The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1909-11-25
BILKINS IN JAPAN
The Royal Family In That
Country Has Broken
All Records.
JAPANESE ONE OF LOST TRIBES

Lowest CLASS IN JapAn-A wise
japanese yaage--An Editor the
Leader Of japanese Reforms
Something About Their New.pa-
pcrS-A japanese Novelist at II.
Correspondence of The Caucasian.
Enterprise.
Toxic. Japan. Nov. /. 1909.
The royal family. that In. the Nj
kado's family. hes held undisputed
sway In Japan fer twenty-five hun
dred years. so the japanese claim.
But the history may or may not be
correct Much hez happened In that
time. The Koreans claim that the
Japanese originated In Korea. In ap-
pearance the two races resemble each
other. But they differ In general
characteristics. The japanese laugh
at the idea that they air ov Korean
descent. And they air equally post
tive that they air not responsible for
the existence ov the Koreans. But
they now own Korea. There In no
mistake about that. Even the Rus
SLAMS. the former claimants ov that
little tongue-like peninsula. air will
In to concede japanese ownership.
But hit In q fair statement ov his
tory to say that hit cost japan much
blood and much money TO gain Ko-
rea, and hit cost Russia millions ov
dollars and many III housands ov lives
TO lose Korea
While time hez brought great
changes. Japan at one time had
feudai system that exeelled anything
ov that sort In Europe. First came
the royal family and those admitted
to that circle by favor. Next came
the daimios or lords. The daimios
had a large number ov retainers. who
were called the samurai. Below these
were the peasants who titled the soil
and did other manual labor. Much
ov this hsz changed. IL changin'.
But hit will be years before the peo-
pie ov Japan hev az much liberty az
the people ov the United States.
though that IL what the leaders In
Japan air plannin'
The saurai wore nne armor and
carried two swords short one fer
themselves and q long one fer the
enemy. Hit wuz with the short sword
that the japanese committed hars-
kiri-a form ov suicide by disem-
bowelment. Up to about fifty years
ago this peculiar form or self-infict-
ed death wuz considered very honor
able In Japan. But hara-kiri must
go-hez gone. General Saigo. one
ov the great men ov japan. wuz the
last man ov much prominence 10 end
hiz life In that manner. In 17s4
General Saigo organized an army fer
the invasion ov Korea. He bit OF
more than he could chew, hiz army
provin' too small. After this he COM
mited hara-kiri on account ov the
disgrace ov defeat. the Japanese gov
ernment sendin' a superior force TO
suppress hiz expdition.
The merchants In Japan air con-
sidered the lowest ov the classes. dis
honesty bein' common practice.
But time will doubtless change awl
ov that. A class ov excellent busi-
ness men air now striving to get a
foothold In most ov the cities and
towns, and. in the end. they will
prove winners.
| One cause ov Japanese progress In
recent years hez bin brought about
because ov the fact that the japanese
threw OF their reserve and induced
capable Americans and Europeans TO
go among them and teach them how
to do things. They soon learned TO
build and operate great cotton mills.
usin' American or English-made ma
chinery. They learned TO build great
steamships and even warships under
capable instructors. Their great army
and navy wuz fashioned after the
best In Europe and In America. the
best instructors bein' employed. AZ
they learn anything quickly and
thoroughly, hit IL no wonder that
slow-goin' Russia found Japan more
than a match fer her. though Rus
sia's population IL nearly twice az
large az that ov Japan. Japan knew
how before the war began; Russia
learned that she did not know the
game ov war-modern war-after
hit wuz too late to start TO school.
But In the NEXT generation Russia
will learn somethin'. She In down
now. but not out At this point
will say that the japanese people air
very grateful to the President OF the
, United States for the aid he rendered
at the close ov the Japan-Russiar
War. Russia wuz whipped. but she
, might hev continued longer but fol
the friendly offers ov the President
/ ov the United States who offered 70
Z bring about peace-honorable peace
Z The statesmen ov both countries
gladly listened to the proposition
) and finally accepted the terms pro
[ posed by our President. which wui
Z to the effect that Japan get all thai
\ she wuz contendin' for and that she
I be easy on Russia az to amount o,
indemnity to be paid. While Meth
I er country actually Jumped" at tn,
a proposition az made by our Presi
dent. both agreed 20 hit very quicki.
and the United States retained th'
: friendship in q strengthened form
ov both Jauan and Russia. vhicl