Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-08-12

POUNDS tCrOOnCS AROUND IOe nOuSesS3s
under the table. In the stable In fact.
his name is legion. and at every step
one falls over this unhappy creature.
the substitute Sor n modern garbage
department. The Japanese cheeTfully
announced 10 their aStonished wards
that all dogs would be sentenced to
death that were not properly tagged
with the names OF their owners about
their neCks.
The Chinese were still discussing the
meaning Of this grave problem when
the day OF Judgment came. The next
rising sun brought desolation to many
happy canine homes. Few dogs were
10 he seen in their customary haunts.
but, ah, woe, in n compound up tho
street was the explanation. Two hun
dred canine hides were visible drying
in the sun. Now every dog is labeled.
Schemes for social reforms. political
reforms. taxes for keeping the roads
in order and l know not how many
more are going merrily forward. all in
behalf OF the Chinaman who finds him
self being civilized before he knows it
Nearly every compound is now drained,
and when II rains we actually walk in
formerly did.
II there ever was people who carry
their country with them ii is certainly
these same Japanese. In their idle
hours the soldiers build Japanese gar
dens Small artificial lakes are dug
and bordered with stones. Little BAN
boo bridges are constructed and the
quaint Japanese lanterns OF stone are
placed about in the garden, made from
the nat stones picked up by the sol
diers in the country about.
In one of these gardens the soldiers
Of company had built n summer
house after the kind seen in Japan.
LatticewOrk was covered with green's
and iris blossoms made OF paper We're
strung on strings and daugIed over
head. Indeed. in some of these places
il Is impossible to realize that one is
in Manchuria and not back in Japan.
In all the villages OF evenings the
soldiers play about in the streets like
SchoOlboyS Their officers g0 among
them in the way which makes their
relation to their men unique in the
armies OF the world. When an officer
appears, every soldier is on his feet
and ut rigid attention" with his hand
at salute. Then invariably comes the
soft spoken word from the officer. and
the military aspect fades from the sol
diers' faces, and they crowd about
him, laughing and telling him their
troubles. The other night 1 walked
through the main street OF one of these
villages with couple OF officers.
During the walk we passed, I sup
scarcely one that went his way with
out n joke or a pleasant word from
his superior. The result is that when
ever they have the time or leisure from
more rigorous duties the men fall
to with will and compete with each
other in making their officers comfort
able. 1t il in this way that nearly
every officer has a little Japanese gar
den behind his house. one of the lieu
tenants told me: Il have to be very
careful in giving out tasks TO my sol
dicrS, for it often happens that l have
underestimate the time IL Will take to
complete. and my soldiers sometimes
OverwoTk. The other night 1 set my
men task which l thought could be
in Il few hours. l forgot
all about it until the next day. when
found that the soldiers had worked all
night rather than diSappOint me in fail
ing To have the work finished In time"
The attitude OF the Chinese 20 al6Ihis
activity is one of dumb establishment,
yet there can he no doubt that the re-
suit of all these object lessons will be
to launch the Chinese upon new era
in their social. political and moral life.
for. slow as the Chinaman IS 20 learn,
even he cannot fail to appreciate the
wonderful difference which the Japa-
nese have already brofIht into their
village life.