The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1916-01-14
JAPANESE in
SOUTH AMERICA
POPULATION OF JAPAN DOUBLES
EVERY THIRTY OR FORTY
YEARS.
MANY SETTLE IN PERU
Festivities At Lima Draw Atten-
ton to Their Significant
Progress.

Lima, Peru--The festivities Of the
Japanese colony in this city on the
occasion of the Mikado's coronation
have prompted the West Coast Lead
er to discuss at considerable length
the place the Japanese have made
for themselves in this section OF
South America, and the larger place
they seem destined to fill in the near
future.
Following the hour of the corona
ton, a military band played the jap
anese national anthem in the Zoolog-
ical gardens, with the populous Jap
anese colony crowding among the
palms under the fiuttering banners
of the Rising Sun. Afterward, there
were public exhibitions of character
istic Japanese sports-wrestling and
fencing the bamboo sticks. The jap
anese consulate held reception, and
in the vening a display Of fireworks
in the Plaza Zela was followed by a
dinner given by leading members Of
the colony.
The part SO far played by the
Japanese on the west coast of South
America, says the Leader, has been
small compared with the work Of the
great occidental nations, but the lit
tie that has been accomplished in re-
cent years is significant of larger
things to come. ~
The Togo Kisen Kaisha. the jap
anese steamship line, first begun
operating its vessels to this coast In
1905, and continued on an irregular
itinerary for three years. From 1908
to 1910 the service was suspended.
but was renewed the latter year and
has since been maintained contin-
uously with noticeable improvements
Three steamers are In service at
present, affording the only regular
steamship service between west coast
ports, San Francisco, Honolulu and
the far East.
The number of Janpanese immi-
grants in Peru at present totals more
than 5000, largely workers on the
sugar haciendas along the coast or
merchants in Lima and other cities
and towns. The immigration bust
ness Is in the hands of two Japanese
companies with Offices in this city.
With the more intensive develop
ment of the coast regions Of Peru,
and more especially the montana re-
gions, It is automatic that immigra-
ton must be called upon to fill up
the huge gaps In population which
today leave by far the greater part
Of the country barren and uninhabit-
ed.
Where Peru will turn for these i'm
migrants remains to be seen, but, 1t
is 4 fact worth knowing that prac-
tically the only foreigners who have
thus far made success OF colonial
ton in the montana are the hundred
or more Japanese now settled along
the reaches of the Madre de Dios
river in southwestern Peru. Brought
into the country several years ago
by the now defunct Inca Rubber
Company, they have settled in the
tropical forest regions and solved
the question of the high cost of liv-
ing by laying out their small planta-
lions along the rivers and raising
their own foodstuffs. rice. sugar cane
and vegetables. On the Madre de
Dios they have brought the price of
rice down from sole to ID centa-
vos per pound.
It was this high cost of living.
both in the Peruvian and Brazilian
rubber regions that sounded the
doom of wild rubber. and all au-
thorities on the subject agree that
the renaissance of the industry de-
ponds wholly upon the Introduction
OF immigrants who will "go to the
soil" for their food. With vast spaces
in the temperate regions OF North
America. South America and Aus
tralia still unpeopled it viii be many
years before any great stream Of
European immigrants can be direct
ed into the tropical and sub-tropi-
cal regions OF the Amazon basin.
Brazil. therefore. has already turn
ed TO Japan for her supply. and
both ON the east and west coasts