Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1916-02-07
RED TAPE IN JAPAN
Mt
They Have as Fine a Brand There
as We Have Ourselves.
But IT IS NOT VERY COSTLY.
An Experience WITH the cireumlocu.
tlon Office That Would Have Been
Amusing to the innocent Victim but
Fer the Dread Of the Expense.

There are many curious customs In
japan. mud many things are done IN
that interesting empire according TO.
methods thai would be called topsy
turyy wheG Judged by the standards
OF civilization III western lands. But
In one respect the Jnpauesp nre fully
abreast OF nny OF the occidental coun
tries. and that h Ia their ability to ma
nipulate otiicinl red tape The follow
Ing Incident. recounted by CORE
spondent of the Yonhs Companion.
admirably illustrates the point. Hp
writes;
1 Although | have lived long In ia
PAN have tried 10 keep pnce with
western idens corner IN my com
pound bears witness TO the fact that L
once tried 10 make practical upplica
ton of the modern maxim Help the,
poor TO hclp. themselves III worked
out In u rather surprising way A beg
gar asked inr for money one morning.
and | saw u way TO help him without.
as the expression goes 'pauperizinc
him.
There WIS u tad place Just inside
the compound gate that needed to be
tilled In with stones. VI which there
were plenty 0n tile seashorc near by
Here was a uian who could transfer
the stones 20 the compound for the
30 sen tl5 cents, that he had asked OF
/ me. The man fell In with the plan
cheerfully and SET TO work.
The Job was about completed to his
satisfaction and mine when a police
man, who appeared on the scene. ask
ed my man II he had received permits
sion to remove the stones. The work.
man referred the officer to me. and |
had to confess that ! had not thought
It necessary. Evidently the officer
thought otherwise. for was politely
but firmly told that might secure a
permit BY applying at the city hall
ITO the city hall ] went knowing
that It Is not wise TO trifle with the
regulations Of the police department
From there l was referred to the pro-
vincial building. AS was personally
known to the governor Of the province.
sent my card into him. only to learn
that he was absent The lieutenant
governor, however, said be would be
glad to receive me. That courteous
gentleman was going to pass the whole
thing by. but thought 1t well first to
speak OF II TO the department Of public
works.
Nov, the department OF PUBLIC
works had an efficient head, who be.
lieved In letting nothing go at loose
ends. He announced that must al In
a certain form In duplicate, making
formal application for the stones. Then
two maps would have to be drawn,
showing where the stones had been
found and the place to which J wished
to remove them.
1.-THE board of public works stood
ready to make the maps-at my ex.
pense. There was nothing to do ex.
cept to agree to this arrangement, since
had already had the stones moved. ]
thanked tho lieutenant governor for his
assistance and withdrew.
I'm a day or two a messenger came
with the maps ana forms requiring my
signature After that they were sent
to the city hall, Then another mes
sengcr took them 70 the governor toT
\ MIA signature One set was illed Al
the city hall md the other at the office
o. the executive
n "ln,, due time notification came by
Isnccla mcSscpgcr that was permitted
10 remove the stones which every one
| knew hnd done Il week before Al
thut prevented me from thoroughly en-
joy,na the whole affair was the thought
NJ the bill that | should receive, from
the department. ~ public works
after several weeks VI suspense
wuS notified 20 appear l~fotc the trcas
lurcr ut city hull % pay my Indebted