davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-04-30

The accompanying sketch is OF an evening wrap the color combination or
which is particularly beautiful The material used is apricot broadcloth, elab-
orahly braided with heavy cording Of afeta silk The design of the braidng
IS most graceful accentuatng the slope of the shoulder an outlining the broad
cuff which falls from beneath the so flowing sleeve. Heavy ropes of the
twisted cord finished with gttering gilt pendants fall from the neck, which
is encfrchd by a high band Of sable and finished with a deep ruff of rich cream
lace. The same lace finishes the sleeve.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-17

at night half n dozen lamps were fastened
to short poles on either side of the bridge.
The enormou crowd now in
the streets was composed of ragged,
patched, rough-looliing fellows all intent
on making their way to the house of Par
Lament, but moving along without any
enthusiasm, shouting or noise. We came
upon a long procession Of students from
the military college, young men and boys
from 10 to 20, slouching slowly along with
heads bent, looking like a gang Of GRIMM
ais being led to prison and having no in
terest in life. As we got close we tried to
make them shout; we spoke to them, but
they marched stolidly on in silence, car
rying their flags, and when one Of tho
youngsters in front started a dirgeIike song
the Others joined in mournfully.
Every window was filled with unveiled
Turkish women, who had thrown up the
wooden screens which usually protect
them from the world and now looked our
with great wondering eyes on the moving
mass below. The grills ard walls Of
mosques were thTonged with men. and here
and there a group of poorer Turkish women
stood huddled together. On one narrow
street several hours before the ROYAL mo-
cesslon passed. we found a couple OF
benches filled with tiny white frocked gins
decked out with green ribbons, the little
creatures already shiYering in their thin
frocks and blue with cold.
AS We neared st. sophia, the huge
mosque which overshadows the Parliamen.
house, the road was blocked with mayptu-
Gently blessed officers, one of whom re-
quested US TO leave our carriage and wall
down the road some hundred wards IN our
destination the terrace of a Turkish house
Immediately In front Of the mosque.
mere we had a splendid view Of the whole
scene; to the right the insignificant tw,-
storied building In which the Parliament
meets and to the left the long road lead
ing 10 1t. The stalwart Albanian guard IN
cream colored uniform and red feg was
stationed on this road. at one point of
"hlch several narrow streets joined. Tho
oouoie Inc or soldiers threatened TO be-
come broken by the surging red fezzed
Ho0 "hich moved to and fro like a crimson
sea ana gradually swelled, as though be-
hind forced forward those in front. sud
denly a company Of lancers galloped IN
and its officers commanded several Of The
men to ride in among the crowd and force
it back.
For a moment we held our breath. The
horses kicked and plunged; men pushed.
fought and struggled to get out Of tha
way some chung to the horses brides.
while others dashed underneath. Soon a
space was made around the soldiers, who
fell back into their former position while
the cavalry rode around them to keen tine
ground clear.
Priests. hojas and men In all manne.
quaint costumes swarmed like flies ON
innumerable roofs OF the mosque, man
putting up umbrellas to keep Off the heat
OF the sun Branches Of trees cracked and
(Continued on Page Four)
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-17

ter, soldiers lined the whole route, in some
parts two rows deep. Outside the British
embassy were men from Salonica, Tripoli,
and Albania, standing in twos, smart look
ing fellows and seemingly well pleased with
their new uniforms and bright red fezzes.
As a company of soldiers was marched
up the two end men were ordered to fall
out and take up their position in a vacant
place, then the rest marched on a short
distance and another couple of them fell
behind. The Erthrogol lancers, dirty and
splashed with mud, were stationed outside
the ministry of war, while further on came
the fire brigade in shabby blue uniforms
and tattered red helmets, all looking in
need of a wash and many officers I'M
shaved.
On the bridge men were busy tying up a
rope of flags, and as we passed over an
old Turk was giving the finishing safety
touch to the dilapidated structure by driv-
ing in a loose nail. For the illumination
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-17
Every japanese n Soldier.

