The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-04
BY WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN.

Ea IN al AIN Is luo uOHle OIL Uu6 edIGH-
~ quake. The Japanese year book
~ of 1905 is authority for the state
nent that Japan was visited by 1850
earthquakes during the thirteen years
ending 1S97--an average of more
than 300 year, or three and one-half
each>day.
b 1t is needless to say that large ma
jority of these were so trivial as to be
unnoticed, except by those in charge of
the delicate instrument which regis
tered them. r.s.
If Che average is as great at this
time, there have been more than seven
ty-fve since we landed, but we have not.
been aware of them. The severe shocks
have come at periods averaging two
and one-half years, and the really dis
astrous ones have been something like
fifty years apart. The country about
Toxic is most subject to earthquakes,
the number recorded there averaging
ninetysix year during the last TWEEN
! ty-six years. The last sevpre one was
III 1884. According to an ancient le-
gend, Japan rests upon tho back Of a
large fish, and the earthquakes are
caused by the moving of the fish. There
Is a archaeological society in Japan
which has published a iixteen-volume
work giving all that is scientifically
known of the cause and recurrence of
these disturbances.
Are They the Lost Israelites?
OF the origin of the japanese them
selves nothing certain is known. The
best. authorities say that they came
from the continent in an early Mongol
invasion, while others believe that
they came from the islands which
stretch to the south. One writer an
1iounces the theory that they are the
lost Israelites. 1t is quite certain that
wlena the first Japanese landed on the
Islands they found an earlier race in
possession, Some 1900 of these,
called Amos. now occcpy the northern
extremity of the empire-an in1ica-
ton that the migration was from the
southwest. The Amos have remained
distinct; where they have intermar.
RED with the Japanese the halfbreeds
have died out in the second or third
generation. They are hairy race,
and in physical characteristics quite
different from the Japanese. Their re-
hgion is sort IF nature worship, and
it IS their custom to say simple grace
before eating.
The remoteness Of the settlement of
Japan is shown by the fact that tie
rcigning family, which claims descent
sway for $500 years, altho the record
of the first l, 900 years is SO dependent
upon verbal tradition that the official
history cannot be verified. AS concu
binage has been practiced from time
i1nmemorial, the heir, the Oldest son
hasbnlways been born Of the empress.
Soon after the beginning of the
Christian era the influence Of Chin:
and Korea began to be felt in Japan
the written characters Of the languagi
being quite like the Chinese. Koreans
and Japanese do not agree as to the
influence which the former have hat
Upon the latter. A very intelligent
Korean informs me that his is TIL
mother country, and that Japan wa
settled from Korea, but the japanese
do not take kindly to this theory.
The feudal system, Of which I shall
speak more at length in another al
ticle, was early established in Japan
and society. was divided into well
defined classes. First came the mem
bers Of the royal family and those ad
riitted to the circle of favor; next, tn
shotgun (of whom more will be hear
under the subject Of government) an
his relatives. - -
Next in rank were the daimios, o
lords, of varying degrees Of impo:
tance.: Each daimio had a, large nun
Der Of retainers, who were called san
,srai. and below these were a stl
larger number Of peasants who tile
the soil and did the manual Jabo!
Some of the early pictures show tn
gorgeous dress of the daimios and pc
tray the elaborate ceremony employe
on state occasions.
The samurai were the warriors, an
had no other occupation than to d.
fend their lords in the struggles b.
tween the clans. They corresponds
to the knights in Europe during tn
DAYS of chivalry, except that thel
were no romantic adventures owe
women-woman holding until recent
a. very subordinate place as compare
with her lord and MASTER
Thes samurai were given an annu'
aIIoHances for their subsistence, an
fsItsthat toll was far beneath the
dignity. They wore lacquered armt
and costly helmets and carried w
swords long one for the enemy al
a. short one for themselves.
Facts About Hari-Kari.
Fl was with this short sword TIL
the famous hari-kari was commltte
This ancient form Of suicide by dl
eIflboNelment was considered high
hoHorable death, and has been practice
until within a generation. Gener
Saigo, one of the great men of Japa
and one of it's popular heroes, was Il
last man Of prominence to termina
his life in this way. He was one
the5leaders in the movement to resto
tosthe emperor the authority which tt
shoguns had usurped, and was f
awhile close to the throne. In 1877
however, he organized an army for II
invasion Of Korea, and coming in co
fIict with the forces Of the empir
which were called out to prevent Il
invasion, he was defeated. In b
humiliation he committed hari-kari.
few years ago the title of marquis W;
conferred upon him by a posthumo1
decree, and is now enjoyed by his eide
son. One Of his sons is the prese,
mayor Of Kioto and another colon
insthe imperial guard. A bronze mon
ment of heroic size, the gift of ADM