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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (May 7, 1905)
' iV- - tfW .NE is constantly hearing nowa-, days about Japanese stolidity.' which makes this people expres- slonles in the face of events that would turn any other nation upside-down with Joy. and I spend much time in wondering whether this is a deep-rooted national characteristic, or merely a pose for the benefit of a world that fully expected Japan to lose her head in case she was victorious over mighty Bussla. I know if the United States Army had done what those little brown men up in Manchuria have put to their credit, arid the credit of their country, there would be a "Dewey arch" over every street corner from Maine to Cal ifornia, and we would all be going: about shaking hands, waving flags and congratulating ourselves upon the for tune that made us God's own and only people. But I cannot imagine such demonstration of enthusiasm taking place -in Japan, and if it did I suppose we should all begin to cry about the "yellow peril." and to accuse this little people of too much self-appreciation and ambition. But this little people goes on winning great victories and celebrating them with the utmost modesty and decorum, until this little people has won for it self a Teputatlon for stolidity which I hardly believe it merits. :Last year I was in Kyoto when the Japanese army crosed the Yalu. and, taking my interpreter, I went one night for a rlksha ride into tho city Just to Vget away from myself." to see if I could not find escape, in the interesting strangeness of the . little, narrow streets, from the ennui and home-sickness which possessed me. I remember I was on the point of taking the next steamer back to America because 1 was finding Japan so deadly dull. "Well, in my notebook I find Joyful writing about the night, and I think it was the turning point in my Japanese experi ences, the point at which I began to really appreciate as human beings these little people who had before seemed to me incomprehensible crea tures of another sphere. Patriots Gone Mad. "We hadn't gone far that night, Takl ga San and I, before we came upon a marvelous .lantern parade, led by a brass band that was playing "March ing Through Georgia in all the keys at once. It was the most joyous thing I ever saw. and my heart leaped into instant sympathetic vibration with the Jubilant note which, rang in every voice a8 they shouted: "Banzai! Dal Nippon Banzai!" "A thousand lives! To great Japan, a thousand lives!" it was the first time I had ever heard anything like It, and it brought me to my feet with a response that made me instant ly on of them. Joying In their Joy, and blessing all the gods at once for the deathless glory of Japan. Oh, it was a wonderful thing, and nobody who felt its vibrant power could ever again think of the Japanese people as stolid. They were patriots gone made that night, and as I rode along under the thousands of red and white paper lan terns made In the pattern of the vic torious sun flag. J wondered what the end would be, and how this dancing crowd would take the defeat which I and. all the world thought was ulti mately inevitable for them. The army had only Just then crossed- the Yalu, and down at Port Arthur the great siege Jad little more than, just begun, which, was to cost the nation 60,e&0 raefi or more and euch suffering at ixome and is the ;Seld as c&b never be, iA?m?$ CELIBATE T1IL1TMY urtlUen sec " Iilaoyang. was many weeks away, and the most sanguine of us could not hope that the Japanese success would continue without a single Interruption or defeat. But it has been so. and. curiously enough, the public rejoicing has seemed to diminish with every vic tory the nation has won, until now the attitude amounts to something which looks like indifference, but which, I be lieve, is undoubtedly a deep apprecia tion of the vast responsibilities of the situation into which the country has so valiantly fought her way. "When Liaoyang fell I was in Yokohama. The town, the whole nation, indeed, had been holding its breath for weeks, ex pecting every hour to hear a decision from that great battlefield. I remem ber every time a "gogal boy" went jingling his little bunch of bells through the street, everybody would jump and run to see if It might be the great news. A "gogal" la a Japanese extra, and is published on a wee sheet about theilze of a bit of notepaper, and the boys who carry these around to the people have a little bunch of bells of varying sizes and tones fastened to their belts, which, as they run, make a most excited clamor. They say nothing, these boys, they only run swiftly along, scattering the Import ant little sheets, and nobody can ever mistake their jangling small announce ment for any other noise peculiar to Japanese street life. Well, one day there were more "gogal" boys than usual, and the whole town seemed filled with their jangllngs and Jlnglings; whistles blew in every direction and temple bells boomed sonorously across the city, all out of their usual stately measure. Excited people ran hither and yon, and there was more chattering and gesticulating on street corners and at the entrances of shops than I had ever seen before. By these signs we knew that Uaoyang had fallen and from these signs we gathered that there was to be some great rejoicing. Cold Celebration. But days passed without any indication of an intention to celebrate. I was an noyed. It didn't seem healthy to roe.sand I longed to see the whole population turn out and hug each other In untrammeled ioy. But that was not the Japanese way. They met each other and bowed very low several times with their hands hidden away in their big kimono sleeves. They