The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-01-11
DR. GRIFFITHS
 KNOWS JAPAN
 HENCE HE SAYS
That the Nation Knows It's Rights and Will Insist
 Upon Them.
Most Instructive Discourse Upon Timely Topic at Library Lecture Room.
Special to The Farmer.)

Fairfield, Jan. 11.-EVery seat in ll- brary hall was filled last evening by people glad to hear Rev. Dr. W. H. Grifiths lecture on Japan. He was introduced by Rev. Dr. Child who said that the Historical Society had been very fortunate. in it's speakers, as they had all of them spoken by authority, drawing on their own experience. and tonight one comes who has spent years in Japan and has been a profound student of history. Dr. Griffiths said his opinions may be different from those found in American newspapers. While he has not been in Japan since 1874. he was of the opinion that one who undertakes to write about the people of that country should know something of their language, art, his tory and religion. He spoke of the fact that when he was 6 boy, living in Philadelphia, he saw launched the United States steam frigate, SusQue- hannah, which afterwards became the flag ship of Commodore Perry. But he did not give Perry the credit of opening up Japan. He simply touch ed the button. Townsend Harris se- cured from the Japanese treaty to allow American merchants to live in Japan and for the admission of mis-
 
 a little window open and knew what was going on in the world.
 It is a superstition that Americans caused the great change which has taken place in Japan; the great move ment had been going on for hundreds of years and intellectual preparations were already made. We had nothing to do with it. Three times month the Japanese were in the habit of ob- serving a day unlike our Sundays They assembled in hall and listened to lectures on ethics. He was of the opinion that there is no difference in the power of the intellect between the Japanese and the Americans. Ask ing the Question-Who are the Japan ese, he said they are not a race, but mixture. They have gone through about the same history as the Anglo Saxons. They went through the feu- dal system out of savagery. They are no more initiative than the Yan- kees. We initiate the Hebrews for our religion; the Romans for our law, and the Greeks for our philosophy. There is nothing original with us. Japan is young-as young as we are. We came out of the forest about the 4th or 5th century. Japan has all the conceft and all the fOultS of voting man. They are as conceited as the Americans. The latest books on Japan are the most misleading. The first race of that na- tion was the Aryain. They call the Chinese a race between a man and dog. We cannot imagine how hideous we look to the Japanese on account of our big noses.
 White people once lived all over Ja- pan. In the north the people speak the Aryan language, and Aryan names are found all over the country for the mountains and rivers. The next race which invaded the islands was seme- kI,o TTf1N7 If1nr hnT c a Malay race, and last of all the Tar tar, from the north of Asia. Japanese can be found as white as we are. Some of the men are 6 feet 4 inches. They are shorter in the limbs because they have been sitting on mats for 1000 years. But since they began to use chairs, the height of the whole population has increased one half inch.
 Dr. Griffiths said the Buddhism brought with it all that was needed for civilization. He has no faith in any religion which the Yankees have invented Buddhism made the Japan ese sweet, kind and mild In polite ness we cannot begin to come near them. He described the old feudal system which was even in vogue when he went to Japan and told, how by an edict from the Emperor, it was demol ished, and the loyalty which had once DO0u SIVSu LO Luc lOCdl IOiSIS " dS transferred to the Emperor, and the feudal lords were no longer permitted to wear swords, but had to come down from their lofty position, and earn a living like ordinary men. And all this was done without a murrnur for the good of the country. There were 45OOOO men who had the privilege of wearing two swords at the time of feudalisna was abolished.
 Speaking of the women of Japan Dr. Griffiths said that within her knowledge and light the Japanese we men have no superior on earth The Japanese can suppress their feelings better than any men on earth They are not boosters. He predicted tlrat 1t would take the best statesmanship at Tokyo and Washington to preserve the peace. He said the Japanese would not take the Philippines as a gift. He saw no reason why we should control the Pacific ocean anymore than they should. He predicted that if we tried to make a treaty wrth Japan allow ing Americans to go into that country, to trade, live, etc, and shut them out of this country, we would find it could not be done. Japan will insist upon reciprocal rights. He believed the Japanese will become a great Christian nation-they will bring in a new great triumph. They will enrich humanity. Their motto is, Knowledge with Duty.