New-York tribune., 1904-10-21
rFTgHTTNGKNIGHT-WAYS.'
Jopaness Progress as Conditioned by
Japan's Moral Code.

a co.
II Is hardly strange that the meteOric rise Of
Eanan. from an inconsiderable ana unconsid-
cred Mace among the unprogressive nations o.
Asia 70 sts present station as modern world
rovvsr. should have left a rather confused i'm
T,rsusioo 1lpon the Occidental imagination We
have watched its people avaiiing themselves
Of the accumulated experience OF the ages ar
rive at a point OF material development that we
have only attained after centuries OF effort and
Gradual evolution. and surprise has been
not unminEIed with alarm for two reasons
II is natural that we should ask ourselves these
questions: WIN the impetus OF her rapid start
carry Japan ahead OF her Western rivals al me
same breathless rate? What viii be the effect
of this extraordinary material development
grated upon the more slowly changing Oriental
temperament? Is there a yellow Peril? What
is its nature?
Seeking the answer IN our Interpretation Of the
Japanese character. we are bafiied at every
point by the difficulty OF reading East in terms
of West. and 10y the fact that most OF the books
about Japan have been written either by travel
lers who have only touched here and there on
The more superfcaIly picturesque characteristics
Of the people. or by those who have gone thitheT
TO teach rather than TO learn, with minds neces-
EARLY imbued with sense of superiority ana IN
hereutly non-absorptiye-
the first attempt that has been made TO eX-
plssu Japan from the japanese point OF view,
20 studv her as measured by her own stand
ards. rather than by ours. The leading minds
oe the nation readily lent themselves to this
large enterprise. The chapter Of THE Consti-
tuition is contributed by Marquis Ito who him
self reduced TO written form the fundamental
organic law Of the country. The Minister OF
Justice writes OF The Imperial Diet" Field
49,.
Count Olzurna Of Japan's Foreign Policy
Baron 6uyumatsu OF Art and Literature" and
Of The Problem Of the Far East" Professor
Inazo Nitobe Of Religion" the Minister Of
Justice OF 'The Legal System" while Bank
ing and Finance" the subjects Of chap
ters specially prepared by leading officials of the
Ministry OF Finance. Many chapters Of he
hook are Of course mainly descriptive and sta
tstical ana some OF them are frankly taken
from public documents and published utterances
Of The contributors, useful as giving the facts
in regard 10 the growth and present condition
Of the country. but throwing little light on The
questions which most closely interest
Especially significant are me articles on the
constitution andon religion; on the inperialfam
fly. 10y Baron Yashitane Sannomiya; on ancestor
worship. by Professor Nobushige HozuHi; on
woman's education. by Baron Suyumatsu. and
on the position Of woman, by Professor Naruse.
IN these chapters we get a real insight into
the motives that govern the national and social
polity Of the japanese Most enlightening Of
al. giving the keynote 10 the Japanese Ea-
tiOnal character, are the articles on religion and
ancestor worship. The ethical or moral ideas Of
Japan based upon Bushido. the uncodided
code Of chivalry of the Samurai. 1T is quite a
customary remark OF foreign tourists" writes
Professor Nitobe, that japanese life is as sin
gularly lacking in morals as japanese flowers
are in scent-a sad confession Of the moral and
intellectual tone Of the tourists themselves"
5e proceeds:
Those who associate fragrance with roses only
70 be Disappointed m finding but little ol either
are rof frarsn rt o. IS + 9 PI6GI mat s uni blossoms
ne nest eoIauGt OF NE There IS. however, good
Far Last especially regarding things that cannot
De pousht or sold Tor cash. for we have made
aslilI ne ne essence OF me UNI 70 be bottled in
IS; Ike attar Of roses nor the preeepts q
tai'lol' ike Episcopal or Methodist theology.
The literal meaning Of Bushido is Fighting
hnight-Ways" and may be more freeIyrendered
rs Teachings OF knighuy Behavior, or Code Of
Honor. It was based on manhood and rnanli-
ness. "As the old Romans MADE no distinction
between vaior and virtue, so was Bushido the
apotheosis of strong manhood and al manly
qualities. which by no means exclude the ten
deTer side OF our nature" Processing no reve-
its ultimate sanction lay IN the individual con-
science. Professor Nitobe deprecates the idea
that II was an eclectic system Of ethics derived
chiefly from Chinese sources. as NAV at Ars-
sight appear because its forms OF expression
were largely Confucian. 1T was" he asserts
the nomenclature, and not the morals them
selves. that we adopted" The primary virtue
of the man Of action was seIf-mastery. para
dcxical as Il may seem At first appearance. this
strong fortincauon Of self against external
causes OF surprise was but one side of aelf-sub-
1ection.' One of the terms Of highest praise
was "a man without a me" For the Jap
anese knight looked for no personal re-
ward IN heaven. The approval Of HIS
conscience was The sole justification OF hts
conduct Whatever conscience approves 3s
kecutude. and whatever enables us 10 obtain
the latter IN conformity with the former is 4
Courage To be brave that s. one must first
be right, principle Professor Nitobe points out.
that Shakespeare recognized when he mt info
The mouth of the Earl of Albany the words.
when I could not he honest. could not be
valiant"
AZ Rectitude gives form 70 character. T3enevo-
lenoe imparts quality and tone TO st. This virtue
found its highest expression In the sovereign
who was and is expected, above all Others. t.
prize and 10 practise II. so that there remained
nothing higher for his subjects than 10 sun
port him with al the obedience compatible with
fheiF duties 10 their own consc!ences Rusbi5o
vas thus Ike Christianity. a doctrine OF dutv
sio service With love for the Emperor comes
loss 1or me country over which he reigns The
SOL which gives birth 10 the subject ,,.t,,cl, .
nishes him with hearth ana home and ,,bi,t
guards IN us bosom the bones OF his ancestors
8Ais brings rs 10 the subject of I-5liaI pia+,-
which, considered 10y Herbert Spence. +. -,
L"4l lh evolving humanity reaches ft- Y.,