The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1915-06-03
BY Count shisenobu okuma

should always be acted upon. For
the apparent enmity between the east
and the west has its roots in the ar
rogant conviction of western nations
that Asiatics are inferior and are to
to be made easy victims Of western
aggression. I admit that the higher
civilization must always invade and
overcome the lower; but I contend
that the west received its civilization
from the east, and by this means was
able to turn the tide of oriental ag-
gression westward. The western
people made better use of the civil
ization handed on to them and they
have triumphed, defeating the orient
with its own weapons. But this SUI
periority of the occident to the orr
ent Is only about four centuries old.
When the orient makes proper use
of its civilization 1t will again come
to its own. In this great work ia
pan must take her place.
She is at present cleaning house in
preparation. japan at present has
no enemy in the west. Her nearest
possible enemies are those oriental
nations who retard the march Of mod
ern progress. For this reason the
greatest danger lies at Japan's door
in China. Japan must keep her de-
lenses up to standard that will en-
able her to become arbiter In Chi
nese affairs so as to prevent western
aggression in that country.
Japan of the present day is not Of
spontaneous growth. There is a
deep underlying cause for the mod
ern progress of the empire, and to
understand new Japan 1t is necessary
to know the causes that made such
a wonderful development possible in
SO few years. The causes may be
traced back to the feudal system
which was the natural outcome Of
Typographical conditions. The coun-
try was divided into many secluded
areas, separated by mountain ridges.
In these protected strongholds the
barons established their authority.
They were unifed under the rule Of
the emperor, obtaining from him their
appointment as governors Of prov
inces. This system was formally
abolished during the reign Of Emper-
or Tenji, who promulgated an i'm
perial decree for the inauguration OF
a system of local government and To-
Gated the central power in the court
at Kyoto.
A careful observer will not fail to
see that the japanese national char
acter is the result Of powerful In
fuence which has been active for
centuries. It Is this which has mold.
ed the social life of the people and
affected their art and literature. 1t
has formed the education Of the mass
of the people and developed traits
that have come to be possessed by
the whole nation.
The fact that the Japanese Of the
lower classes show superior qualities
is a matter difficult OF Interpretation
to the average foreigner. On the 9TH
er hand. the upper classes, notwith-
standing the fact that they were I'M
bued with the most exalted ideals OF
nobility, exhibited in their character
plebeian traits. This is apparently
a paradox which has no precedent In
the history of any Of the European
countries.
To understand the reasons for this
condition Of affairs 1t must be re-
membered that in the history Of ia
pan there was a period when the
whole country was at strife, when
the central government had lost con-
troll, and in all parts of the empire
there were incessant wars between
the powerful feudal lords, This may
be called the dark age of the Japan
ese history, and 1t lasted for 100
years, beginning with the latter part
of the reign Of the Ashikaga Sho-
guns. This was the period OF the
survival Of the fittest.
Ancient feudal families were oblit-
Grated by bold chieftains who manag-
ed to muster a number OF adherents
together and to become barons, or
daimyos. The changes which took
place in the aristosratic families at
this time we're violent and rapid. The
feudal lords had in their service
large numbers Of vassals who were
obliged to earn their living by other
means when deprived Of their hered-
itary pensions. They became ronins.
Some of them through sheer neces.
sity had recourse to those means of
livelihood which they had formerly
held in contempt, such as farming
and commerce. Others were even
obliged to earn their bread as COM
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