drew their breath ia sharply through their teeth and murmured honor iflcs and humilities, but nobody shouted and nobody sang a joy song. Then one day we heard that they were waiting for Port Arthur to fall, and as soon as that happened, which must be in a day or two, there was to be a great Banzai, as a Japanese celebration Is called. But Port Arthur didn't fall, so Japan finally decided to celebrate Liaoyang. It really wasn't many days, but it seemed an age to us who would have filled the entire Interval with one long cheer if it had been our army that had done so great a thing. At the time, in the midst of the excite ment, I thought this Banzai was a splen did affair, and I remember indulging In much hyperbole, which the grammar says is a Greek word signifying exaggeration, as I wrote an account of it. It was fine really, but If I hadn't thought with every body else that it was only a foretaste of what would happen when Port Arthur should capitulate, 1 should 'have consid ered it quite mild and altogether inade quate under the circumstances. There were 45,000 people In a parade, and each one of them carried a bobbing danc ing paper lantern on a long bamboo pole, which created a dec!44!y hriillaat effect. .Tfrwi Jthe tewa. was jSeoeeatad. witiujall- THE BUXDAY, lions of flags and pennants and banners and lanterns and there was much shout ing of "Dal Nippon Banzai!" and beating upon, big bass drums with an energy that was far from Christian, but through it all ran an undercurrent of expectancy, an impalpable something which seemed to promise of a, real outburst of enthu siasm when the great news should come that was supposed to decide the for tunes of war. It was as it the people were afraid of doing Injustice to the men who were fighting so bravely at Port Arthur, as if It were unseemly to rejoice when so Important a victory hung aloof from the struggling army, when the very life of the nation seemed balanced upon a bayonet's point In that fortified peninsula in the Yellow Sea. So our shouting was very much by way of "Just wait a day or two and see what will happen." We waited. Refined, Deliberate Serenity. The preparations for great rejoicing went forward. Hotels advertised special dinners and reserved tables weeks ahead for what was supposed to be only days ahead. The whole country was cock-sure of success, and the. foreigners especially Jld a great lot of anticipating events. In deed, come to think of It. the foreign pop ulation was creating most of the disturb ance, while the Japanese, with that re finement of deliberative serenity which wc call by various names under various circumstances, went on their way ex pressionless and planned their Jubilation, If they planned at all, behind closed "shojl." Weeks passed after Liaoyang, and still the great conflict went on at Port Arthur. I was called back to New York In late October, and was sorry as anything because I should be In mid Paclflc when the great event should take place. I didn't doubt for a moment that when we arrived In America we should be greeted with this, so Important, news. Well, of course, we were not, and many more weeks went by until realjy the world ceased to hold Its breath and as sumed an attitude of expectancy expect ing nothing. But at last the great strug gle terminated, and on Broadway, New York, the bulletin was posted and the 'gogai" was printed which made me long to get back with the Joy-mad crowd in Toklo. I pictured the people forgetting the restraint which Nature herself seems to have put upon them, and for once really congratulating themselves upon their triumph. Not so. Xo Demonstration of Feeling. I am told that the great Tenshl, the Heaven Descended in the Palace of Mys tery within the Inner Moat, had caused an Intimation to go forth that he did not approve of much extravagant decoration, nor too much expression of exuberance. Firstly, because the decorations cost a great sum of money, which could and should be more Judiciously expended, and secondly because Japanese rejoicing must of necessity be at the expense of a noble enemy grimly "bearing reverses in every engagement, together with the awful loss of nearly 300,000 men. And this na tion, trained to obedience of the Imperial wish, as no family of children was ever trained to obedience of the paternal com mand, ceased forthwith to spend Its money upon flags and bunting and ban ners and lanters by the tens of thousands, and settled Itself to await the end with as little demonstration of Jubilant feeling as possible. The other day Mukden fell Into the hands of the Japanese and . was. fol lowed very shortly byTIehllng. These were the first great events since Port Arthur, and one naturally expected to see some evidence of intelligent appreciation In Toklo. I left th hotel. In fact, a number of times and went down through .the Giaza, the Broadway of Japan, jwt to OEEG0NIA&, OBTLAHP, see If I couldn't find some indication that this country Is at war and winning such a succession of victories as would keep any other country In the hands of decor ators week in and week out. Nothing happened. Nobody said a word, and this time It looked indeed like stolidity or stu pidity. But It was not. It was delibera tion. Early on Saturday morning I looked out of my window, which com mands a fine view of HIblya Park and the moats surrounding the Palace grounds, and I saw a thousand banners and pen nants floating In the air. "Easy Payment" Debt and the "Loan Sharks" Propaganda Edna Edwards' Talks With Men Who Get Entangled One Sure Way Out. NEXT to gambling and drink the toughest game a man can go against Is the loan-shark propo- j sltlon, and to the man lacking in busl- ness balance it is as alluring as either, and Its effect In some