Year: 1875

non -Four years ago there was not such thing as
daily newspaper in existence The nrs was estaDhshed
in 1877 and It's immediate That score OF
rivals successfully entered the new hed OF competition
few Of these clever others dull and some utterly
inane No restrictions, practically were placed upon
them, although they admonished IN gcneral way
that they must not touch dangerously upon topics
mat the government was not prepared 70 open Ior
popular discussion For q while this warning was
duly regarded but the temptation open fire with the
new weapons upon an available targets, high ana low,
soon became Irresistible and II was not lohs Deole .e
fact became evident that nothing was sacred rom the
criticism or abuse of any writer Who chose 70 naI -
shot license Was INDUCED in which is not toer-


al II p4y continental nation Of Europe at this day,
and which really threatened TO serious proper
tions especially when it is considered that the topics
rudeiy trled with were such as could not have
been spoken or even In whispers five wears ago With
the heartes disposition TO afd every reasonabe op
poruniy for liberty OF thought and speech the govern
ment was compelled to look forward little in the d.
rection to which this violent misuse of privilege was
tending. No person. either in his official or private
station, free from assault The members of the
government were arraigned by name often accused
with wild injustice of the grosses misdeeds and held
up execraOn merting instant deposition or death
The sovereign himself was made the mark of ridicule
and presume is not necessary TO say that during this
period Of transition when the chrysas of ancient su-
perstition is only beginning to break and while the
unassaiable supremacy of the Mkado is still the central
principle that controls the whole system of government
any attempt to weaken the respect attaching TO his
prestige is Justly regarded political crime Of the
first magnitude. As affairs move now in Japan, If the
personal dignity of the Emperor falls is difficult TO say
what can stand The evil could not be checked by in
direct reproo and could not be expected TO outgrow
itself In discussion upon the subject by the Imperial
Council some members were opposed to passing any
fresh edcts taking the ground that the power OF the
government was sufficient TO punish any criminal act,
the occasion might arise without giving notification
of its intention This is true enough for the system Of
rule in Japan of course sufficiently absolute 10 enable
such cases 10 be arbitrarily dealt with at any moment
But others felt that course like this would be wholly
at variance with the motives that now supposed 20
guide the counses of the nation and insisted that due
warning ought TO be given in order that the propretors
and editors OF newspapers might know precisely what





The regulations were promulgated on the first Of this
month have examined them very carefully and do
not hesitate say that they less rigid all crcum
considered and involve less risk of hardship
injustice than the French laws relating TO journalism
under the Empire. This may not be saying much to be
sure, when judgment Is applied from liberal stand
point but then this is Japan, an old Asatic EMPIRE
Just starting the course of reform; and If
sonal weight of caution be not imposed the whole
chnery of action may be imperiled.


PRESS REGISTRATION


In brief the decree is that newspapers must be
registered that responsibility is of the conditions Of
proprieorshp, that articles must be signed by their
writers and that sedtous publications are forbidden.
Special penalties not excessive, provided for in


fractions of these rules The native press accepts them
with cheerfuness that oddly contrasts with the petu-
lance displayed few days ago upon the question Of the
free reporting of public Debates and which suggests the
consideration that upon being thus reminded of mis-
chevous extravaganza into which they had fal en- the
writer's have been mpeled TO fair review OF their


transactions and have reached the conclusion that the
check not undeserved Some of them indeed, have
canddly avowed as much, and there seems to be
very serious dissatisfaction in any quarter. The de-
lighttul the business, however, Is that the
English press Of Yokohama which is in no possible way
concerned has thrown itself into paroxysms Of horror
the edct and exhausted itself for week in repet
tons of furious denuncation such as venture to say
seldom exhibited in other parts of the world Give
certain of the Yokohama papers the fraction of an OPP
portunty and you shall them storms and
make all split and that 1t will do any mans heart
good TO hear them; and if the japanese government
were not all the time aware that it is only Bottom the
weaver, who rails against it, really think 1t might
sometimes get annoyed


AMERICAN NAT1oNALrsM


The Fourth rather fifth, of Jnly, passed very
quietly with few demonstrations of any sort the part
of American citizens.


Mr. Bingham and General Van Buren had receptions
in the evening, and that was all


There no sound Of artillery in Yokohama Harbor,
for the reason it is said that the United States ships
Saco and Kearsarge which now represent the navy are
not saluting ships and of course the cannon of other
naonaities and of the forts shore could not open
their mouths without invitation from the Americans


WAS IT so2


One for the Lack Of zeal is the entire absence or
harmony-to put it as mildly as possble-between the
various departments public service the United
States in this neghborhood The Legation is in undis
gused hostility with the Consulate General; the Con-
sulate General is at within itself and the navy will
have nothing to do with the head of the office in Yoko
hama These unpleasant facts, but they
torous to have become public scandal ard do not
see that any good purpose can be served by attempting
20 conceal them. There is class of well meaning
but extremely short-sghted Americans in Japan-the
majority for aught | know-who hold TO theory
that whatever the misdeeds of our representatives
should all combine 10 hide them from exposure and
carry out smiling pretence of serene content when
secretly wrthIng with modification under the dis
grace of which all have to take little share. This
is the policy of the ostrich which thrustS its head under
the sand and thinks it has dehed detection. have
faith in it, The true is to throw the strongest
light upon everything and then if ugly spots appear
there hope that their shadows may in time
reach far Washington and that may be relieved
of the of social diplomatic discomfors
at least that decent care may be taken To preserve US
from them in future


BRITISH DISREGARD JAPANESE RIGHTS


A criminal trial of considerable importance has
Gently taken place in the British Consular Court in
Toxic which is remarkable as having brought forward
proof of the utter disregard for Japanese rights
which inspires the majority of the British community
in Japan and of the settled conviction that justice ought
to be impartaly administered in where natives
seek redress from foreigners


An Engishman, named King, was charged with rape,
committed upon girl thirteen years old, servant In
before which British offenders in this region may be
brought. One is branch of the Provincial Court Of
China and Japan which sits in Yokohama, and in which
the decisions given by jury of five. The other is
the courtof the Consul in which the decision rests alb
solutey with that official, although he is usually as
sisted and 10 extent guided in his judgments by
assessors selected from the citizens o ms own coun-
try In this the trial took place before the Consul
The proofs of guilt ample and conclusive Never
hees the three assessors gave their opinion in favor
of verdict for acQuitta The Consul determined that
miscarriage of justice should be laid against him,
took the unusual course of setting aside the views of
his associates and rendering the decision which
his sense Of integrity and probity demanded.
King convicted and sentenced. Whereupon
outcry from the whole British public that
the cherished privilege Of the subjecthe right Of
trial by jury-had been invaded 1t was claimed that
nasmuch as Jury trial might have been OBTAINED by
sending the criminal to Yokohama 1t was an oppressive
act 10 subject him to judgment depending upon the
will Of one man alone 1t is needless to say that If the
verdict had been favorable of this camor would
have been heard But the fact patent that II was
only by consular trial that the ends District justice could
possibly have been accomplished Any English jury in
Japan would have acquitted the prisoner precisely as
the assessors would have done if they had been able
| This fact is known and candidly proclaimed Hinc
iJe ldcrym0 The grief is not that he should have
been tried otherwise than by jury but that he should
have been tried in any way calculated to give him a
| chance of conviction.


All Of which shows again that In the minds OF large
proportion of the English residents here the Japanese
and particularly Japanese women, have rights that
| foreigners are bound TO respect


HARB0R PROJECTIONS


THE CONDITION OF OUR BUoYs-wHAT THE
| PILOTS sAY-sEEIoUs CHARGE AGAINsT THE