion as anti-national and
seditious. Those who remember with
what favor Christianity was looked on
some years ago. when il seemed not un-
I likely that Japan might be suddenly
I Christianized by imperial edict some fine
morning. viii appreciate the greatness OF
I the change.
Even linguistic reform Is viewed with
/ disfavar IL is not very long ago since one
Z enthusiast actually proposed that the
whole japanese language should be abol-
lshed as incompatible with progress. and
/ thar English should be substituted for ifi
Now even these moderate reformers
who would simplify on DO away with the
clumsy character-Writlng are fr1wncd on
I as unpatriouc. and the diet refused the
( commission If Inquiry into the question.
Z nave seen extracts from school iext-
books which show that the young idea
/ fn Ianau is fnsulied with notions ~ the
harbarism and superstition Of foreign MAJ
t ti0ns. ana s. told thaf Japanese morality
IS FAR superior 10 that of the West-a
ouaintiy amusing idea All these things
may be trifes, but ihoy indicate pretty
fairly the current 81 public opinion
me officials Fl must De conceded. d.
not encourage this spirits the few cool
heads who have The care of the country
are wise enough NOT 90 foster tendency
which may lead to very dangerous places
But even oniciaidnm has been Influenced
by the prevailing iliiherality % feeling.
I There b. not "a European NlluE amy post
which can n0ssibiy-it is not q question
~ comparative efficiency -ne filled Dy a
Japanese.
yards are deuuded of foreign assistance
ana oversight to an extent that impairs
their efficiency Few state department.
have progressed. and iu some there has
been retrograde movement
There is tendency to look on the for
/ cien eunIove as hioodsucking Incubus
and not. as De veniahly Is. the maker
wise. patient ana ill-recnmpcnsed-ui
/ modern Japan For There s. no disputine
the fact that the Japan Of to-day IS "a
least half the work % foreigners The
country has found the money. and has
un go recently placed herself with wis'
nassivftr m thc hands 90 the most com.
peient advisers she could IND Miatake'
we're made. naturally an first IN The
.-an.4is 0f the European craze ~ wa.
fakan Cor granted that all foreigner
musi be clever and scientific. and conse
dnentit some very curious appointment
were made. ship stewards were choaer
rs professors Of moral philosophy seal
. ,.....,..,-s 81 mathematical instructors ani