The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-06-18

When an Important subject is the theme of magazine and newspaper arr ttcles and of conversation both flip pant and thoughtful in every part of the globe, 1t is satisfaction to know just where to find expressions relia- bfe. complete and realistic. When the Philippines rose to worldwide impor- tance. scholars reminded us that Wal iace's Malayan Archipelago was a storehouse of information on the sub 5ect Since the Japanese have become the wonder of all nations our attention has been called to the fact that Stod- dRrd, both before and after their war with China. drew the picture of the is- land and the people in two, of his popular lectures Chased on personal lvisits.) since published in the series in which he gives a travelled experts ac- counts of all the important countries of the world.
 Joh2 l.. stoddard equipped. with thoropghness and versatility in lan- guages. conversant with the manners. customs and minds of various peoples, owns that between the mentality of the Japanese and American yawns an ocean deep and wide. analogous to the broad Pacific which separates us physically. Yet. this separateness and difference do not preclude appreciation of one by the other.
 Landing in Mississippi Bay, named after Perry's flagship which entered it fin 1854, the first thing to win the ad- miring observation of Stoddard was the Japanese boatmen whose shapely limbs and compact muscles made them "seem like bronze masterpieces of an- tiquity endowed with life and notion" The second thing to challenge respect was the courtesy of the people, the custom house official saying when a passenger had no native money to pay the unexpected duty on his camera which he offered to leave until he should come back: Not at all.--I will lend you the money" and reply ing to a question as to what security for repayment the lender would have You are an American" The same perfection of courtesy was unfailing everywhere, and our traveller declares ''The Japanese are the French of Asia"
 The many evidences of their endur- ance amazed him, the jinrikisha men going easily five miles an hour pulling single, ten miles when two pulled tan dem: various teams" towards the close of trip of thirty or forty miles racing each other the last mile or two. all being as fresh and merry as school boys at the journeys end. Through roads covered with snow, they wear
 
 as we'll as faces can get used to bare ness in the cold.
 They have few horses, and eat no beef or meat, their religion teaching them not to overburden helpless ani- mals or take fife for food. Surrounded by an element in which fish abound. food "convenient for them," the Budd- hist priest did not forbid catching them, Knowing" Stoddards says, ''as -.~.Ir Tapanaea ffEherman Whera draw the line"
 Eqnable they are, wonderfully good humored and gentle, fit of temper on the part of foreign travellers seeming to them the most ridiculous thing, calling forth uncontrollabIs laughter from the natives. Yet, this gentleness was seen to be not the result of servility but the product of innate re- finement and courtesy. Just as be- meath the smiling landscape of Japan still turks the terrible volcanic forces of destruction, so underneath the sun ny disposition of the Japanese are all ffhsk characteristics of the warrior; they tsare manly, patriotic and mar tial"
 Extreme cleanliness marks all clesses, and is n racial instinct as well as religious principle The hands of ev- cry maid who brings you tea are im- macu1ate, seeming often to have been manicured. and this fact with others like it leads to the observation that they are a race neat and delicate to their finger tips" and that If they have not godliness, they have the next thing to it-cleanliness." Who would not prefer a wholesome heather to lso-caIled) dirty Christian?
 The servant class are devoted and humble, and ladies' maids offering at times on pended knees food to their mistresses--quite contrast to us who have to Ego on our knees to our cooks"
 This people delight in nature-they have parties to visit trees and flowers in their season of bloom and of lovely autumnal changes, something like our box-parties to the theatre In Japan one travels in Hand where animals are kindly treated, where such pleas Ing and poetic myths as are associated with Greece and Rome are still be- lieved." Indeed, the visit to Nikko, a mountain sacred to the gods and to