The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1905-10-14
PAGAN JAPAN.

We are accustomed to looking up
on Japan as a nation OF pagans,
people who have not reached 4 state
of civilization above that of idola-
tors. but Japan has no state religion
and her people, by her constitution,
are guaranteed religious freedom
equal to that enjoyed ia this country.
There are many adheFsnts to the
Christian faith, followers Of Bud
dab, Confucius, ard Aohammed. The
works Of Huxley. Of Spencer. OF Oar
win are largely read and studied by
the Japanese, and they are people
anxious for advancement in the
sciences, the arts, and mechanics, so
that the belief that the success of the
!. Japanese in war means tiumph of
paganism seems to be without fOunda-
tion in fact. We are inclined 70
look upon not only the Japanese, but
other Orientals, as barbarians, and fail
70 realize the fact that they have the
same opinion OF Us with, probably
just as good reason for their belief.
The feeling is mutual aud largely
due to race and religious prejudice
and a result of ignorance regarding
each other. On this subject Braon
Kansko, a scholarely Japanese, has
clearly put the matter in few words
as follows:
''First let US consider the view
which each takes of the other and the
sstandpoints from which these respsc-
tive views have been taken. The
people Of Asia regard the OccidentaIs
cas- barbarians and foreign devils,
sbecause they have come TO them with
srifies, cannon aud battle-ships, to
rob, grab and siay. to seize territory
eto which they had no shadow Of title
tand which definitely and undeniably
belonged to others. This long series
,of robbeties appears to the Oriental
tmind as a most heinous, lswless and
Outrageous series Of crimes, and ia
ythe whole scope OF their teaching and
their philosophy there can be found
pfor it no rational explanation, no ex
Cuse nor palliation whatever.
From the view point Of the West,
however, the Orientals ara barbar-
Tians-only half civilized To Gust
them from their territory, to occupy
it and appropriate its natural re-
n sources, has been noble work Of
n civilization. while to impress upon
9, the inhabitants the principles OF the
M Christian religion has been a duty
8 clearly imposed by the Bible itself.
b How far Christianity and how far
al commerce have inspired this policy
r, need not be considered here The
Il point is that from the Occidental
point Of view the Asiatics have been
Ola priori barbariaus, and any sugRss-
il tion that they bad any rights would
SC have been heard with great surprise
81 few years ago"
h The sanGtIty of the Japanese home
in lie closely guarded and the family
IA training superior to that of many
1so-caIlsd civilized nations. The
character Of her citizens lie above
THAT Of any nation on earth. This
10 proven By the lower per csntage of
crime, By the fact that dishonest or
dsfaulting pablo official IL almost
unknown In her public service. In
Der public schools the formation Of
n 1haracer IL one Of the essential fea-
10 tures. Statistics show that ninety
If three per cent Of the children Of pag-
&c IN japan attend school daily. The
,r record stands unsurpassed.
In war she has shown the most
IA eensvolsnt traits Of humanity, more
m than respecting the rules Of the Red
n, Gross. Russian prisoners we're most
:, Aumansly treated and shared equally
q, veil with those Of the japanese army.
=, The prejudices Of race are strong.
+, but the white race must hence forth
., aad forever look upon the Japaness
4, - . nation high in tie scale Of NOR,
allty and humanity. IL Japan pag.
AMI