The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-17
THE JAPANESE IN TEXAS.
How Their NeighbOrs View Them and Their
Remarkable success In Rice Raising.

| To THE EDITOR OF The bUN--Str. iheTo
Ia no longer any question Of the complete sue
cess Of the nrst colony established IN texas sas
with the object OF making the raising OF rice
by Japanese methods speciality In this coun-
try.
Mr.. r. onishi. an instructor In Doshlsha
| College at Kioto, and prominent citizen OF
Japan. made the first purchase OF rice LANDS
In Harris county. midway between Houston
and Galveston. In 1908. and about forty OF his
industrious. intelligent oountrymen came
with him 10 make homos. The country
around Webster. where they located. 10 well
adapted to rice gro wing. being mostly prairie
| and level near tho bay, and very rich.
They purchased at first but 500 acres.
near two prominent railroads and near tho
famous Clear Lake. where fresh oysters
can be had at any time for the gathering.
In 1904 more had arrived from Japan. and
| they purchased 1000 acres moro OF rioe lsnd'
the crop OF that year being the first raised BY
them In this country. They brought their
own ssed from Japan. cultivated the crop
| by methods OF their own. with the result that
they raised about 100 sacks Of rioe to the acre.
| against about sixty TO eighty sacks by the
| Texas growers.
30 anxious were these people to ACQUIRE
| our Ian guage and the American ways OF farm
| ing that some of them worked for their board
| only for the old settlers there. and attended
| night schools to learn better the English Ian
guage. and their teacher said: The Work Is
fascinating. as they are apt and studious
pupils"
As rice must be In two or three inches OF
| water during the eighty or ninety days to
| its maturity. the water question Is the FIRST
| thing considered.
At Webster artesian flowing wells can be
had at a depth of about $50 feet. and already
| this colony has eight wells. from eight to
| twelve inches In diameter, constantly fow-
| ing to irrlgate the land for any crop requiring
| more than the average amount OF RAINFALL
| which 10 sufficient for any crop except rice.
This pure artesan water Is made Into loo
| resembling huge blocks OF plate glass. Tor
home use and for shipping.
This pioneer colony Is steadily growing
In numbers and influence. being composed
Of intelligent mon and women. who are learn
Ing the English language. though Mr.. Onisni
and several Of his workers write and speak
the English language nuently.
They are all rapidly learning the way OF
Americans. and are considered BY the Texas
| people as decidedly valuable acquisitions
to her growing population.
These new settlers are quite proficient
| not only In the raising of rice but also any
other crop they may wish to raise They are
steady. hard workers, saving. honest and In
telligent. and are showing the native Texans
new ways to cultivate fruits and vegetables
| tuak CcIt6luiy pTONC SA0ul uiuhCy
people are already raising and shipping this
Sardb 70
Az Alvin, on the Santa Fe. eight miles west
Of this colony, twenty-five cars OF straw,
and sp 81 h s BESIDES large
amount sent North by express.
hf 5sss that n fruits an
sTs the su resdess The n Sun an es
h. NJ tha in vxhtr In
e Colony a9'h has iocated INC 's''' " A WIS
There is no danger, Of overproductIon Of
as TINS COUNTY noes ne' apG ne
Mr.. Kinzabure Gada was IN Texas recently
buy 20 acres of snd in TT Teas or farmns
settling further west. where lands are from
japan 70 fssss %GSs
.'S These people have in the last 81. months
volying their right 70 become full citizens
under our immisration lsys,rs -, ~.
United States Bureau Of Immigration received
the first papers issued to Japanese to become
''I United states e District Attorney Marc Nc
With tho Department Of Justice at Washing
opnsn sss my ooS S o
This deeisIon caused 9ons a among
Sspsnsss se!osi WsSste : stated th nSt; r.
as f sal' citizens was Especially desirable.
This important question has now been
Mr. N; Mayskswa, now e practising n. att ,.
SasG years eesn hsd hs
first papers in Indiana. He had been in THE
country long enough 70 ake 9d' ms tina ma
q full citizen. When the question was sprung
BY vandnsen at Galveston. desiring TO have
msnt for himself aud his people. he at once
made. application for his final papers; 49,
Owing 70 the opinion, EXPRESSED ,, by ,o the
the the Washington Authorities hesitated in
granting final papers. Tho question had as
dele sa a' Of Attorneys aceompaned him to
authorities there with the result that MI n
the United states by. tho highest authority.
thus settling for all time, the question Of the
Japanese becoming full citizens Q! this
Ir onishi q the Webster y colony Y, i so de,
over tbs final as ,ne TO oG ths
might have ali the benefits Of fun citizepship.
puachs ses' Of PfiH lands and are Coming in large
f. aa ks hs
| Texas will locate In the near future a colony
| there another OF Browuville along the coast.
| and one Is already located at Palestine. where
the liberia peach lad other fruits will be
| The Webster colony in southeast Texas
| way proved successful. They paid s25 an
| acre for first class lands near good markets
| and water and railroad transportation. They
are men of means. Intelligence and thrift.
| and rvorllpN RICA In the most neDefCiel
cereal produced In the world. Although 1t
| Is only ten years since 1t was made
business in, that portion Of the South. yet
| three-fourths OF all the rice raised In the
| United States IL now produced on the coast
| lands OF Texas and Louisiana.
! These new sitzens have made no mistake
IN the location selected. and their success Is
| assured.
The price paid them for their rice now. is
| 40 per cent more than that they received for
| the crop Of 1904, and this means moro OF the
| people OF Japan will come to this country In
1905 than In any previous. year. and they are
| rsceivlng O rcval welcome here. W. B. 8.
HOUSTON. Tex. Aug. ~.
| Tho Last Straw.
Tho psychological moment had come.