cases even more disastrous. Whv enend monev before vou earn it? i Did you eyer get tangled up In the money-lender's net? If so, do not blame him. no matter how willing he was to divide with you. He is not in business for his health, and the exorbitant In terest you pay Is charged mainly be cause there are other borrowers who may, and do, get away with his money. If you have never tried paying 10 per cent a month for the use of money do not begin now. School children know better. Becoming Tangled In the Net. The lenJing of cash "without secu rity, or the consent or knowledge of your employer, or any one else," has grown to enormous proportions during the last 20 years. One firm boasts that it does business in 51 .cities, and there is not a city of any size in America in which money is not being loaned at a rate exceeding 160 per cent per annum. School teachers, policemen, firemen, railroad, telegraph and other employes are involved to the amount of millions of dollars, and young men on com paratively small salaries are paying in terest aggregating millions a year into the coffers of the money-lenders. In some cities the competition for this class of business Is so great that scnool teachers and others are remind ed "the bringing of this letter Is all that will be needed to secure a sum ranging from 550 to 5200." The appli cant calls, presents the letter, shows other bits of Identification, is looked up (n the city directory and In the "black list," on which are the names of those who have in the past filed peti tions in bankruptcy, or failed to pay their bills, signs the necessary papers, receives the money and walks out with assurances that any of his friends will be accorded like courteous treatment should they be sent In. In some cities, and with other classes of. employes, the money is not so easily obtained. Some lenders want an indorser whose name is good at the bank. The usury in this case I -a clear1 steal, for. the borrower; could himself discount the paper at legal rate. St it .Is i& the -sajgera Ixaa4 he-. .MAX. 7, -1903. MIND "Glory be!" said I, "we're going to have a Banzai!" and I hastened to get out Into the crowded streets. But It was more or less nothing at all, and after taking a few photographs of the decorations that were confined to the little square of HIblya Park. I came back to the hotel wondering. It was a most deliberate affair. All the flags and things were put up at a certain hour In the morning, a few speeches were made in a stand erect ed for the purpose at a certain hour In the afternoon, and by 4 or 5 o'clock there was not a single banner nor bit of bunt fore receiving the money that you pledge your peace of mind, even though you give no tangible security. You as sign your salary for all future time, no matter In whose employ you may be. You also sign a statement as to your total liabilities,, and write a brief history of your life. Some of the concerns doing the larg est business are getting as high as 19 per cent a month for their money. This means 22S per-cent a year! Can they hope to lend money to honest people at this rate? Is It a wonder that so many default in their payments? The method of getting this high rate Is a specious one. The borrower comes in and must have 550. In response to questions he says he Is paid Ills salary weekly. He is to!J that it Is a rule of the company to have something paid on all loans every pay day. This Is so he will not "notice" the payments because they- are small. He is asked If 55.00 a week payments will embarrass him, and the -coming 530 looks so big that he thinks -not. In some cases he is then told to pay 50 cents, which is to cover the cost of "looking him up." In case the report is unfavorable he loses the 50 cents and gets no loan. If favorable he still loses the 50 cents, but gets the loan. He is told that the rate is 10 per cent a month, which makes 515 Interest for three months. Dividing the princi pal and Interest into 13 weekly pay ments will make 55 a week, and he can take it or leave It alone. Having gone thus far he usually takes it, heedless of the fact that paying back weekly Instead of at the end of the term al most doubles the rate of Interest. The equated period of interest would be but one and one-half months. Xo Hurry About Beturn of Principal. The manner In which you are treat ed depends on your generosity. If you continue to be "a good fellow," and keep your Interest paid up you may keep the principal as long as you wish arid that will be a long time if your salary be small. When you pay your interest you get no receipt therefor. This is to lessen the chances that you will plead usury When you finally do get the principal paid the signatures are cut oft your notes and application and re turned to you. This keeps you without tangible evidence that the transaction was illegal, and makes Jt impossible for you to recover what the law says yon should not have paid. The assignment on your salary Is filed only as a last re sort. First, the concerns do not like to' have prospective victims believe -they would da. such an emharrassiag thteg, and, second, "they lose .all their usury It forced hrisg. iher boohs teto. court. VlS-TW WHICH THE CAN.NttT ECTiPM ing left In the air, and the crowd had quietly dispersed. It was merely an ar ranged meeting to offer public thanks to the army and navy for the splendid work they were doing for the nation, and It was carried out with as much dignity and decorum as if it had been some hero's funeral instead of celebration. Perhaps this is as It should be. Perhaps this Is the correct pose for a victorious nation to assume, but-1 hope I shall be here at the end and see some such demonstration as we indulged !n - In New York after Admiral