Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1904-08-03

1t is only when the different countries
come into close contact with one an
other that these things are produced,
and indeed, they are not needed be-
fore. China furnishes an excellent
proof of the truth of this statement.
She has been practically isolated for
centuries, and as q result her history
is comparatively unimportant, her in
terests limited and her national am
bitiOn almost extinct.
Japan is an even better example, in
that she affords an illustration not
only of the first part of our statement,
but also striking proof Of the truth OF
the latter part, for it was not til Ja-
pan awoke and began intercourse with
the rest of the world that she became
at all important.
That we may understand the JAP
anese as the appear today, we must
therefore study, not only their intern al
development, but also the external
causes which have been prominent fac
tors in making them what they are.
First of all, Japan is not a compact
and continuous Country like the Unit
ed States, Germany, China or Rus.
STA. 1t is composed OF 1900 islands,
some Of which, Of course, are more
important than others. This is one
reason why Japan has been unable to
keep foreigners out. Altho she made
great attempts to accomplish this, yet
the very nature Of the land made it an
impossibility, and she was finally
obliged to open her ports to the for
eign nations.
Then again, Japan, by her position,
was the only power in the Orient which
could ever entertain the hope OF sue
cessfuhy posing as the champion OF
the East and its interests. These
things would necessarily at some time
or other compel the people to aban-
don their policy of seciusion, and to
seek the place among the nations that
was rightlully theirs. But neverthe-
less it was thru external causes that
Japan was brought to realization
of her own powers and possibilities.
The invention of the steam engine,
the telegraph and the telephone, the
modern ships and armies and methods
of warfare, and finally, the trade in.
terests OF the different nations, all
these we're factors which helped to
overthrow old Japan and make the
new Jasan what she IS, the leader OF
the East.
But while these external forces were
the immediate cause of the great
trans formation, they are not the CHIEF
factors in the wonderful development
of Japan to power and reputation.
1t is true that the western civiliz alton
was presented to Japan by the foreign
powers. 1t is true that all the wond
ers of the nineteenth century were put
within her grasp, if not forced upon
her. But this would have been u
little consequence had the Japanese
not been the people they are. This
Introduction of q strange civilization
would not have been received in the
same manner by all people. Grain
which is thrown on a rocky and stony
ground, will bear no fruit. There
must be soil, COZ tanning the neces
sary prert quisites, prepared for It
And so it is in this case. Our civil
cation, introduced to q heather pc.
pie devoid of the necessary menta
traits and national ambition, woule
never lift that people to our level
But because Japan possessed th'
mental and temperamental character
istics necessary; because she had grad
ually been undergoing an evolution
which, altho rapid, had been perfectly
natural; and because she was quick t.
comprehend the advantages of oul
fertilization; for these reasons it be
came possible for her to take her place
among the leading world-powers.
The early history of Japan is some
what uncertain, but nevertheless, ira
dition shows US the progenitors of tn
modern japanese people as conquer
ors from the west and south, WHIT
drove the aborigines before them, an,
gradually took possession of the en-
tire land. These conquerors were
mixture OF races f the Malay, the Mon
golian and the Ural-altic. Whethe
the early crossing of these races bear
any vital relation to the Elasticity o
the Japanese is q question which
temps the scholar.
Primitive, inter-tribal col hicts O
which We have no reliable records
resulted in increasing intercourse
Victory was followed by fedora
ton, and thru the development o
common customs, common Language
and common ideas, the tribes wer'
unified, socially and otherwise. Thes'
unified tribes early came into contac
with their neighbors, and already thel
two of the traits which have been 81
conspicuous in recent times became
apparent, viz-great capacity for &C
QUESTION and q readiness to adop
freely from foreign nations. Sh,
adopted the advanced civilization o
the Chinese, their immense literature
language and religion, even to sucl
an extent that her own Individuals.
was, for the time being, almost stamped