The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-02-19
THE JAPAN MAGAZINE.

Bound in a cover of lemon and or
ange-which may mean something
/ fruitful-here comes the Japan Maya
/ zine from far Tokyo. There are more
| than a hundred and twenty pages, with
perhaps thirty pages in Japanese. the
| rest in English, though mainly written
! by native authors. 1t is the purpose
| of the magazine publishers to acquaint
the world with the policy and progress
of Japan, both in a political and an in
dustrial way. And the object seems
very likely Of accomplishment. For it
would be difficult to imagine a more Sc
rious or more creditable effort than is
revealed in this new publication.
The spirit of Japan is admirably ex-
pressed by Count Okuma, one of the
contributors to this number, in the fol-
lowing words:
In Japan there Is a literature so char
acteristic of the country that it cannot
be found in any other part Of the world.
| This literature deals with loyalty to
the throne, fliaI piety, devotion between
man and wife, fidelity TO friends, the
spirit of sacrificing ones life for the
| cause of the state in time of a national
emergency.
And there is enough respect for the
opinions of the world-that sentiment
which our forefathers observed when
they issued their famous Declaration
TO give a thoughtful attention to the
Korean situation. Here are some ex-
tracts that will reveal the japanese
point of view, and which seem to war
rant them in what they have done with
that part of their problem:
The government of that day was cor
rupt from the lowest official to the
highest. The poor people were pressed
and squeezed and robbed; as a COnse-
qUence, they lost all energy. There was
no desire to work, because the proceeds
of work We're passed to the officials
after the bare necessities of life had
been supplied to the workmen. All each
man wanted was to have enough TO eat
and to be let alone to live his life &C
cording TO his small bent. Korea was
without patriotism in those days.
The word picture of the Korea of
twelve years ago has been completely
changed. Seoul, a city of a quarter OF
a million people, is becoming more
prosperous every day. Factories are
building where the cotton grows in
South Korea, and cattle Craze among
the valleys. Millions upon millions of
trees are being planted upon the bare
hills from which an imprOvident gov
eminent permitted the timber to be
ruthlessly cut. Thousands of Koreans
are employed in digging from the earth
the wealth Of minerals with which KO-
rea abOunds and more thousands will
be employed every year for years to
come Gold, copper and iron are find
ing their way by shiplOads into foreign
countries. A great experimental sta
ton is there to teach the farmer how
to make the most of his soil.
Where a few years ago dirt, ignOr-
ance, sickness, poverty and savagery
were the striking features of Korean
life-nO schools, no courts, no law, no
sanitation, no just gOvernment-nOw
city and country schools and colleges
have been built, where the children of
the ten million poor people Of Korea can
receive education.
For a frOntispieCe the magazine prints
a portrait of her majesty, the empress
of Japan; and follows it with an ex-
ceedingly impressive bit of verse which,
when translated by Arthur Lloyd, as
sumes this pretty form:
In the small hours of night,
When all is dark, and rocks nor islets
show
To guide the steersman, 10! the noisy
crew,
Of mariners, with many a yo-heave-ho
and shout,
Raise up the anchor. Ere the lusty
strains
Have ceased, day breaks on the whiten-
ing waves,
And all the course lies clearly to be
seen.
The Japan Magazine will have 10 be
given place on the shelf, 1t is human
document that helps to a better under
standing of some of the problems a
little beyond the limits of Americas
demesne; and it comes with such in
dorsement as entities it to respectful
consideration as something considerably
more than expression of the literary
iYorr1sa of ON. eastern raiobborS