December 7, 1908-]
JAPAN.
(FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.)
Tokyo, November 20th. THE VALUE OF ALLIANCE. It says much for the progress of international relations in late years that such a profound event as has taken place in China can be regarded with equanimity by the political world and that no other feeling is aroused but that of sympathy with the Chinese people. The Anglo-Japanese Alliance has been deprecated on many grounds, but it is this and like factors which are ensuring the peace in China at the present oritical time and which enable the Foreign Offices, in Tokyo particularly, to take such a calm view of the situation. Yet the news of the death of the Empress Dowager and Emperor, followed by the most sensational reports of suicide and murder at the Peking Court, had a most disturbing effect in this country, notably on the stock market. The market has of late months been most buoyant, but immediately events at Peking were known there was a collapse and there will be no revival until all danger of economic or other troubles arising in China is past.
THE CHINESE IN TOKYO.
When the report of the Imperial demise was confirmed the Chinese Minister in Tokyo issued instructions to his nationals as to the observation of a period of mourning, which was fixed at a hundred days for official and twenty-seven days for private persons, Further, the officials were forbidden to shave during that period, while the thousands of Chinese students in Tokyo were given six days' leave by order of the Minister for Education for purpose of mourning. After the details of death had been received from the Peking court a solemn religious service was held at the Legation, according to Lama rites, at which only Chinese were present, all dressed with the utmost plainness.
JAPANESE COMMENT.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT
FOREIGN FEARS.
While such views are expressed here, it is evident from foreign telegrams that there are fears abroad. The Foreign Office yester day formally denied that Japan is or has been in negotiation with the United States regarding China and Manchuria. But an official telegram from Berlin is persistent in the report, saying that "Negotiations as to dynastic changes in China and on the Manchurian question are taking place at New York between Mr. Root, Secretary of State, and Mr. Takahira, Japanese Ambassador to the United States." Both Washington and Tokyo have denied that any negotiations are going on if it was so, it would rather indicate that after all Japan is the real Power in China, much as some would deny her the possession of such influence.
MISSION OF THE PRESS.
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The Seiko Kaisha Club, consisting of mem. bers of the Tokyo Press, have passed a resolution and forwarded it to the Chinese Legation and Foreign Office expressing profound sympathy with the Imperial Family and nation of China. Such active participation in affairs, high and low, of Japanese newspapermen is one of the characteristics of the people that first strike the Englishman. The British conception of the function of a newspaperman is that his work is confined to observing, reporting and criticising current events, but here one often reads reports that those invited included "Ministers of State, etc., etc.. journalists and other prominent persons' or "speeches were delivered by so and so and several journalists." So the journalist occupies a dual role. He does not attend a meeting as an observer who is to report his observations with as much impartiality as possible, but as a member of the meeting, having the additional duty to perfojo ma reporting what takes place, including the part he took in the affair! This idea is carried to extreme lengths. During the recent excitement over the abolition of the pari mutuel a reporter went to an indignation meet- ing and returned to his office without any report. He thought the meeting was not worth report. ing as what the members had said was nonsense! This conception wou'd be a novel surprise for an editor at home, but shikataganai, we are in Japan!
PRECEPT AND PRACTICE.
Papers of all opinions in Tokyo pay tribute to the remarkable qualities of the Empress Dowager and praise the promptness of the faction which has proclaimed a successor to the throne and by avoiding any factional strife on this head stifled incipient rebellion.
The
The recent Imperial rescript urging economy Foreign Office took the earliest opportunity of and plain living on the part of the Japanese assuring the Press that there was very little people, together with Ministerial injunctions to likelihood of any trouble arising, owing to the the same effect, have doubtless made the impres- election of an heir to the throne and the un- sion they were calculated to make upon the animity of able statesmen. It is predicted that nation, but while the Government is thus anxious Yuan Shih-kai and his supporters will throw in to prevent the growth of luxury and waste and their lot with the faction of the Regent and develop the national resources, the authorities, assist in the healthful development of national high and low, are too apt to limit the application affairs. One of the Japanese authorities on of the Emperor's wise words to the people China, Mr. Inukai, M.P., is of opinion that the generally and not to apply them to the guidance death of the Dowager Empress means nothing of their own official acts. This is shown in the more than the shifting of the political centre desire for fine buildings and other things not and that there is very little likelihood of any strictly necessary and for which the public purse revolutionary rising, which is more generally cannot afford to-pay. The Government set a bad due to famine causes and not to events example recently in dispatching an official of the such as the present. Count Okuma does Diet to inspect the parliamentary buildings and not entertain such optimistic views, judg-systems of other countries, the object being the ing by an interview appearing in the Hochi. After referring to the fact that Yuan Shih-kai will not easily resign himself to the loss of military power, the Count indicates that he will be a disturbing factor, and, should the struggle for political power continue, it will have pernicious effects on the internal admini- stration, which in turn will plant the seed of diplomatic complications. In this possible situation Japan's position is the most important. She is the leader of the Orient. The Count asks: What was the purpose of the Anglo- Japanese Alliance? It was to chastise those ambitious nations which might seek to rob China of her markets and politically to disturb the peace of the East. The object of the alliance is to keep China intact. The Franco-Japanese and Russo-Japanese agreements had no other end in view.
