Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-07
JAPANESE CHARACTER.
Disagreement Of Foreigners as to Traits
Of the Islanders.


From the New York Times
If Japan has determined to make the
fight for her existence now, rather than
wait until Russia has absorbed Corea, all
the world IL curious to know much more
concerning the real character of the jap
anese than is understood at present. And
1t appears that, notwithstanding the num-
bers of Japanese who have studied and 1--we
in America, Notwithstanding the large
American contingent of residents and tour
lists in Japan, together with the apprecia-
ton Americans have shown, at least for
the arts Of that country, opinions regarding
the Japanese character are as wide apart
as the poles. Yet upon that character will
depend the outcome of the life-and-death
struggle between Russ and Jap.
We have had plenty Of glowing eulogists
of the Japanese and some detractors. Per-
cival Lowell undertook to say on the
strength Of a comparatively superficial &C
quaintance with this people that they lack
personality and individual SOUL even that
they do not Think while Basil H. Cham
berlain, who makes Japan his home, has
reached an opposite conclusion after resi-
dence of many years. Another writer on
things Japanese. German of Dutch de-
scent named Ten Kate, has just contributed
to Globus the harshest verdict which has
yet appeared; he accuses the japanese OF
lack Of the love of truth, lack of depth In
intellect and sentiment and inaccessibility
to abstract ideas. He says they have no
individuality, are unstable ana easily
moved by suggestions from stronger minds;
are wanting in tenacity of purpose and grit;
are open to paradoxes and slaves to vanity
and jingoism. Ten Kate has only faults
to find in the Japanese, but ne remains IN
Japan, as so many others before him, VINO
have not been able to escape the charm OF
the country while grumbling at the people
who make the land delightful. He even
goes so far as to charge them with monos-
onous features, with looking all alike. and
Of course he recounts as examples or their
heartlessness the cheerful tone they en-
ploy when speaking Of the dead and the
bloody deeds which are found In their MS
tory under the Shoguns down to the dls-
appearance of the Shogunate In 1863
Fortunately for the japanese, there are
foreigners among them who dissent ut
terly from such an Indictment OF a nation.
DIR. Baelz has lived In japan more than
quarter century as a practic1ng physician,
a teacher. and a writer on japanese mat
ters. He has employed many Japanese as
trained nurses and in other capacities, and
he reports that his experience proves just
the contrary. From other physicians ana
from Americans and Europeans who en-
ploy native labor he obtains the same evil
dence in favor Of the Quickness and
thoughtfulness Of the Japanese. The ad-
verse opinions he attributes to the difficulty
Of getting information from people who are
very sensitive to ridicule, who often pre-
IenO not TO unueTSIduQ when dShtU Quob-
lions they think are dictated by pure Curl
osity, and to some degree also to the I'M
settled condition Of mind in a country
which has made recently such extraordi-
nary changes in politics and social condi-
tons.
1T was DR.. Baels who pointed out some
years ago the singular physical resem-
blance between the Russians and the old
Inhabitants Of Japan, now only found in
the north. the Anus. This resemblance
extends to the character Of the Anus and
Russians. What an odd whirligig Of events,
that Russia should be now casting about
to absorb the Japanese by way Of Corea,
the Japanese who are q composite Of Anus,
Mongols and Malays! Another wave Of
the race that once held Japan and was
truders from the south Is coming east
ward again to strive for leadership in
China. To accomplish this the Russians
propose to cure Japan of her dream of
organizing the far east by dealing her q
blow which, If 1t succeeds, will mean her
ruin as a nation having anything to say
in Asia. No wonder Japan feels she must
appear to recognize Is the tremendous
character the Japanese have shown by
their acceptance of the valuable elements
in European life, and the extraordinary
evidence they exhibit of self-repression.
Certainly a more patriotic people does
not exist and SO far as bravery and mill
tary spirit are concerned they have no
course of a conflict with nation so well
led and SO well prepared, at such a dis
lance from the present center of Russia,
that empire will receive a blow to its
power and prestige from which it will
never recover.