The progressive farmer and southern farm gazette. (Starkville, Miss.) 1910-1920, 1910-11-12
Vlll.-Japanese Farming and Farmer Folk
By CLARENCE POE
(CONCLUDED.)

building and manufacturing corporations, and
now high tariff has been passed which will still
further increase the cost of living for the agri-
cultural classes, comprising, as they do. two
thirds of the countrys population. with your
cheap labor and all the colossal Oriental market
right at your door," said to Editor Shihatsu
OF the Kokumin Shimbun day or two ago, what
excuse Is there for further dependence the
Government? What be the effect of your
new tariff except to increase the burdens Of the
farmer for the benefit of the manufacturer"
And while defending the policy, he admitted
that had stated the practical effect of the poll
ICY "They domestic consumption duties"
was his phrase; and Count Okuma, one OF the
Empires abest men, once Minister OF Agricul-
ture has also pointed out how injuriously the
new law will affect the masses of the people.
Some would argue" he said in speech at
Osaka that the duties paid by the country
from which the goods are imported. That this
is not the case is at once seen by the fact that
an increase in duty means rise in the price of
an article in the country imposing the duty, and
this to the actual consumer often amounts to
more than the rise in the duty. In these cases
consumers pay the duty themselves and the Gus
toms revenue. SO far from being a national asset,
is merely another form Of taxation paid by the
people," And the masses in Japan, already stag
gering under the enormous burden of an average
tax amounting to 80 per cent Of their earnings
on account Of their wars with China and Russia
are ill-prepared to stand further taxation for the
benefit of special interests. On the whole. there
seems to have been much truth In what q recent
authority said this subject:
THE Japanese manufacturers are concern
ed only to make monopoly profits out of the
consumer If they can do that, they will not
IVORY about foreign markets, from which, in
fact, their policy is bound more and more to
exclude them"
"A Seller of the Ancestral Land.''
True as are the things that have said in this
article, fear that my average reader would get
a very gloomy and false conception Of Japanese
farm life IL l should stop here. The truth is.
that SO far as my observation goes, have seen
nothing to indicate that the rural population Of
Japan is not now as happy as the rural population
in America II their possessions are few, so are
their wants In fact, DR.. Juichi Soyeda, one of
the country's leading men, in talking to me. ex-
pressed doubt as to whether the new civiliza-
ton Of Japan will really produce greater average
happiness than the old rural seclusion and isola-
ton Ga doubt, however. which do not approve).
Our farm people" he said. ARE Woodworking.
frugal, honest, cheerful, and while having little,
there is little actual want among them; a greater
number than in most other countries are home
owners. and altogether. they form the backbone
Of an Empire" He went on to give a noteworthy
Illustration Of the affection Of the people for their
home farms THE Japanese" he said, have q
term Of contempt for the man who sells an old
homestead" There Is no English word eQuiva-
lent to 1t, but it means "a seller of the ancestral
land" and to say it Of man is almost equivalent
to rejecting upon his character honor
wish that we might develop in the South such a
spirit Of affection for our farm honest
Suggestion for the South.
wish, too. that we might develop the Japanese
love Of the beautiful in nature. No matter how
small and cramped the yard about the tiny home
here, you are almost sure to find the beauty Of
shrub an6 tree and neatly trimmed hedge, and
here in -okyo the whole population looks for