Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1905-05-20
HE WRITES FROM JAPAN
Prof. {. n. Vickers Sends Letter to
Col. James f. Thompson
is NATIVE or SHEPHERDST0WN
Now Head of Japanese Imperial Uni
versity, and Scholar of Splendid
Attachments and Career.

SCASAhy1 $3.50 y S~A@SAe&& ~ ~R~c~~N-~N-
Attachments and Career.
Col. James L. Thompson, of this
city, the well-known clothing mer
chant. is in receipt of an extremely
interesting and entertaining letter
from his old friend. Prof. E. Fl.
Vickers. head of the Keiogijiku uni
versity. or Imperial college. of japan,
written from Tokyo under date of
April II, and containing some init
uate information concerning the great
struggle now going on between the
little brown men and the forces of he
car.
AS will be remembered by many
persons in Martinshurg, Prof. Vickers
is a native of Sheherdstown. aud is a
son of Mr.. and Mrs Enoeh Vickers.
of the jefferson county town. He is
not only an intimate personal friend OF
Colonel Thompson, but some ii years
ago was in a measure a protege of the
Martinsburg man. frequent and
welcome guest at bis home and CO.
worker in the newspaper field when
Colonel Thompson was taking whirl
at journalism as the proprietor of The
Evening World.
Prof. Vickers is a graduate of the
University of West Virginia, where
he carried off the honoIs of his class.
Later he studied fer four years at
Harvard. winning the Heidelberg
scholarship After four years at the
great German university he returned
as assistant to Prof. Tassfg. teacher
of political science at old Harvard
While filling the position of assistant
to Prof. Tassig intelligence was re-
ceived from the Imperial university at
! Tokyo that the chair of political
science at that institution had become
vacant through death IN the faculty.
For many years past this position in
! the japanese college has been filled BY
| a Harvard man, and in pursuance of
the policy of the Japanese government
it was determined to secure another
| Harvard professor immediately. The
selection was TO be made by a COM
petitive examination, and the place
was such an attractive one that 36 men
entered the contest. Prof. Vjckers
was the successful one.
| Before leaving for the mikado's
island empire lie paid a visit to his
old friend, Colonel Thompson, taking
his departure for Janan from his roof,
and being accompanied by many little
souvenirs presented by Colonel Thomp.
sons children, of whom Prof. Vickeis
was yerv fond.
Prot. Vickers has been at the jap
anese university for neatly seven
years. Until recently he occupied
the chair of political science, wnen
he was elevated to tine presidency of
the institution. A year ago he was
re-engaged for his third term of three
years. and consequently has two years
yet to serve the Institution before
being at liberty to return to America.
It is doubtful that he will return to
this country for years. as bis present
position is an attractive and lucrative
one.
| Prof. Vickers is married to the
daughter of wealthy English mer-
chant and a high-caste japanese lady,
his wife being half English and half
Japanese, with thorough English
education, and woman of culture
and high position. They have three
children. He is an authority on all
japanese affairs. his long residence
in the country and close association
with leading statesmen and mobiles
enabling him to gain thorough and
comprehensive grasp of all matters
pertaining to the island empire.
A the outbreak of the present war
he contributed series of articles to
The Nation, The Times and other
high-ciass newspapers and periodicals
upon the causes leading up to the con-
fiict. He is great admirer of the
japanese people. has unhounded con.
fidence in the outcome.of the war and
thinks it will result in a complete
triumph for Japan. Writing of the
recent issue of 500. 900, 600 in bonds
he says it was nver-subseribed five
times. and that foreigners took half
the issue at price greater than that
fixed by the japanese government.
He himself invested some thousands
Of dollars in the bonds.
He writes of his many visits to and
close friendship for Colonel Thompson
aud the members of the latter family.
and says he still retains the little
presents given him by the children on