The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-01-24
RED TAPE IN JAPAN
They Have as Fine a Brand There
as We Have Ourselves.
BUT IT is NOT VERY COSTLY.
An Experience With the CircumIocu.
ton Office That Would Have Been
Amusing to the Innocent Victim but
For the Dread of the Expense.


For the Dread Of the Expense.
There are many curious customs in
Japan, and many things are done in
that interesting empire according to
methods that wonld be called topsy
turvy when judged by the standards
of civilization in western lands. But
in one respect the Japanese are fully
abreast of any Of the occidental coun-
tries. and that is in their ability to ma
nlpulate official red tape. The follow
Ing incident, recounted by CORE
spondent Of the Youths Companion,
admirably illustrates the point. He
writes:
Although | have lived long in ia
pan. l have tried to keep pace with
western ideas. A corner in my com.
pound bears witness to the fact that
once tried to make practical applica.
ton Of the modern maxim Help the
poor TO help themselves 1t worked
out in II rather surprising way. A beg.
gar asked me for money one morning,
and l saw a way to help him without,
as the expression goes, pauperizing'
him '-'-'' -''- -''' --"'-"' '''-''"''-
:, There was bad place just, inside
the componnd' gate that needed 10 be
filed in with stones, of which there
Were plenty ON the seashore near by.
Here was man who could transfer
the stones TO the compound for the
30 sen % cents that he had asked %
me. The man fell in with the plan
cheerrhIIy and set 10 work. r
The job was about completed to his
satisfaction and mine when police
man, who appeared on the scene, ask
ed my man If he had received permits,
sion to remove the stones. The work
man referred the officer TO me, and |
had TO confess that l had not thought
1t 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 trife with the
regulations of the police department.
From there | was referred to the pro-
vincial building. As ! was personally
known to the governor of the province,
i''senr my card into him. .only-to learn
that he was absent The lieutenant
governor, however said he would he
glad To receive me. That courteous
gentleman was going TO pass the whole
thing by, hut thought it well first TO
speak of it 10 the department OF public
works.
NOW, the department Of public
works had an efficient head who he
hcved in letting nothing 20 at loose
ends He announced that I must fill III
a certain form in duplicate. making
formal publication ior. the stones. Then
two maps would have to he drawn.
showing whore tie Stones had, been
found and the place to which wished
To remove them.
"'rlie board OF public works stood
ready to make the maps-at my cx
pensc. There was nothing to do cx
cept 70 agree q. this arrangement, since
| he'd already Ind the stones moved. !
thanked the lieutenant governor forhis
assistance and withdrew
I'm day or two a messenger came
with The maps and forms requiring my
signature. After that they We're sent
TO tho city hall. Then another mes
sen9or took them to the governor for
hts signature. One sct was filed ut
the city hail and the other ut the Office
Of the executive
In due time notification came by
special messenger tllat was permitted
to remove the 81 tones which every one
knew | had fnrr weak lcforc III
that preycN:el p,r frpu thoroughly cn
joying thA'Wh0lr a!fait was The Thought
OF the BIZ ihai | should receive from
the department of lNlllle works.
After several weeks OF suspense /
was notified To appear before the treas
lrer, At city lail. @ pay my indebted:
ness 10 the municipality. Auned with
my hapl; 7laaii 'lSaparared at city hal !
What Was my surprise and relief to
find that The bin for I'll this red tape
aud infinite tipable amounted to IL
sen, equal TO about y. cents in good
American money"