As it is now every Japanese is a soldier.
Service in the army is universal and COM
pulsory. Every boy is expected to enter
the army at H. although he is not required
to perform active service until he is 20. He
then serves off and on until he is 40. At
the emperor's call the whole nation might
be put into the field, although there are
some exemptions. The only son of an indl-
gent parent over so years of age may stay
at home, and there are certain exceptions
as to japanese living in foreign countries.
There are a few young men of the higher
circles who have to serve only one year in
the ranks, after which they may be enrolled
as noncommissioned officers. Such men,
however, must possess an education equal
to that of the graduates of the middle
schools.
The service expected of every man is at
regular intervals from the ages of 20 to
30, and this service is such that the greater
body Of the people may be made ready for
active war at any time. The number Of
trained and partially trained men available
at the beginning of the Russian war was
about 800, 1000. This was added to as the
struggle went on, and when the war closed,
Notwithstanding the heavy losses, Japan
had more than 10000 men in the field. I
am told that 10000 men could now be
massed without trouble, and that within a
short time an army of not less than 1.OO0,O0
could be called forth.
In addition to the many soldiers here
there is now a garrison in Formosa, and
there are 10000 or 10000 men in Corea, con-
s~tituting a permanent force of occupation
for that country.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-17
~SchOoIbOy Soldiers,

Since this talk with Prince Yamagata |
have visited many of the schools 70 see
the material which Japan is now working
up into her soldiers OF the future. Every
boy in the empire is now undergoing mill
tary drill. The law provides that all the
schools shall be equipped WITH guns and
knapsacks, and the pupils are regularly
trained by an army officer. Every school
has its drill hall and exercising grounds;
and rain or shine the boys go through
their marching. I see them in the streets,
tramping along with their guns on their
shoulders and their knapsacks on their
backs. They are taken to see the army
m%aneuvers, and officers are especially ap-
pointed to explain what is going on. The
children are taught that 1t is their duty
to fight and die for their country, and
they have school songs in honor OF the
heroes of Japan. Almost every school
teacher has been in the army at one time
or another, and there is a siX-week service
which has been especially created for the
teachers of the primary schools. During
this time they are made to go through
the regular training Of the ordinary soldiers
and are then d~isbanded.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-17
Prince Yamagata in 1909.

1t was at his home in the suburbs over
looking Toxic that / met General Yam
agata by appointment this morning, Ny
audience had been arranged through letters
Of Introduction from Baron Takahira, the
Japanese ambassador at Washington. and
his highness was ready to receive me, His
son-in-law. Mr.. Shuichi Hagiwara, acted
as interpreter, and for an hour the famous
general talked most Interestingly about
army matters and of the position which
Japan now holds as to the rest OF the
world.
But before I give you the interview let
me tell you something about how this great
japanese general looks, and a bit as to his
history. He is now 20 years Of age, but is
as straight as an arrow, and his mind is as
clear as II was when, as captain Of the
Choshu Clan, he fought against the Sho-
gun invasion more than forty years ago.
He is tall for a japanese, is slender and
wiry, and so gentle and quiet in his man
ner and conversation that one would never
imagine that his life had been that Of a
minister Of war, an organizer Of armies and
a general in command.
Prince Yamagsta was born at just about
the time Andrew Jackson left tha r.esi-
dency OF the United States. He was 1t
NNaA9 hAA VIVA w RAN
scented the letters he bought here frcm
President Fillmore, and made the trC2ty
which opened japan TO the world, and he
was a man Of thirty at the time the en-
peror was brought out of his seclusion tc
be the ruler Of the new Japan. AT that
time he had already made a military repu-
tation and soon thereafter he was ap.
pointed major general and then minister
OF war. He was acting as the war min
lister at about the time that General Grant
ended his term as president ~ the United
States. and after that held many c,vil a.
well as military positions. He aided r
organizing the government, and has sew
eral times been at the head Of It as pre-
mier. He attended the coronation Of tn,
car in 1896, and then brought back tn,
treaty with Russia, which goes by hi!
name. He was for a time commlnder-in
chief Of the army Of Japan in its war will
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-17

