The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-05-15
Japs Who Have "rIade Good" in America
Most Distinguished of Them Jokch Takamne
Japan Who Fought the Malt Manufacturers
America and the Whisky Trust

The adaptability and enterprise of
the Japanese are well illustrated by
the life stories of some prominent mer-
chants, bankers and professional men
now practicing in New York. Boston,
Philadelphia, Chicago, and other Amer
lean cities. who owe allegiance to the
Mikado. Many of these men could
hardly be distinguished. at a first
glance, from their American colleagues
and competitors, so thoroughly have
they adapted themselves to the ways
of the West that even their Oriental
features seem to have changed, or at
least become modified. with the pass
ing of the years.
This is particularly the case with
Dr. Jokichi Takamine, the distinguish
ed chemist and inventor, who, next to
the Minister at Washington, is the
most prominent member OF the Japa-
nese colony in America. He would
never be taken for a Japanese by a
man who does not know him. for he
has none of the distinguishing marks
of the race.
Dr.. Takamine is an example of the
fact that in Japan "the career is open
TO the talented" The government
their education. and gives them every
chance of winning wealth and fame
provided that they show a disposition
to make good
DR.. Takamine, who was born in 1852
was selected at the age of IL and sent
TO Nagasaki to study by order of the
old feudal government. He afterwards
entered the Osaka Medical School, and,
after the Restoration, studied applied
chemistry in the newly established To-
kio University. When he graduated
from that institution he had been stu
dying for fifteen years, with the one
end in view of becoming a great chem
list, and had learned everything Japan
could teach him. Still, the govern
ment was not satisfied, and ordered him
TO study in England and America for
several years.
Learned American Ways.
In 1884 he revisited America as Japa-
nese representative at the New Orleans
Worlds Fair. On his return to Toxic
he speedily became prominent, for he
had learned things in America that
were of the greatest value to Japan.
He introduced American artificial fer
tilizers for the first time, and the ag-
riculturalists of AN over-populated
country benefited immensely.
DR.. Takamine is a business man as
fertilizers at great expense from Amer
lea when we can make them in ia
PAM" he reasoned, and he formed a
company in Toxic for the manufacture
of fertilizers, which has proved one of
the most successful enterprises in ia
pan.
But that was not ALL While he was
in America DR.. Takamine used some of
his spare time in studying indigo man
ufacturing and the cehmical technol-
agy of sake" brewing, and when he
went back to Japan he was able to in
troduce vastly improved methods into
two of the distinctively national indus
tries.
Studied Brewing.
In 1890 DR.. Takamine returned to
America, at the request of a syndicate
of American capitalists. to conduct
chemical experiments with a view to
finding out better methods of brewing.
His experiments proved successful. He
discovered the process of obtaining
ferment, the Indispensable element in
brewing, from the wheat bran waste.
Hitherto, malt had been chiefly used
for ferment in Europe and America
and "koji" in Japan. But this newly
discovered ferment had more strength
than either of them, and it looked as
Il it was going to be a great thing
financially. A company was formed,
with the discoverer at the head, to
produce this ferment in large quanti-
ties and distribute it. But here began
the greatest troubles and disappoint-
ments of his hitherto successful ca
reer.
DIR. Takamines ferment company"
said one of his Japanese friends in
New York, "entered into contract
with the Whisky Trust, and, after
series of experiments with the new
ferment, finally succeeded in produc-
ing a large quantity of liquor daily.
But some of the malt manufacturers
began to fear that the new discovery
would in the end render the old fer
ment useless They bitterly criticised
DR.. Takamine, and tried, indirectly, to
prevent his further success.
But the patience and earnestness
of the Japanese scientist pressed him
forward in spite of all difficulties.
Misfortune was, however, waiting him.
The ferment company's property was
completely destroyed by fire; and, to
add to his troubles, his enemies took
the opportunity to spread the report
that he had himself fired the factory
building for the purpose of hiding the
traces of unsuccessful attempts at
brewing.
Opposed the Whisky Trust.
But, in spite of fire and calumny