Arizona republican., 1904-05-03


 selves, although they had a launch in which they could have left the trans- port. The fire of the Japanese actually continued until the waves closed over the ship" About 1SO officers and men had taken to the launches when first Russians, but it is agreed that at least 1 73 Japanese stubbornly refused to sur render and died instead.
 The incident emphasizes the differ ence between the Japanese and the people of the western nations. and will tend to confirm the belief of occidental people that there is a strain of insan- ity in the Japanese character. Stand ing alone the suicide of the 73 fanatics on board the Kinshiu Maru might be attributed to a horror of Russian pris- ons, or to some other cause with req son for basis, but the whole perform ance was strictly in line with Japanese customs, and was In harmony with Asiatic instincts and traditions. That the Russians themselves are Asiatic rather than western is evidenced by the statement that the "martyrdom" Of the Japanese on the transport was wit messed with admiration by the Rus sians, and that in Russia there seems to be quite as much praise for the deed as in Japan, where it is extolled as an example for all patriotic Japanese From the standpoint of the practical American it was an idiotic play to the galleries. Before this war is finished Japan will need every one of her sol- diers, and Japanese who are captured will have chance to be exchanged for Russian prisoners later on, and will be able to fight again for the mikado.
 No other word than insanity seems to fit the Japanese propensity to commit suicide, and the mystery is deepened when one considers that in many re- spects the Japanese are the most prac- tical people in the world. The newspaper correspondents at To- kio and otter points in Japan have been impressed by nothing so much as the fact that the Japanese are a race of suicides, and, numerous incidents are ! related in point | In the early days of the. struggle an order reached the military headquar- ters at Aomori, in northern Japan, to prepare to take the field. very small portion of the garrison was to be left behind to keep up the military depart ment
 One young lieutenant, named Sagoya, was chosen to command the small par ty remaining. He received the com mand submissively
 He took upon himself the character of host during the few days that were left, provided all manner of diversions for the departing troops, gave a last dinner to his fellow lieutenants. in which he was the life of the gathering In a short speech before the banquet broke up he delivered an eloquent toast to the future of the command, foretell- Ing triumphant marches, splendid vic tories, and-his voice was shaking a little-spoke of the heroes returning home in glory.
 With his head bowed down, he ended by saying that he had hoped to go, but that it was not the will of the em- peror.
 "They also serve who stand and wait" he repeated brokenly.
 Saguya accompanied the regiment to the port of authorization, and was the 1 gail"
 Upon returning to the fort the lieu tenant went directly to his quarters. The next morning his orderly found him lying upon the mating, his ab- domen rent backward and forward in the hideous fashion of the harikari. And the short sword of the harikari had been returned to its scabbard after its task was done.
 The story is told of an officer of high struction in Pekin. When war became fact, he was one of the first 60 ap- ply, for an active command. He was refused because his services in Pekin were both timely and efficient.
 He was able to realize from the de- nial nothing but shame-either would not or could not see that his especial aptness in certain line was responsi- ble for his being held back.
 He killed himself in the same hor- rible manner as Saguya; and the result was tha. the emperor had to weaken another department to fill his place The great body of the Japanese people see honor in such an act, but no sell fishness.
 A Japanese boy walked a great dis tance from the interior and presented himself at a recruiting office in Tokio Either from inherent frailty or from the exhaustion which followed his long journey, he was pronounced unfit for service.
 He was seized, as one of the nativa papers states, with a terrible anger to- Ns