The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-03-18
TOXIC FULL
OF 'BANzAlS'
How They Celebrated the First
Victories in the Japanese
Ns Capital.
Frederick Palmer's Graphic Story
of Characteristic Scenes
That Night.
Pathetic Features of Departure of
Baron de Rosen, the Rus
Ia. sian Minister.

BY Frederick Palmer, Special War Cor
respondent of Golfers Weekly. Published
by Special Arrangement. Copyright
1904.
Toxic, Japan, Feb. 10y esterday
the Japanese lanterns were telescoped;
tonight they are allght; tonight To-
kio hears only Of victory. All day the
men who sell the extras have been
hurrying thru the streets, their cries
drowning the decorous tinkle of their
little bells. The bulletins. seldom as
long as a sheet of foolscap, have been
sweetmeats to the public, whose stom-
aCh could not have surfeit of such !
news This we do know: The cruiser
Variag and the gunboat Korietz are
wrecks at Chemulpho, and Admiral
Togo has dealt telling blow at Port
Arthur Much more we hope, want |
ing to believe every happy rumor that
Ink makes on paper and sends broad |
sen.
The Japanese does not cheer until
he has won. The population Of the
town seems twenty times what it was
the night war began. Toxic having
something to be proud of, opens its
doors and shows It's head The little
Buddhist images, with far-off. subtle
smiles, wake up and blink. The paper
windowed houses that husbanded
doubts and fears, and the tense ex-
pectancy Of a people who think of
their emperor's fortune before their
own, send their occupants forth, II not
to merry making, at least to walk up
and down. Streets that were dark
last night dance with globes Of yellow
light tonight.
A Distinctly Japanese Celebration.
Since noon q mild form Of insanity
has prevailed. I say a mild form-the
violent form which other races would
have shown may come when we have
taken Mukden and Hardin. Ooh, you
cold, phlegmatic English! you Of the
wild orgy Of a Mafeking night in Lon
don, If you would really study self
control observe another island people
who at this hour think they have won
a victory meaning as much to them as
Trafalgar to you'd
At night the sun had picturesque
substitute. The Japanese lantern does
not belong in a land where you read
from left to right horizontally, but to
land where you read from right to
left perpendicularly. The lantern goes
with the people, their houses, their
costumes, and their manners. You
must come to Japan to understand the
lantern; you must be in Toxic on the
night of victory to realize that it is
a living thing. The light began to ap-
pear just as official confirmation Of
the extras swept over the city with
joyous authority.
In columns Of twos and threes-an
ill-Hghted city serving as a pictorial
end-Winding In and out thru the
streets, ran the yellow balls Of light,
clear-cut against the darkness, while
under them was the roar Of song and
cheer. They went to the admiralty,
and from the steps Of the big building
of European architecture, the minister
of marine made them g. speech. All
this was Occidental. The foreigners
interest lay further on when the par
ade, with its crest of moons passed
across the moat and thru the double
gates that open at the corner Of the
palace Enclosure on to the park that
faces the gates thru which the state
carriages pass to the most exclusive Of
courts.
Air Full Of 'Banzais.'
Across the length Of the park the
lantern bearers formed in close order.
Every face was turned toward the pal
ace. The lanterns were raised high as
the "Banzais!' rang out. "Dai Nippon
banzal! Dali Nippon banzai Banzai,
banzai, banzai!" The dim light showed
the students Of the naval school in
their neat-ftting western uniforms
they who had missed fighting for their
beloved country by being born three
OF lOuT years 100 ldLS Inc Glasses
ahead Of them were keeping watch on
decks in the cold northern seas. The
best that they could do was to split
their threats in the cold, moist night
air. At their heels, in the freer garb of
kimonos were the students Of the uni
yersity with their future Of develop
ing and civilizing the lands that the
navy and army should win.
isn't it pretty near time that the
mikado showed HIMSELF" q foreigner
asked
If this had been in st. Petersburg,
and the Russians had won, we can
imagine how the car might have ap-
peared in a doorway for a moment,
\ under a blaze Of light. That would be
& a part Of the mise en- scene for that
4 land; part that would receive the ap-
prevail of David Belasco. Japan is diff
n ferent-always different. This is an
v emperor whose ancestors have sat on
X the throne from time immemorial. If
Palestine were to-day a free Jewish
+ nation, and the Jews an inherently
3 conquest. the descendant of Moses
who sat on the throne, would mean tC
them what their emperor does to the
Japanese. The services and the sur.
+. roundings of divinity hedge hin
/. Is not in sight of the park. He could
not see the dancing lanterns thai
\ leaped skyward with the cries Of
4Banza1!' If he had wished to show
himself to the people, there was ne
way. The people cheered him as ar
abstraction; yet living abstraction tt
whom they intrust the directing O.
their personal affairs.
.G Zone of the court officers nigh
< have sent up rocket to let the crow(
know that the mikado was aware o
Z its presence" said foreigner, full o
3 suggestions for having this people &C
In western way.
1--WE were not preparing to send VI
rockets We have been preparing TO
war" was the answer.
On the night that war began, as
told you, the people stayed in thei
houses, went to bed early, and b.
eleven o'clock the streets were clea
of all except belated ones with defin
tie errands. Tonight they acted mucl
as we would have acted then.
The Russian Minister'S Departure.
Toxic, Japan, Feb. 15.-The goin
of Baron de Rosen, the Russian min
A lister, had pathetic side. He wa
{ personally fond of the Japanese. Lik
4 the French ambassador In Berlin i
< 1870, he had been peace mar
Whether or not he, too, had informe
his country of the enemys prepared
y OF for hic IN