Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-03
THE FORAGDI REVIVAL
Resentment against 0utsid-
ers Has Waned.
WELCOMED IN JAPAN
EFFECT ON THE EDUCATION OF
WOMEN.
Establishment Of the University at
Tokyo Somewhat on the Mt.
Holyoke Plan in This Country.
BY WILLIAM T.. CURTIS.

to relinquish the fruits of her victory over
China, wave of anti-foreign sentiment
swept over the empire. 1t was inspired by
resentment at the injustice Japan had suf-
fered from the European powers, and was
stimulated by the pride of the people in
their own progress and in the achievements
of their army and navy. Having been recog-
nized as a nation, and having conquered
China in battle, the Japanese considered
themselves competent to take care of their
own interests. For a time the assertion
of this national spirit made things unpleas-
ant for foreigners. Almost everything for
eign was denounced and discarded. Foreign
dress went out of fashion, and those who
insisted on wearing it were considered I'M
patriotic. Foreign merchandise and machin-
cry were unpopular and there was a large
falling off in the imports of manufactured
goods. Foreign customs and methods that
had been adopted were abandoned. All for
eigners were dismissed from the govern
ment service except Mr.. Dennison the
American advisor of the minister of foreign
relations, and half dozen professors at
the university. Foreign schools were no
longer patronized and their catalogues
showed a startling falling off in the num-
Der of students.
A New Era Born.
This general crusade against foreign
ideas continued until 1885, when a series of
new treaties with the United States and
the European powers went into effect.
THESE treaties recognized Japan, for the
hrst ume, as a civilized nation. What is
known as the doctrine of extra-territorial-
ny "hich had been enforced in Japan was
'eiiiliidIed' ana foreigners, who up to that
'iihe heu peen subject to the consular repre-
Of
sen'alNes OF their own countries, were
placed upon an equality with other citizens.
me laws OF Japan We're applied to all in
habltants regardless of their birth and no.
tlohality' and the japanese courts were
given jurisdiction over the persons and
Ploperty OF foreigners as well as natives
Japan was thus taken out of the class of
~ hes, fersla, China and Korea, and ad-
ihdIted 10 the slsterhood of civilized nations
Ihat was the beginning of a new era in
Japanese history, and radical reaction i'm
lleuiately set in which has continued to
Sntii strength and popularity ever since.
uii.ll now Japan is losing its individuality
very rapidly. In the larger cities the Eng
Hsh language is becoming the language OF
trade. Foreign dress is being adopted AL
most universally by the upper and middle
cl1sses. AT the university and in the gov
ernments, on the railroads, in the customs
houses, In the army and navy, European
dress is required. The native dress is sell
uoln seen about the imperial palace or the
public ofhces. In all the large cities the
signs of foreign tailors and furnishing
houses are becoming very familiar and the
snow windows along the principal streets
are ar niled with foreign goods of all kinds
In TOKYO nearly half the shops on the prin-
clpal business streets are given I'D to the
sale OF foreign merchandise, clothing, food
and household articles of every kind Peo-
pie who continue to wear the natiX, dresS
are considered very old-fashioned
There Is difference of opinion as to the
advantages gained by this change. The
dress worn by men adds to their dignity and
stature. and everybody must admit that
when they put on modern gowns and hats
1t is not for me to decide this momentous Is
sue, but only TO report a fact that, wherever
you go in Japan you find the native dress
being rapidly discarded and European coats
and waistcoats, trousers, gowns and hats
being adopted instead, with foreign food
foreign cooking, foreign furniture and for
eign ideas.
Education of Women.
Among the causes that suffered severely
during the anti-foreign reaction from 1895
to 1899 was the education of women For
eign schools for girls had become very pop
ular and were crowded with students They
were patronized by the emperor and the
empress, and 1t became known that both of
them desired the daughters of the families
of the imperial court to have foreign educa-
tons That alone would have made the ed
ucation of women fashionable, and schools
for girls, managed and taught by foreign
erS, were crowded. Under their influence
the women of the upper and middle classes
became very progressive. The doctrine of
the equality of the sexes boldly pro-
claimed in the press and even in parliament,
Notwithstanding the fact that the Japanese
are very conservative, especially where fam
lily affairs concerned.
1t was only few years ago that the laws
left everything that pertains to the well
fare of women to the judgment of their
fathers husbands, brothers and sons. Men
could sell their daughters and wives and
even their mothers into slavery if they
liked, and condemn them to lives that are
worse than slavery A husband could send
his wife home turn her into the street
at any time. Social conventionalities re-
quired that mothers and daughters should
be properly cared for, but there was no
legal obligation to care for the wife. A
woman could neither hold nor inherit prop
erty; she did not even own the kimOna she
wore upon her back; she had no claim upon
her own children. She did not even have a
soul
There have been radical and wholesome
changes in these conditions. which have
been largely brought about by the influence
of American missionaries and Japanese
women and men who have lived in and Wis
tied foreign countries. The greatest i'm
petus was furnished by the missionary and
other foreign schools But the advance was
to the new way was too sudden, and the
sweet girl graduate came up against an
Gent customs. manners and prejudices that
seemed irresistible.
Inflexible Customs.
There was always great difficulty in rec
onciling the gentleness, refinement and self
effacement expected Of women by the old
school with the consciousness the dignity
the independence, the freedom of thought
and action which always followed the Gull
tivation of the intellect. : The social system
of Japan was never elastic. The home Gus
toms and traditions of all countries are
more sacred and inflexible than the reli-
gions, and while those of Japan were great
~ modified and liberalized, the reformation
was too rapid and radical. The system
under which their grandmothers had lived
for centuries would not yield to the new
order of things as readily as the educated
young Japenese women epected.
AS a consequence there was a social revo-
luton in 1895. The young men of Japan
declined to accept the educated wives;
schools for girls became very unpopular
and the falling off in the number of their
pupils was so rapid and sudden that many
of them were compelled to close. One
famous institution which had 75O boarding
students a year or two before was reduced
to 21O, and the same conditions prevailed