The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-04-15

West Hampstead lady's drawing room.
Many have a distinctive note of their
own, proclaiming them the pride and
holdfast of their inhabitants.
Some may grow enthusiastic over the
nimble women who fill the hunks of the
steamships with coal. l cannot. Seen
from the steamers deck, their appear
ance. as they stand in long lines passing
up the small baskets of coal, no doubt
has a touch of picturesqueness. A near
er view spoils the effect. They are adult
women, all amazingly short and sturdy.
all stunted in growth and aged in looks
by sever and constant toll unsuited for
their sex. AS one watches the weaker
Of them drop down on the deck of their
barges. exhausted after their work is
done, the sense of the picturesque dies.
1t is hard to realize that around here Is
one of the best fortified spots on earth.
Every trace of the gigantic military and
naval preparations now proceeding IN the
neighborhood is as carefully covered
possible The hills around are honey
oombed with forts and protected by ar
tillery at every point, but one looks In
vain for the guns. The supplies now
being landed from thousand junks are
every one is aware. for military use
But there are no men in uniform super
vising. Tens of thousands of troops lie
ready within a brief march but there
IS not soldier on the streets. This
scenery. at least, is typically Oriental
Those who are enraptured with the po-
etic side Of Japan would receive a shock
from the streets Of Moi or its sister town
Shimonoseki. They are as prosaic and
as dirty as those of the worst parts Of
the Black Country. Everyone bears the
traces OF toll. The streets are narrow
and tortuous. and have that indescrib-
able SUNNY smell 0he nearest APP
proach TO a description can be a COM
bination of the odors of boiled cabbage
and spilled parafin) familiar in the back
streets OF London. The children too often
show plain traces that their mothers are
busy at other work than caring for them.
The roadways are without footpaths. and
on wet days are anything but pleasant
Drainage is exceedingly primitive. Every
shop has its front open all day. even in
these winter times.
The streets are ever tangled confusion
OF pavement merchants. Of patient coolies
carrying heavy burdens. Of laughing chill
dren. Of rare horses or cattle carrying
provisions. of shouting rickshaw men
Even here. in place where foreigners
are counted by the units. many ~ the
men but practically none OF the women
have put on European garb.
shimonoseh and Mail have been the
center for two Of the most fnOrnentous
events in modern Japanese history II
was here. In isss. that the fleets # the
grea, powers came 70 punish Japan fo-
some onenses against foreigners. Many
men stll living near b. took part In that
conflict. and they say whether rightly
or not I have 10 means a knowing tina;
the Marquis Ito himself vss among the
defenders The Hee;s sheiled MOI. ard
the people mounted their hattsTies and
vigorously replied But very Japznese
shot felI short The result ~ that bon
barinent zas rot merely local r1Isn -
Moi but stretched out 70 me overthrow
q the old japanese feudslisn and the
inception q uew ideal Of ar Occidental
lied Orient
bay. which had witnessed the humiliation
OK EEf+ li-- E4IAal % t4@1f q III
GROWING triunPa q the new Ten years
ago Japan proved. by force q arms. her
power 70 ea:er the ranks of ths word
nations China lay defeated before 5er
desplsed rival and }; was % shsnonosesn
that i Hung Chsnk. Chlna's envoy. cane
craving. ard obtaining. peace
/; was TIRE triumph p n. rev Japan a
triumph when every Jzpsnese tssllevss
xii - repeated Il the near future ever
a greater rival The people here have
faith that IS the triumph q ~ vipe1
out The bitter memories % lzs - sAau
their coming conquest rssks even the
gic-sss q the last victory fade. Fer TIE
modern Ja9znese does not hggs f5r NC
tory. he = firmly convinced. zhesseT
cooise OF soldier. rha; anything except
vtctory - ro< f-nrc<Sss.e .o- hls z-tioz-
London Daily Nal /.