Evening journal., 1917-10-15

blessings for millions. That is what
Japan has achieved.
For there are readers OF The Sun
who remember wildly the day when
the Japan trader was desplsed. The
Mikado's Empire of that era saw no
chimney. railway, telegraph, free pub
lie school, parliament, unrestricted
commerce, or fair play for the trader.
Iron traditions Of social oppression
made the rule Of life; for feudallsm,
Ike an unmelted glacier, protruded In
Japan until 1871. Trade, finance, bust
ness, were degrading. In presence Of
his superiOrs, the merchant must
crouch on all fours, kneel with head
bowed, step out OF his sandals and
get down Off his saddle, even Of a pack
horse. Before the professions OF the
feudal lords windows must be shut
and the cry Of the strident herald was
Down on your kneesr' Socially, even
the well 10 do merchant was but a
swab, reckoned lower than farmer or
mechanic. And II, unarmed and help
less, he by craft and cunning took re-
venge OF insult on his sworded SUI
perior, who was to blame when wits
were mated against steel? Once there
were forests Of slender blades. Now
the swords gone, commerce thrives,
The merchant rises.
The old situation explains the tradi-
tional reputation, but not the real
character, of the Japanese trader OF
1917. In perspective. the student OF
history understands why, even as late
as in Tudor England, both chapman
% NIsa aNa
side their quarters and on the public
highway, were fair game for the ruff
fan. A Shylock on the stage excited
no surprise. Even today English bust
ness and nobility are perhaps further
severed socially than In Japan. More
over, the secrecy required in feuda
society, with its three hundred Jealous
clans, having passed away. franknes
is the law Of trade.
: Behold a miraclei 10 took place oil
the i4th Of October 1872. A cloudles
day fltly opened the new era. The rail
road was to be opened from Toxic &
TOkOhOma. There standing, yes, stand
ing, in the presence of the Son O
, Heaven, the Emperor. were four mer
chants in plain garb. Il nearly too
ones breath away thus to see an
= hear. They received words Of welcom
from his Majesty. Face TO face and uI
right these tbeginners OF a better day
d, uttered response OF gratitude and 10y
; atty. Nothing like that in Japan 70
$500 years. Only four years before, al
! ter his audience given TO foreign en-
: voys, the ShintO censOrs and censor
in elaborate sacred ceremonies ha
made prolonged fumigation OF the NJ
kado's illustrious personl
p. IL were tedious to detail the seque
- The results are before our eyes. TIL
!, first iron highway, once no longt
Y than the man with the seven league
? boots could span at a stride has b.
:, come a network Of national highwa,
:. in steel. Telegraph and telephoI
3 wires outrival even the spiders
=, fairyland. The Emperor visits q
~ merchant-both host and guest belI
III in honor. The trader sits in Imperi
30 council chambers and the halls
state. He wears decorations on
~ breast. The rill of commerce. on
uS scarce suflcing for one thirsty bull
"a bear, such as Wall Street refreshes
~ thousands daily, has become 10
lel that fertilizes nations
ss 1t Is for the development Of Ann
~ lean as well as japanese commerce
10, the Far East-our New West-tf
n these men from Nippon come.