sultan would not attend the ceremony, so
a deputation of the Young Turk committee
of union and progress visited him and re-
quested that he should. The sultan is re-
ported to have replied that he would go if
ne were well enough. otherwise his
brother, the heir apparent, would go, and
with this they were forced to be content.
Up to the last minute, until he was ac-
tually seen upon the road, the question was
in everybody's mouth: "Will the sultan go?'
1t was proposed the other day that a
banquet should be given to all the members,
but as many of them, knowing nothing OF
knives and forks, eat everything with their
fingers, the idea was dropped, Then the
president of the chamber had to be chosen,
and it was decided that the honor should
fall to the Oldest Tember He happened to
be an old fellow from a small distant viii
lage, and he did not know what to do or
how to do it, so place Of honor fell to the
next in age.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-17
Japan's war Fund.

AT the time of the war Japan had a
serious problem to face" continued the pro-
fessor. 1T had its standing army of COO, 900
men, who were all sent to the field. Then
the reserves were called out, numbering
hundreds OF thousands more. All Of these
came from the ranks of industry. They
were taken from the farms and factories,
from the workshops and gardens. The pop
ulation here is comparatively small, and it
was a question how the war could go on
and the factories not stop and the fields
not lie uncultivated. This question was
solved by the people jumping in and sacri-
ficing themselves without pay. The men
in the mills worked overtime TO make up
the loss of the force which had been called
off to war. In many cases their overtime
wages were given to the families of the
soldiers. The farmers, clerks and mechan-
les combined together to till the lands left
vacant. often they worked at night and
sometimes together in gangs. The children
worked after school hours to help the faml-
lies Of soldiers, and in some places farms
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-17

were let out free to soldiers families and
capital was subscribed for them. In one
village the families of the men absent at
the war were given the monopoly of selling
matches and soap and in others they had
like privileges. Many landlords RENTED
rent to such people. and the doctors treated
their sick without charge. a relief associa-
ton with "a capital Of 100000 was then
formed to support the Widows and orphans
Of soldiers. The Red Cross society. which
was so efficient in the hospitals and on
the field, was supported by all the people.
That society has 100000 members, and
one in every forty-fivc Of the japanese
population belongs to il and has pledged
himself to pay $3.50 for ten years toward
its maintenance. The japanese Red Cross
society was organized with the idea of
paying the country's debt by helping it's
soldiers, and it has done an enormous
good" .
Small Bonds Owned in Japan.
The money raised for the war, while
some of it came from abroad. was largely
supplied at home. The action of the peo-
pie in this regard shows that the emperor
can call on his subjects for the last sen
in their pockets at the time of any national
struggle. Everyone subscribed to the bonds,
and they were made of such small de-
nominations. with the payments so grad
uated that the poorest mon could invest.
One could take a bond on the payment OF
$3.50 of our money. When they were Of
fered the people rushed by the thousands to
buy them. Jinrikisha men and factory
hands carried their savings to the bank
and men who were working for 30 cents n
day nut all their little boards into govern
ment securities, and that largely from
patriotism and their reverence and love
for the emperor.
FRANK G.. CARPENTER.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-17

Yesterday long before 7 a. m. we were
awakened by the sound OF many trumpets
and the tramp, tramp, tramp of soldiers
feet. Every one was up early and W. found
a gloriously bright, crisp day awaiting us,
instead Of the snow and rain we expected.
We had taken the precaution to secure
a card signed by the project of police 50
we were able to drive along the whole
route, only having to show our permit
occasionally. Once an officer stopped us;
we showed him the card, written in Turk
ish, but he shook his head, puzzled over
it and was about to turn us off the route
when another and younger officer came
forward and, reading the card Immediately,
he saluted and allowed us to pass the
barrier.
There was a very marked difference in
the arrangement Of the soldiers. In Pera.
the European quarter, from Yildiz to the
bridge the men were placed in twos several
yards apart; in STEAMBOAT, the Trunks quar-
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-17
yellow Peril.