What the Japanese should do in the interest of China is to act in co-operation with Great Britain, which has great influence in China, with the United States, Russia, Germany and France and so study the country's progress and safety. It is improper for Japan to act single-handed, by so doing exciting the suspicions of the Powers, but she must by all means take the lead in advocating the preservation of the pesce and security of the Chinese Empire."
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countries. Judging by the specimens of native 'foreign aroitecture in the city and by the numerous buildings that are springing up in the suburbs of Tokyo one would think there was a splendid field here for the foreign architect, but perhaps the poor fellow could not even earn a living. The Japanese can, of course, please themselves as to the style of their buildings, but it would be a national misfortune to commit the construction of a new Diet to any architect who is blind to the defects of representative buildings in Tokyo to-day. And am now referring only to outside appearances, Unfortunately the tendency to things foreign is not diminished, but the usual result of the mixture of Japanese and foreign ideas in architecture can only be described as barbarous and brings into stronger relief the beauties of the pure native style, destined to "languish in isolation, if not decay.
DR. SVEN HEDIN.
As usual, when a man of note visits these shores he is given a welcome of a more or less official character and lionised at receptions Dr. Sven Hedin, who is to write a book on his travels, is no exception, and at schools, legations and other places in Tokyo he is the hero of the hour. Doubtless the Japanese feel a special interest in his work, the exploration of Thibet. The Geographical Society have marked their appreciation of his services by presenting him with a gold medal, the only one ever struck by the society, with the exception of a silver medal presented to the explorer Baron Morden Skiold the compatriot of Hedin. It is a coincidence that the only men so honoured by the society should both be Swedish. Dr. Hedin has been busy addressing the students of the universities and has been equally entertaining to folks of older growth. The distinguished explorer will be honoured by the Emperor before he leaves Japan.
SERIOUS RIOT IN FATSHAN.
A riot of a rather serious nature occurred in Fatahan on Nov. 27. It originated through the police arresting a monk who recently declared himself before the public to be a living Buddha and has been preaching his doctrine and selling charms in the streets in Fatshan during the last two or three weeks. He professed to be capable of performing miracles and healing all kinds of diseases. Many ignorant men and women, believing in his power to heal, have even pawned their clothing to purchase his charms. The local Press have published several articles pointing out to the public the pre- posterons character of the monk's professions, and exhorted the people not to waste their money in purchasing his charms nor to believe in the monk's healing power. But the igorant class did not heed the good advice. Finally an officer of No 1 Police Station in Fatahan who could not any longer tolerate this rob- bing the poor people of their hard-earned wages, or the impudence of the monk in, raising the price of the charms on account of the daily increase of demand for them caused the monk to
erection, ultimately, of buildings on a grander be arrested and sent him over to the Head Police scale than those now used by the legislators. Station in Canton to be tried and punished. Short- From two points of view this scheme is a badly after the arrest was made a mob of over 1,000 one. Not to dwell upon financial reasons, from
men and women went to No 1 Police Station the point of view of the needs of the nation it and demanded the monk's release. The is not required. Seemingly the same sort of police refused and were pelted with stones by vanity has dictated the scheme as inspires a
the monks supporters. Several arrests were man to purchase a motor car who cannot afford made. This incensed the people and a riot it. If there is one thing that truly represents ensued in the course of which the station and the Japanese nation, it is its Diet building all the furniture were wrecked and the Chief architecturally simple and internally com, Police Station in Fatahan was saved only in modious and comfortable. There is scarcely the nick of time by the arrivals of reinforce- another foreign building in the capital that ments under the command of the Kwang does not present glaring faults of architecture Chow General Woo Ling Sheun. and leads one to the conclusion that the Japanese architect will never succeed in presenting a dignified front elevation in foreign construction. All styles of architecture are jumbled together
In response to a memorial presented by the in a most ludicrous way in many of the large Board of Rites, an Imperial Edict was issued buildings of Tokyo, chiefly commercial, sug- on the 28th inst. notifying that the reign title gesting a picture of the sublimely unsympathe-will be Sun Taung from the commencement of tio architect buried amid photographs of the next Chinese year. magnificent Gothic piles, gems of Renaissance architecture, Roman columns and Corinthian decorations. And he industriously produces his building, to the admiration of the native populace, but which will remain a perpetual An Edict announces the lying in state of the eyesore to all those who have any conception of ❘ late Empress Dowager at Wong Kik palace and style or purity of style as understood in other gives directions regarding memorial services.
IMPERIAL EDICTS.
The official Geomancer has selected the 9th day of the 11th moon (December 2nd) as a lucky day for the accession, which will take place at
noon.