Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-08-16
JAPAN is MARCHING ON.
Another Witness to the Strides She
Has Been Taking.


Has Been Taking.
Certain symptoms of innovation
struck forcbly upon my imagination
as travelled through the country
districts OF Japan, says writer in
Biucllwoods
Schools presented Il conspicuous
feature In every corner of the coun.
try-not the schools dear To the hi
sotcd literal of China or the intolerant
mullahs of Islam. but modern. upto-
date, twentieth century schools
where the knowledge and learning of
the West Is fast becoming impaired
to the children of the East.
| remember ono day meeting a
number of small boys returning FROM
village school III Il district far re.
moved from the influence of railways
and big cities. On my approaching
them they drew up to attention with
military precision and bowed cere-
moniously to me as passed.
was somewhat puzzled To find a
reason for this spontaneous display.
and subsequently learned that tho
cause was to Ia found in the cut %
my clothes. was dressed after the
manner of the West, ana was there.
fore an object of respect. You ask
why? Because Europcanization is
the fetch of the day.
Nor is 1t only the BOYS who attend
the schools in this year of grace 1907.
Tor the school girl in magenta haka.
ma. with satchcl ana hooks in hand.
walking blithely to the nearest acad-
envy, is the rule rather than the ok
coption of today-and a vastly signi-
ficant one in an Eastern country.
Thus in 1899 S5.0i per cent. of the
girls of school age were attending
school-figures which had Increased
five years later to $3.50 ana Sass re.
spoctively. During he school year
10000 tthc latest for which have
flgures) 100000 pounds sterling was
spent on public education. and 5.97G.-
l2i, or 93.23 per cent. of the children.
boys and girls combined. OF school
age were recorded as receiving cle-
mcntary instruction.
There is another powerful. per
haps slnister-influcncc eating
slowly Int surely into the old com
muna life of the people the influ.
encc of modern industrial require.
ments. Already thousands of women
and children are toillng YEARLY in
factory and workshop. attending me.
chanically to the great steam driven
spindlos and looms which are slowly
but inexorably crushing the life out
OF the old family hand machines on
which were made the exquisite fab
RIGS embodying the artistic soul Of
Japan.
Unguarded and uncarcd for l,y n
kindly legislation their lot can scarce
ly be considered an enviable one No
factory. Acts grace the pages of the
statute book of Japan.
I'VE have our duty plain before
u.s. say the manufacturers. ''to cs.
tablish our commodities firmly upon
the worlds markets. Lot us get our
hold of them before we are tied and
handicapped by Government interior.
ence'
Such was the fervent prayer which
heard breathed by more than one
manufacturer prayer which would
appear to have every chance of being
granted. since only so lately as An.
gust last the Japanese Government re.
fused m invitation TO send delegates
to an international conference al
Berne. held with view TO prohibiting
night work by women on the grounds
that the state of the Industries of the
country did not admit of such inter
ference!
True. the women and children MAY
smile over their work MS the casual
visitor passes TO and from among the
whirring creels or the crashing looms
but then the japanese smile is an
eniematical thing and, rs has been
written. "tho .Iapnnese can smile in
the teeth of death, and usually does "
Some. day the workers in Japan will
rise and will demand for themselves
the same rights and privileges already
conceded to their fellow workers IN
the Wcst-lnt the day is not vet. BE
fore that time comes Japan will have
dispclcd once for all the Illusion thai
she is Il triflcr in toy lanterns and
paper fans. and Will have indicated
her claim to he rewarded as one OF
the manufacturing nations of the
world.