The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1912-04-13
TAKES RIGHTFUL PLACE
JAPANESE MERCHANT RAISED IN
SOCIAL SCALE.
Heretofore Only the Soldier Has Been
Looked Upon as Following a
Worthy CaIling-Enperor Has
Changed This Idea.

japanese business methods have
been widely criticised, especially in
the last few years, as lacking those
standards of commercial honor which
prevail among Occidental nations. A
writer in the Atlantic saws that the
question most frequently put to him
since his return from the Orient has
been:
why is it that the japanese are so
dishonest that they cannot even trust
themselves, and have to employ China
men at the head of all their great
business concerns?"
He explains this almost universal
impression by saying that the average
,ourist usually has business relations
only with the branches of the three
great banks established in the treaty
ports. When he cashes his letter of
,redit he observes the singular fact
hat the money is being handled by
Chinaman instead of by a native.
"The simple truth" says the writer,
is that these three banks-all OF
hem, by the way, foreign concerns
are the only business houses in the
entire empire SO conducted. When
Japan was opened and these foreign
corporations in China sent their
branches into the new field. they sent
heir Chinese compradores with them.
Yes, while all this can be said,
md should be said, in the interest OF
simple justice. it is nevertheless unde-
liable that in Japan the ideals Of
commercial honor and the methods
adopted in the conduct of business
are not what they are in the west,
and there is much of which the Occi-
lental may justly complain.
There is historical reason for
his The fact that in the olden days
n Japan the merchant was placed at
he bottom OF the social scale and the
spdier at the top. while in China ex-
,ctly the reverse was the case, fully
captains why Japan has produced a
splendid soldiery, and has woefully
suffered in her mercantile life. while
he army in China has been the sport
of the nations though her merchants
1ave attained high place in the
world of business credit.
/ But even though the cake OF Gus
.om' is the hardest to break, its pow
sr of resistance has been already ma
.erially weakened by the wise policy
II the emperor; and the merchant is
10 longer the pariah Of the realm.
Prominent among those who by the
.mperor's favor have risen from the
social dust into places Of highest
honor is family whose history is sig
nificant.
"The Mitsui family Of Japan have
been called the Rothschilds Of the
east; but while the fame of the lat
.er has gone abroad over the world
he Mitsuis have remained practically
unknown except to a few western
merchants who have had extensive
]ealings with the Orient. The Euro
,ean family owes its great renown to
he fact that for a century there has
been no slightest stain upon Its com
1ercial honor.
"But its career, It should be remem.
oered, has been passed in world
here business itself has been held in
honor; while the Mitsuis, engaged in
\ pursuit utterly contemned by pub
ic sentiment, for three centuries, in
spite Of the demoralizing influence OF
he social ban, have been trusted by
government and people alike. and
naye kept the honor of their name un-
stained. Now, thanks to the new
,pirit animating the nation. they no
oager stand 20 conspicuously alone.