The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-25
RAPID PROGRESS
 MADE BY JAPAN Data from New Book on the
 Mikado's Kingdom A DISTINCT COMMUNITY Japan Is Unlike Other Countries of Asla-Aer.culture Most Import ant Industry of the Realm.
 No Race Suicide.
A DISTINCT COMMUNITY
BY FRANK V. EVANS.

BY FRANK V. EVANS.
 Japan in the Beginning of the 20th Century" Is the title of a book just pub lished by the Imperial Japanese Commits sion to the Louisiana Purchase Exposi- tion.
 This book was printed in English at the Japan Times" office, Tokyo, Japan, and the modern workmanlke skill dis played in the general arrangement and mechanical execution at once impresses the reader.
 Haruk Yamanaki, secretary of the de- partment of agricui,ure and commerce and Japanese commissioner for the Louis jana Purchase Exposition, in his preface to the publication calls attention to the development Japan has made in all spheres of public activity during the pe- riod of only a few decades. and to the limited knowledge possessed by the world about things pertaining to the empirej and for this reason the Japanese author- tiles decided to have this publication compiled and sent forth to an interested world.
 That war is a ylost excellent teacher of s,s~e~anty and of history is not less true than that 1t carries with it horrors, bloodshed, reforms and settlements of vexed questions.
 Geographical Position.
 The empire of Japan consists geograph- ically of five large islands and six hun dred smaller ones. It's mosl southerly degree of latitude is q degrees 4S min utes at the northern extremity of the island of Formosa and it's most northerly degree of latitude is 50 degrees, 56 min utes at the northern extremity of Araito island. As regards longitude the most to 119 degrees mutes D. Greenwich and westerly of the Percudorus corresponds is the limit of the emaiio on the west. Shunshu island corresponding to 156 de- grees 32 minutes E. Greenwich is the eastern limit of Japanese territories. In latitude, therefore Japan extends 29 de- grees, 8 minutes and in longitude 37 de- grees 12 minutes.
 The harbor of Yokohama lies almost In straight line 7ith San Francisco, 4722 miles distant.
 In regard to geographical position which naturally bears an important relation to natural posperity Japan is advantageous ly situated her territories extending in the temperate zone from 21 degrees to 90 degrees north. latitude and enjoying a climate excellently suited for industrial pursuits. The forefathers of the pres ent generation called their land Land of Plenteous Ears of Rice and Plain of Luxuriant Reeds"
 The country Is one of great natural beauty and is inhabited by a people who are now universally acknowledged to possess a sngularly refined taste in all artistic matters and whose great at- tainments in the arts. pure and applied have always been admitted on all sides
 Unlike Other Countries.
 Japan constitutes a community dis tinct in many respects from other coun. tries of Asia. For instance Japan has for more than 2550 years been ruled by the same imperial family without a break | In the succession It Is the great natural valor of her people which has guarded like an impregnable wall the coasts of their islands with the result that never once during these two thousand years and half has the country been desc. crated by foreign aggression.
 To be sure the opening up of foreign intercourse and commerce about fifty years ago has brought a change for the better over the empire-a change which has affected not only the material state of the country, but Its external relations as a member of the family of nations as well. It is quite recent that the in- trinsic strength of Japan began to be suddenly recognized all over the world | and when Japan pushed her way to the front rank in the comity of nations.
 Relations With the United States.
 Japan is today building Ter greatest ex- pectatons on the United States as a commercial market, and this country is now her best customer.
 The entire area of the Japanese em- pire covers 27,062 square ri or about 1e2. 372 square miles, corresponding to the S25th part of the land surface of the globe and 101th part of the land extent of the continent of Asia, and one-twen- | ty-second that of the United States.
 Census returns were made in Japan from ancient times. An imperial rescript was issued in the year S6 B. c. ordering the compilation of census returns with the object of levying taxes in kind and imposing labor for public service.
 Rapid Growth of Population. In surveying the movement of the pop- ulation of Japan during the twenty-eight years beginning with the year 1872 and ending 1899, the compilers find that the population of S3,000,000 souls from 1872 to 1875 grew in 1876 to 34.O00,O00 and increased annually until 1899 when the population was 44260,6 604 or more than one-half the population of the United States.
 Strict legislation has been enacted in Japan in connection with marriage Males of F and females of 15 are allowed to marry with the consent of parents or guardians. In fact this consent must be obtained up to the age of 30 if males and 70 IT females. The code prohibits polyg- amy under pain of severe criminal pun ishment
 Ihe last census of Japan on the sub- ject of immigration shows that only 14so sup1ects of the United States live in the empire.
 Government.
 The empire Is ruled over by an imperIal house of unbroken lineage from the re- motest antiquity, notwithstanding inc Tact that the nation has undergone many needful changes since the empire was founded, more than 2.000 years ago.
 Japan Is constitutional monarchy. but her subjects enjoy the advantages of legislative, judicial and executive denart- ments of government. Her people are land owners and tax themselves for sov- ernment support.
 Agriculture the Basis.
 Japan Is essentially an agricultural country The sovereigns that have suc- cessively ascended the throne since the accession of the first emperor have all cd at tr 4g,1 T