Flow about tho yellow peril, your high
ress? Is there not danger that the Chinese
may become a great fighting nation, and
that by combining with Japan the yellow
races may conquer the world?"
There is no such thing as a yellow
peril" replied Prince ~Yamasata, and no
reason why Japan should he associated
with China in the minds 81 the west. The
chief difference between the nations OF the
west and ours is that of color. We nave
the same ambitions along the lines Of
civilization. end the same desires toward
the betterment of mankind and OF the
world. There Is no reason why we should
be set aside by ourselves.
LAS to China" his highness continued
what II will be in the future I cannot
predict, except to say that in the past its
power has been greatly cvgrestimated, and
that today II is in no position to have a
war with any great nation. At the time
Of the Chlno-Japanese war there was gem
orally imposed to be In the neighborhood
Of 100000 troops in China Ii Hung
Chang had 5000 men, who were reported
to be well equipped and trained by Ger.
man officers, and he had also 10000 SOL
diers in the north. Upon Investigation we
found that a great number Of these men
were enrolled only that their pay might
be taken by the officers. They had no
existence except as men OF straw, and both
army and equipment were Of a low order.
II Will be a long time before China can
put a great army into the field. As l lock
at It, the Chinese empire today has very
little strength in Itself, and its existence
as a nation and its preservation as such
depends upon the great powers OF the
world. who are interested in keeping II
independent"
But can Chine be westerniEed7 It u
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-17

ing a great event in Turkish history-the
opening of the first Parliament in thirty
one years.
For weeks past there has been intense
excitement as day by day the various bal
lot boxes, little oblong tin travelling trunks
gaily decorated with flowers and ribbons of
red and whlte-the constitutional colors-
were carried in state to the Sublime Porte,
accompanied by regiments Of soldiers, bands
and an enormous crowd. But the opening
day, originally fixed for November "A, had
to be postponed as all was not in readiness;
the members could not be elected in d
hurry, as many of the voters knew nothing
OF elections.
Kumo-s tioated about the city that the
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-17

JAPANESE SCHOOL BOY SOLDIERS.
the German system was better suited to
our needs. We then introduced German
officers, and our tactics Of today are based
upon those originated in Germany. In
1888 the army was reconstructed and in
creased to 1900. and in 1896, after the
Chino-Japanese war, 1t was again reorgan-
lied and brought up to 10000. on a war
footing it is now considered larger than
that"
what does your highness think of the
German system of military training?'
Il consider it superior to any other
replied Prince Yamagata. 1T seems to me
perfect and l do not see how it could be
improved upon"
But does not that system turn the man
into a machine which makes him useless
in times of emergency, where he has to
act for himself? l nave always thought
that so of the German soldier
The German is a very able soldier" re-
piled Marshal Yamagata, land the German
army, though not as good, perhaps, as 1t
would be had it had practice in actual war
fare, is a very well trained and efficient
one"
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-17
Nation of Peace.

Besides continued his highncss, japan
is not anxious to be considered a warlike
nation. Gu military establishment was
created for defense and not for conquest.
We hope to continue our national life along
the lines of peace, not of war"
But your military establishment is so
large that other nations fear that you
may need to make war to occupy it. DO
you think a big army a necessity in these
modern times?"
A your president has said, the best
guarantee of any nation against war is the
fact that that nation is prepared for war
If it should come. This we believe to be
the case and l see the United States be-
lieves likewise, for 1t is now talking of in
creasing its army and navy"
"Will the time ever como when war will
be done away with? When such peace con-
ferences as that of The Haguee will settle
all international difficulties by arbitration
and conciliation?'
Yes, / think so. but that time will be
distant. When all the nations of the world
are equally civilized and they have united
in their efforts to benefit themselves and
humanity as well We may be able to dis
pense with our great armies. l hope such
a day will some time come"
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-17
Flying Machines In War.

