The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1908-05-01
ENGLISH JAPAN's
SECOND TONGUE
advertiser Correspondence, Copyright
by Frederic J. Haskin.)

by Frederic J. Haskin.)
TOXIC, April 5.-The visitor to
Japan is Immediately struck by the
universal ambition of the people to
learn the English language. The jap
anese recognize the fact that English
has become the universal concurrent
of conversation, and they are deter
mined to possess it. Taking a walk
through a public park in TOXIC. an
Americans ears are greeted by the ia
miliar "Strike one! "Ball three!"
"Safel" The umpire is clad in the
kimono of mis- people, one nine dresses
in uniforms from an American sport
ing goods house, the other in native
costume, but the game is good Ameri
can baseball, and it is always conducted
in the English language.
The study of English is compulsory
in the high schools, and is being grad
ually introduced in the elementary
schools also. A few years from now
English will be spoken in every part
of Japan, and it will be the national
business language. The zeal of the
high school boys is remarkable. Ameri-
cans or Britishers who have lived here
for some time become impatient with
the students, but the newcomer is al
ways interested. The boys have learn
ed to be on the lookout for the rub
ber-necked stranger. Let him stop to
watch game or look in shop window
in some section of the city remote from
the foreign settlement, and he will be
surrounded by a group of high school
boys dressed in white-dotted blue XII
mOnos. If he will so much as glance
at one of them encouragingly the con-
versation begins, and the boys vClu1-
teer themselves as guides or interpre-
tiers. They know that practice is re-
and they never overlook an opportun-
ity. An American on a trolley car will
have the services of two or three boys
to aid him in finding his destination,
while the other passengers who do not
know English look upon their young
compatriots with proud and approving
smiles.
Even those bows who are too poor
to go to shool and must work for their
living are possessed by the same ambi-
ton. Such books as "English Learned
at Home' have an enormous sale, and
foreigner who is shopping is often
asked by working boy how to pro-
nounce some especially difficult word.
Shopkeepers put up English signs, some
of them ludicrously funny, and the I'm
perial and municipal governments re-
cognize English as "the other Ian
guage" by placing English signs over
the doors of all public institutions. The
money of Japan also bears English in
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSs
dance, which is somewhat similar to
the ancient Greek musical dramas.
Special exhibitions of all the principal
Oriental games and sports will be pro-
vided, and the period of the exposition
has been arranged to include the cher
ry blossom and chrysanthemum sea-
sons so that visitors may see the coun-
try at its prettiest and the people in
their holiday moods.
In order that the japanese people
may have an object lesson in the kinds
of houses foreigners live in, the expo
sition management has requested all
the governments which intend to erect
special buildings to follow the style
of architecture of their own countries.
1t was at first proposed to have cafes
and equipped after the
fashion of each country, but this sug-
gestion had to be abandoned because
he TanannCa Pnll15 a ford fhn
pensive food to which foreigners are
accustomed. The matter of providing
foreign amusements is also a problem
on account of the consideration of ex-
pense. Up to this time only two for
eign amusement enterprises have APP
peared at any of the Japanese inter- |
nal fairs. At Osaka there was a |
small Russian circus which charged |
twelve and a half cents; and Carmen
'ita, the Spanish dancer, who gave
for a five-cent admis-
sion. Although these prices were alb
;urdly low, these attractions played |
20 capacity from early until late.
rhe curious japanese swarmed to see
he strange foreign doings, and the
;pirit of Carmencita's flying heels is
still the subject of enthusiastic remi-
liscence among the yokels of inland
Japan. Such American attractions as
negro jubilee singers and dancers,
Vaudeville and circus acts in which
here is no talking, and the unique
levices that have been so popular in
he amusement parks in America I'M
would prove great drawing
ards on the Toxic Pike.
The japanese exposition must also
,e looked upon by the foreign exhibit
or from a different point of view.
here are many kinds of good things
hat have proved popular IN other
ountries that could not be used here
t all. For instance it would be a
seless expense to send certain kinds
f heavy machinery such a great dis
ance when there is no market await
1g it. The poverty of the japanese {
masses is so great that their pur- $
bases must be confined almost exclu-
lively to cheap necessities. Every
exhibitor should keep this {
/ mind.
After the Osaka exposition there was /
luch complaint from foreign exhib- !
ors whose trademarks were stolen
nd initiated by the Japanese. To z
revent a recurrence of this dishon- '
sly law will be passed making the G
of trademarks punishablej |
Y fine and Imprisonment This law /
ill be binding from the moment the /