Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-03
BY JOHN H. CLARK,

y
0. S. Commissioner of Immigration for CGnddG
Copyright 1909 by
:; =; -. :, ever sen '''' INTENDED aus.
81 saw him In the hall as came into
this ROOM"
'How were you able to recognize him among so
manyT
1T have his picture"
"Do you wish to ask him any questions to satisfy
yourself that you have made no mistaken?
mo"
The foregoing conversation recently took place at
the port Of Seattle between a government official
and dminutive Japanese girl eighteen old, who
had just completed 45O0 mile journey, entirely un-
accompanied from her home in the interior of Japan
and across the Pacific to meet her future lord and
master.
She had never seen her future husband before that
day. knew nothing of his history had had acquaint
ance with his people in Japan Under the marriage
laws of that country however she had already
been legally united in marriage to the whose
photograph she carried and to whether she would
more firmly cement the compact by marriage accord
ing to American usages now depended upon the ex-
amining officials, who, after weighing every circum-
stance in case, must pass upon her admissbiity
into the United States.
To watch this tiny representative of womanhood,
without a friend or adviser walk down the gang
plank OF the great liner and take her place in
the waiting room already crowded with girls of her
own race whose migration to the United States was
in many instances in circumstances such as sur
rounded her to observe the composure with
which she every requirement of the law, and the
entire absence Of doubt fear when in the presence
of the examining officers she looked into the face of
her future husband for the first tme not only bespoke
the confidence which this little daughter of Nippon
must have had in mankind in general but also served
to arouse in the native American breast emotlonS
difficult to describe.
Can we imagine any American girl of the same age,
in like circumstances starting on similar journey
with a corresponding object in view?
Some six months previous the bridegroom, pros
perous merchant in Lower California, had notified
his father in Japan that he wished to take unto him
self wife. According to Japanese custom 1T then
devolved upon the father to look about for suitable
consort for his The son in explaining how he
obtained his wife offered the following
"You see my fathers brother knew man who
knew this girls father and they made the necessary
arrangements Then my father sent this photo
graph of my fancee, which have shown here, after
which 1t was necessary for to have my friends in
California call upon the japanese Consul General at
San Francisco to ask that he make such representa-
tions his home government as would secure for my
fanc6e the passport which she would be obliged to
have before she could depart from her country
When the passport was issued then all that remained
TO be done was the sending of money with which to
nav her passage This did, and you she is here"
They Then Join Hands.
The decision of the examining officers being favor
able the services of the Buddhist priest were invoked
and as the contracting parties Joined hands for the
first time in their lives in conformity with the laws
of tbe State of Washington consummated the
so-caled Japanese picture marriage"
If should understood however, that the legality
of the above marriage in nowise Influenced by
the photographs either regards the civil ceremony