The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-06-06
Through Japan Is
Shown Vision of the !.
Individual Possibility
From, !. fridays palIy.

~ fasH a = ~ e I.
faculty of Carleton college, North
field, addressed the graduating class
of the Mankato high school, at the
Mankato Theatre last evening Be
sides the young men and ladies
who made up the class, and who oc
cupied seats on the stage, a large
and interested audience heard Pro
lessor Hill discuss "A Vision and a
CALI He spoke in part:
1.-THE meaning of education as
understand it is first the acquiring
of facts. second learning to live with
folks and third the gaining of a
to spend my time tonight in giving
a vision of world civilization with
a history phenomenal, unprecedented
in the annals of the world. When
say that the vision is to be that OF
Japan, many may perhaps wonder
but before | am through / hope to
have justified the choice. My pur-
pose is not to present vision of
Japan for itself alone but rather
through it to present to the young
people here vision of individual
possibility.
ut is perhaps timely that we
should consider the record of the
Flowery Kingdom at this time for
whether we will or no, she presents
10 us the keenest problem perhaps
which we have faced in generation.
We have heard much of the Yellow
Peril and our friends in California,
whether rightly or wrongly, only
time will tell, seem to have consid-
cred the peril at hand. There is in
deed a yellow peril today but it is
not primarily the peril of Mongolian
aggrandizement but the peril of yer
low Journalism and yellower states.
manship.
'' Who Is Japan?
1.-TWO strong nations are today
standing face to face and the ends of
the earth are met on the Pacific
ocean. But you say, who is Japan?
Why should we be concerned about
her or her ACKNOWLEDGMENT? Why
may We not refuse to recognize herr
The reasons why we may not so con.
slider are many. When our fathers
We're barbarians in the wilds of Eur
ope, these Japanese were cultured
and civilized in many respects
Asleep for centuries the Mongoliar
has at last awakened, the western
branch, Japan. awoke fifty or sixty
years ago and her sister nation ha@
accomplished more in the past five
years toward constitutional govern
ment than many Wanted western
powers have done in a century The
Monaghan, is intelligent, courteous
chiValrous, brave, patriotic
For fifty years and more Japai
has stood before the world as ma
ton. She has knocked at the doc
of the worlds powers and has beer
admitted to its sacred rights and
privileges. Her progress has beeI
remarkable. She has fought one o!
the greatest world powers and dc
feated her, and moreover carried o,
her warfare in a manner as human,
and Christian as it is possible 70
war to be carried on She has adopt
ed constitutional government PAL
termed after the best that the ives
tern world knows. She has adopte.
system of education which in som,
respects outclasSes that of her teacl
ers. You ask the reason. In tn,
answer / would seek to embody m
vision. There are | believe thre
chief elements which have entere
into the amalgam to produce tn,
Japanese nation of today. They are
Patriotism, Business acumen and in
tegrity and religion and morals. An
these three elements constitute til,
necessary elements in the make-u
Of nations and individuals.
Patriotism in Japan.
The browning act for a Iowa
Japanese is to die for his emperor O
his country. His love for fair Mi
pom can best attest itself, he thinks
~ mo "iihhShCoS W 80 through nr
and blood for its honor. The atti,
tude of the best people in Japan Il
opposing the action of the-fegislatura
of California is based primarily up
on their loyalty to their country
They resent insults and implied
thrusts at national honor They can
not understand the quality of ouy
discrimination which will accept TIL.
on-scouring of the earth from th,
west but will repudiate the best tina
the east has to offer. 1t is not be.
cause they want their people to enter
the United States and become Amer.
lean citizens. They simply resent
the insult to their nation and race
Some day the west will awake to its
great mistake and will understand
something of the character and worth
of this people.
Business Integrity and Acumen. =
You hear a great deal as you
journey in the east about the dishon,
esty of the japanese and the aver
age hasty traveller comes back with
The idea that. the nation is national
ly dishonest. There are dishonest
men In Japan as there are in Amer
lea, but there is no racial flaw in
Japanese character Great industrial
oOfDOr9tiOnc with hoavu oontroot, e.,