The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-04
IN THE LAND OF EARTH
OUAkES AND IIARI-kARI
is true of the other large seaport

is true of the other large seaport
towns.
All, Of the cities are supplied with
daily papers published in Japanese. At
KagGshima, "a city Of about 10000, sit
uated sat the southern extremity of
| Kyushu island, / found a prosperous
daily paper called the Kagoshima
Shimbun. (Shimbun means daily news
paper.) 1t has a circulation of 5000,
5000 being insthe city.
! At Osaka / noticed building elabo-
rately decorated. In front were large
flags on bamboo coles and smaller
| flags strung on cords, while Japanese
lanterns were present in profusion.
AS none of the buildings around it
were decorated, 1 inquired and found
that the decorated building was the Of
/ flee of the Osaka Ashahi News, and
that the paper was celebrating the
/ withdrawal of the governmental order
which for two weeks had suspended it's
publication. The issue for that day
contained large-size picture of the
Goddess of Liberty. When the riot
ing occurred at Toxic, just after the
treaty of peace with Russia, an order
was issued authorizing the arbitrary
suspension of any newspaper contain
ing utterances deemed incendiary. I'm
der this order the Ashahi News re-
ceived notice to suspend publication
until permission was granted to re-
sumo. The withdrawal of the notice
was duly celebrated, and the paper an
nounced that its readers rather than
the paper had reason to complain of
the suspension. This paper has the
largest circulation of any in Japan,
about 100000, and the order suspending
it has been the subject Of much edi-
torial criticism.
- "Reform" Papers. -.
Besides the newspapers which are
conducted as business propositions,
there are papers supported by associa-
lions formed for the propagation Of
various reforms. For instance, pa
per called Romaji is published monthly
e at Tokio-Japanese words being
+ spelled with Roman letters, in thu
l. place Of the present japanese charac.
It tiers. A society was formed some twen-
j. ty years ago for the purpose of urging
|. this reform, and a, paper advocating
e it was published for three years, but
finally suspended from lack of support.
# This fall the Romaji was established
l. and hopes for better fate. While this
n reform would be very acceptable to
n foreigners who are trying to learn the
n language, the movement does not seem
N 10 have gathered much momentum.
v In one of the leading papers, the
,e Hochi Shimbun, Mr.. Gensai Mural, a
novelist of distinction, published a
is continued story, running daily thru
IN six years. It is not yet completed,
| la fhn
e In this story the writer presents a
re large amount of information on ma.
a, tional, political, economic and social
I'd questions, at the same time putting In
rd enough fiction to sustain the interest.
{" Japan's Borrowing.
Ii There is some tendency here to
ut resent the statement that Japan has
d. borrowed largely from other nations
T., Some native writers insist that new
III Japan is but the natural development
no of old Japan. There is measure OF
Il. truth in this because there is no growth
except from living germ; and YET
re it cannot be denied that Japan has ap
on propriated to her own great advantage
'e- MANY foreign ideas, and it is not t.
he her discredit that she has done SO
Both individuals and nations borrow:
,s- imitation, not originality, is the rule
i'll It will humble the pride of anyone tt
tn attempt to separate that which h'
". has learned from others from thai
he which he can claim as his own b.
right of discovery.
Steam is the same today as it wa
ages ago, and vet millions upon mill
pC ions watch it escaping from the KEITH
!ef with no thought of it's latent power
~ One man showed mankind the use t.
u which it could be put and all the res
80 profted by the idea. Shall we refus
= to ride upon the railroad or cross tn
~; waters in an ocean greyhound for fea
LII of employing the conception of another
~ Electricity is not a new agency. TIL
We lightnings have illumined the sky fror
~ the dawn Of creation, and the peopl
10 saw in them only cause for fear.
~, few decades ago one man thought on
~ method by which it could be impris
,;a oned in a wire, and now widely sepal
III ated lands are united by telegraph line:
mo while cables traverse the ocean s bee
Shall we refuse to read the news tina
. the current carries or reject messag
from home because we must employ a
idea which sprang from another
brain7 He is stupid who rejects truth
no matter from what source 1t comes
that nation is blind which does not we
come light from anywhere and every
where. It is to the glory, not TO tn
shame of the Land of the Rising Sun
that her people have been quick to ODE
the injunction: ''Prove all things
hold fast that which is good.
AN OLD INDUSTRY.