The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1904-08-06
JAPS ARE FIGHTERS.
YOUNG MEN OF WARRIOR STOCK
INBUED WITH FINE SPIRIT.
Principles Of tho samurai Code Of
Honor Govern from Childhood
Up-Are Early Taught tbs
Arts Of War.

Every Japanese. be he noble or plebe-
Ian. must now Eerve his term in the
army. Nor are the officers an exclusive
caste. for promotion Is open TO every
man who will take the trouble 10 earn
1t. But 1t happens in the japanese army.
as 1t happens in the English and the
German. while every private soldier is
free to become an officer the great bulk
OF the officers do, as matter Of fact.
states the Brooklyn Eagle. come from
q restricted section. In England 1t is
IL the samurai-samurai still, whatever
the edict and constitutions may say.
In the very fiber of their being the
traditions of Bushido-the code of
honor which was the religion OF the
samurai-remain. Although Bushido.
with its fortitude and It's punct!iio. its
odd mixture of the Spartan and the
| Quixotic. Is no longer recognized sys-
tenn. its spirit remains; and these are the
principles that are expected to count SO
much IN meeting foe supposed to be
SO much stronger numerically.
Those who are not less than So years
| old were taught their Bushido at their
mothers knee. and many of the younger
men. coming of the same warrior stock.
| are imbued with the principles of the
code.
The samurai began his training at a
very tender age. Young children were
sent among strangers with messages
to deliver; they were made to rise before
20 N. 90 hftr ff~ nhn
with bare feet in the cold OF winter;
small boys were taken to see executions.
and Gent back alone 10 the place by
night to leave mark on the Gscapitated
head. Sometimes they were made to go
without food. and taught that xamural
should not be ashamed to be hungry.
seif-control. courage. fortitudc. loyalty
were the cardinal virtues. Every
samurai counted 1t a plain duty to sac
riflce himself for his lord.
The young samurai were taught fenc-
ing. archery. jim jrtsu (clutching such
part Of the enemy's body rs will make
him numb and incapable Of resistance),
horsemanship, the use OF the spear, tao
tics. caligraphy, ethics. literature and
history.
He was not to think Of money: ig-
nofance Of the value of different coins
was q token of good breeding. He was
taught to forgive injuries. but he was
also taught to held his honor sacred.
and TO defend It Ut all times and At ali
haxarrix = r. win honbs- and 70 .ayoasr
shame. the samurai would go to any
lengths.
Naturally. the man with . sword and
Quixotic notions Of honor was not al
ways as gentle as he might be with those
who assailcd that honor. 1t is related
that citizen called the attention Of q
Bushi to a flea jumping on his back.
Forthwith the Bushi cut him In two.
and afterward explained his reason by
. syllogism: 'Fleas are paraStes which
feed on animals; he said flea was on
me; and 1t is an objectionable insult to
identify a noble warrior with beast"
The sword was the soul of the samurai,
and the swordsmith worked as II he were
performing holy rites.
Under certain conditions suicide was
the piainest duty. end elaborate cere-
monials were laid down for the man
ner In which It should be done. The
women also were taught that death Is
better thing than shame.