Dewey destroyed Spain's As a last resort, however, they have no hesitation In filing their assignments, and If the debtor leaves the city their system of espionage Is so far-reaching that It Is improbable that he can work anywhere In the United States without being found unless he ignominlously abandons his name. If you are Involved with loan sharks beyond your ability to ever pay out. you have but two safe alternatives bank ruptcy or usury. Bankruptcy may In volve. Innocent persons and should never be resorted to save in extreme cases. The sum originally borrowed may be ten dered, together with all interest legally due In the presence of a witness. If the money Is refused It may be deposited to th credit of the lender and he may be notified. He will come and get it and give a receipt In full of all demands. Some Have Hearts, hut Most Haven't Some high rate money lenders have hearts, but most haven't. I know of an Instance in which a man had paid more In interest than the original principal, and in paying this Interest had neglected some of his house debts. In desperation he proceeded to Ignore the lender, and a cheap constable was sent to his place of business with the statement that he was under arrest, it having been found that ho had not admitted all his obligations when he signed application for the loan. The constable, who had no warrant for the man's arrest, followed the frightened creditor around town until he obtained the money from a friend, and when the note was satisfied an attempt was made to extort 55 for the services of the bogus official who had hounded him. the whole matter culminating in a free fight in the office of the loan man. It Is bad enough to be tangled up in a mesh of commonplace debts without ow ing at a sievelike office where all you can scrape together passes through, leaving tho sieve empty. There are women In the employ of loan sharks who deal with women borrowers, whose number Is legion. Cassie Chad wlck Is not the only woman who has paid large bonuses for loans. Then there are both men and women who claim to be lending other people's money, "and who cut the regular loan shark rates to 5, and In some rare Instances even to 3, per cent a month. These are not in the combine, and are more liable to get caught by men in desperate financial circumstances than the big lenders who keep in close touch with each other by means of telephone and messengers. The enormous -profits more than make up for the losses, but the loan shark is nevertheless ar hard loser, and wlir go" further to collect thaa will the grocer or the dry good man. I do set adveate lilRhotveMy-. I believe .that if a ma sign- his- own- death war r4ir AiMEKICAN papier machc navy in Manila Bay. There was enthusiasm that was worth living, for, even if it was a bit overdone, and an infusion of some of that spirit info the Japanese people would re lieve It of that characteristic which 13 most exasperating to whole-souled Anglo Saxons, a characteristic which a big, hearty American friend of mine In Toklo says makes him feel constantly like breaking something or "picking a row with somebody." ELEANOR FRANKLIN. rant he had better stand ready to deliver the goods. What I would advocate is that men cease doing business in such a reck lessly extravagant manner. If yoa are In these meshes that are holding down thousands of America's brightest young men, by all means pay out If you possibly can. But do not "rob Peter to pay Paul." Do not continue to pay exorbitant interest and atr the same tlmo get behind In your rent and grocery bill. If the crash must come, let it come now, but why need any crash come? After you have paid the lender interest amounting to the principal let him go to court If he must. He will get nothing, and the man who is supplying your chil dren with food will not suffer unneces sarily. The lender wiil make a strong bluff, but he will never take his books Into court If your receipts show you have paid a sum equal-to the amount borrowed and If you have not receipts for what you have paid him. why haven't you? It has always been your privilege to get a receipt, no matter what the policy of the loan sharks may be, and you need never part with a cent without one. Easy Borrowing Keeps Yoa Poor. There are thousands of men who have earned good salaries for years and arc now penniless on account of the ease with which they have been able to" borrow money without security at high rates of interest. Their poverty is not alone due to this borrowing. It is due to other poor business management, for a man who will pay such Interest for the use of a little money for any length of time Is defective some vherc. Then, again, money obtained with such ease frequently is used in drinking, gambling, and other extravagant excesses. The confirmed borrower feels he simply must have money. He borrows of sev eral lenders, concealing the fact that ha owes the others, if their system of; espionage be lax eno jgn to permit It, and then theV all have him where they want him. The allurenients of "easy pay-, ments" apply more forcefully to raoneyr borrowing thar anything else. How easyjj to promise to pay a few dollars a weetej when you have the full amount of tho loan in your hand! Then loss of position may be succeeded by inability to hokL an-, other on account of threatened garnishes!, Don't think you must have the money You do not need it. Besides, Isn't it easier to go without 550 now than without ?65 in three months from now? EDNA EDWARDS . "Arc you not afraid you will unduly alarat people conceraing microbes?" asked oaa scientist. "Xo." answered tMe other. "Tr wac seme little scare, but slaee we told th public that money- ia full of wlrob they lot aU -their. Urrors." Washington Star