The Washington herald., 1908-04-15
BY FREDERIC J. HAsKIN.


Tokyo. March 1.-The great exposition
TO be held in the capital of Japan in 1912
viii be distinctive in many ways. Il Will
be the first international affair of the
kind ever held in the far East. and this
fact alone will cause the introduction Of
innumerable features hitherto unknown
IN similar expositions that have been
given in the Western Hemisphere. The
exposition is the growth OF ever a cen
tury Of experience among the Western
nations. but owing to the peeuliarities OF
local conditions much Of this experience
viii be useless 10 the Japanese.
Foremost among the problems con-
fronting the promoters Of the big enter
prise in Tokyo is the question OF living
accommodations for any considerable
number OF foreign visitors. Tokyo has
nearly two million inhabitants. but 1t has
only three hotels equipped for the enter
tainment Of Europeans and Americans.
The service in all Of these places is very
ordinary. and their combined facilities are
not equal 20 the entertainment OF more
than two OF three hundred guests.
The plan for overcoming this serious
handicap will not only be unique. but
effective On the hills surrounding the
site Of the exposition are scores Of Bud
dhist and Shinto temples with attractive
and comm0dious grounds. The exposition
management proposes to erect large num-
bers of neat little japanese cottages in
these parks, furnish them in the style of
the country, and install in them capable
native servants. These cozy dwellings
win be rented for any length of time de-
sired, and at a rate so low that the entire
cost OF living will be less than most for
eigners ever dreamed Of. The weather
IN Japan during the summer season is
mild enough to permit Of camping out
with comfort. and the plan of quartering
visitors in the temple grounds will include
the furnishing of army tents for bache-
lors or others who desire still more eco
l0mical living. Those Americans TO whom
the mystic East has appealed through the
pages of prose and rhyme will find this
arrangement not only cheap and COM
Portable but IL viii afford them the oppOr-
Wnity to live within the sound of the
temple bells a-tinkling Somewhere east
of Suez. The exposition management
viii also construct an immense inside
inn" similar to the one of unpleasant
memory at st. Louis.
This exposition will be different from
al others. in that II is entirely a gov
ernment affair. Instead OF being or
ganized and carried on by a private cor
poration, the government provides the
money and directs everything. On ac-
count OF this, many things can be done
which otherwise would be impossible
Extortion for living accommodations viii
be prevented by the governments provid-
ing most Of the quarters and arbitrarily
fixing. the price that all others shall
charge. This is the way they DO things
in Japan.
The matter Of transportation will also
be under government control. The steam
ers operating under japanese subsidies
will be concentrated in fast passenger
schedules to American and European
ports, available ships viii be chartered
from other lines. and the ocean rate re-
duced to such a low figure as to prac-
tically eliminate distance. One OF the
purposes OF giving this exposition is TO
afford the foreigner q chance to see for
himself what the japanese are doing at
home, and the government proposes to
make inducements in the way of ex-
tremely low rates.
To bring the educational benefits OF the
big fair within the easy reach Of the
poorest OF the japanese. the government
viii observe the same liberallty as that
shown in the plans for inducing foreign
travel The japanese people are so poor
that the price Of everything must be ex-
tremely cheap. Third-class fare on the
Eovernment-owned railroads OF Japan is
at present about y cent 6 mile. but
during the exposition this rate will be
reduced so per cent. If a similar rate
were charged In the United States, the
fare from New York to Chicago would be
s225, instead OF $40 The cost Of living for
the provincial japanese VINO visit Tokyo
will come inside Of . cents a day for
lodging and three meals, and the price
Of admission TO the exposition will be
only 5 cents for everybody.
The japanese common people are great
travellers when the accommodate tons are
brought within their means. and the cost
OF everything in connection with the ex-
position Will be fixed in accordance with
their ability 70 pay. OF course the bene-
fit Of these cheap rates will extend to the
foreign visitor as we'll The japanese
custom OF making 2ilgriniages to the
various temples Ia the country is great