How about these new inventions in mod
ern warfare? May they not be so terrible
that a small nation might destroy a great
one?"
Yes. I can imagine inventions which
would make warfare mean humiliation.
Some of the new explosives are terribly
destructive. Take the balloons and the
flying machines in which your people are
now so wildly experimenting. II they
should be successful they would change
the conditions OF battles and fighting. A
few such machines and some bushels OF
dynamite might wipe out an army. There
might be charges from the clouds which
the forces on the ground, however great,
could not resist, Inventions Of that kind
would very likely nut an end to war,
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-17
Nation of Fighters,

From this it will be seen that the Jap
anese are a nation of fighters, and that
in a war with them the whole people must
be taken into account. Every man. woman
and child is a patriot, and every one es-
teens it a glory to die for his country,
During the war with Russia the women
worked almost day and night to add to
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-17

the army funds and they frequently ex-
pressed their regret that they could not go
to the field. 1 had a talk the other day
with an American professor who has been
teaching in the Japanese schools at Shiz-
uoka, one of the largest cities between
Toxic and Osaka, during which he gave
me an instance Illustrating the war spirit
among the school girls. Said he:
1T was in one of our girls schools. The
American teacher was discussing the war
situation Some bad news had arrived that
morning and the teacher said she feared
Japan would finally be defeated. Upon this
one little Japanese girl burst out: oh, no.
Japan will never be defeated. for when
the men are all killed we girls will take
the guns and fight for the emperor"
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-17
NSTANTINOPLE,

)NSTANTINOPLE. Dec. IS
Thursday, December II, will long
be remembered in Turkey as the
day when Turks and Christians
assembled on an equal footing
for the first time, thus achiev-
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-17

China, and was made chief of the general
staff during the war with Russia.
.
japan and the United states.
With a record like this one would imlg-
Inc that General Yamagata would be an
advocate of military ACKNOWLEDGMENT and
that his voice would favor the pushing OF
Japan to the front as Il military nation. I
did not find him so. When | asked him
whether there was any feeling here in
favor OF a war with the United States.
he replied:
mo, there is nothing OF the KIM. We
do not want war with any nation, end
most certainly not with our old friend, ;he
United States. On the other nanI 1 cam
not believe that there is any such senti-
ment in your country against ours.
We Japanese have always looked upon
you as our great and good friend. You are
a sort of mother country to us. The Japan
of today Is a child of America. 1t was
you who opened our ports to tie world and
It was from your teachers that we took our
first lesson in the arts of modern civilizd
ton. Throughout our new national life
you have always stood by us, and we have
felt that we could rely upon you. We feel
so now, and I cannot believe but that the
general sentiment of your country is
friendly to us.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-17

century. what Won MoltKe was 10 Ger
many and Grant to the United States
Prince Yamagata has been to Japan. In
many respects he has been even more. He
was practically the originator of the
japanese army, the man whose organizing
military ability has made it one of the most
formidable fighting machines of the world.
The story of his life has been wrapped up
in the new Japan, and he and Prince Ito
and one or two others are all that now re-
main of the links which bind the old feudol
times to the up-to-date live activities Of our
western civilization.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-17

DKIO, Japan.-(Special Core
spondence of The Bee.)-Have
just returned from an inter-
view with Prince Yamagata,
one OF the greatest generals
and statesmen of the last half
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-17
How Jnpnn,s ARMY Mns Created.

The conversation here turned to the or
ganization of the Japanese army, which
was largely performed by Prince Yama-
gaia, and l asked him to tell me some
thing as to how it was done. He replied:
I'm the feudal times the imperial army
consisted of about 100000 families of Shi-
zuoka, or the followers of the daimyos,
who were the feudal lords. Each daimyo
kept as many retainers as his finances
would permit and, allowing two or three
men to the family, the army of that day
had possibly as many as 100000 men. This
included not only the soldiers, but the sur
geons. treasurers and other officials. 1t
was in 1871 that the system of conscrip-
ton was introduced and the reorganization
of the army began. 1t was first started
in a few provinces and thence extended
throughout the empire. The imperial
scheme was to organize a standing army
of 400, 900 men, comprising six army corps.
This was found impossible at the start and
a small army Of 10000 was treated That
was about 1878. At that time French Off
GERS were brought in to train the soldiers
and for several years they were our chief
instructors along the lines of modern war
fare.
Then, after a careful investigation of
the armies Of Europe it was decided that