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AN INDEPENDENT, 'NEWSPAPE R.'V'A ;T Ts. - .;'iVr.V.v. -?x ;.-: i
Sunday; May ' 11804.
ii n iv v if ii . v 11 ' ii" i ii - i i ii . 1 1 v
PORTLAND'S SPLENDID DEVELOPMENT
facilities with coast regions; we must have some sort of a
public conveyance probably an electric road to ML Hood.
kEW, PEOPLE realize how fast and far, Portland is These enterprises are slo.w in materializing, but they will
taring, forward, outward, upward. lot many tuny come, must come soon now,
realize iti present rate of growth; and still less its as- Pon
-.-"' sured growth." under two conditions, in the future. These health
"two conditions are reneral ones, bat simole. to-wit: ' r metro
J ... ' ' W mm mm .
first, Portland people must generally pun togetner
be proud to send to the senate. If he ever; had any bitter harvest. I But, foF the' daughter who falls, there is
pronounced views on public questions, like money and 'only, the river or, if she would have any .human kindness
tariff, thev were wronff. He would not take rank with shown her the comnanlonshirv f th lowest of htr sex
the Spooners and Calhouns of congress, but would add . - who will at least be kinder than her parents. She must face
. . a .. e . '-. i u m . . m m - ar
tland is expanding, mounting, very-rapidly, yet very to the number ot sieeic and oily pouticians mere, oy-tne narsn and pitter denunciation of her parents or guard
ily; swelling out into a large beginning of the great whom Oregon, it appears, loves best to be represented. ; ' tans j the cold averted looks of her former eirl companions:
polis it is surely destined to become. .'T-. Yet he is a very adroit sort of fellow, in unction unsur-1' the hateful shrug of the shoulders and drawing aside
THE BIRTH OF OREGON.
" strongly, confidently, for large results, for a far greater
Portland; and secondly, owners of Portland real estate and 1 t-aV r , -v
" v' buildings must generally be reasonable, moderate, not too rTOMORROW, at a little settlement near the Willam
'"'M grasping. Their harvest will come, is at hand; but a gen- I ette river called Charapbeg, will be celebrated the
V eral raise in prices of real estate and rents beyond the city's sixty-first anniversary of a notable and very Impor-
' ' actual advancement would be detrimental -to all in general tant event It was the organization of the first civil gpv
?" and to these property owners in particular. eminent, or the first Systematic attempt at such organiza-
V But passing by these suggestions, Portland, notice and tion on the North American continent west of the, Rocky
: rejoice, is going ahead faster than ever, and conditions af- mountains. The only authority in this region then was that
. ford reasonable assurance that it will go ahead much faster of the Hudson Bay company, a British concern,' bttt the
' wfiext year than this. And while there may be a compara- scauerea sciucrs oi uic vy inanicuc ywicy, ronj (W mem
"v" live lull after the fair, there will be no collapse, no retro-" Americans, rather than f Britons; in lympathy ind sentiment,'
V grade movement By that time Portland will be too large, deaired a form and some machinery of government, for
and on too broad and solid foundations to feel any detri- mutual protection,. help and order; and beside and beyond
; II mental relapse; and Oregon, Washington and Idaho, tribu- that, aS a nucleus, a foundation for a future state."
t; tarycountry, will be filled up to such an extent though the Of the sturdy, valiant pioneers who met at Champoej on
" filling up process wilt onr hay,e fairly begun that the May 2, 1843, about half were in favor of adhering to Great
' grand and continuous growth of this metropolis up and out Britain, as represented by its Hudson Bay governor a
fo fill its splendid urban destiny will be assured. wise, good, noble man, by the way j the other half, and a,
; Notice a few of many material indications. The work on man or two more, were 'for an initial provisional 'govern
the jetty extension at the mouth of the Columbia has been ment, to be maintained until Uncle Sara could be induced
re-commenced, and the 800 odd thousand dollars available to notice the Oregon country, and take it under his great
.Will be expended this year in continuing that vastly impor- wing. It was really a momentous meeting and occasion
tant work.:-Completed this will be Worth millions of dol- on the result possibly hung the future political destiny of the ,
lars to Portland, and will aid as no other one thing will or great Oregon country, at least, if not so, the provisional gov-,
can to make this the sure and unrivalled metropolis and eminent then and there founded, was a powerful factor
htommercial center of the Pacific northwest in the Americanization of this region, in holding it for
The drvdock has been completed, has been tested, already the United States. Of this much there is no doubt
lias a customer, and many Others will follow; and whether There was discussion, ended by a decisive step of that
" the drydock pays, directly, in money received, or not, for intrepid pioneer, Joe Meek, who, drawing a line on the
nasserl and in calaver nnannroached. ' ' ' ; v
The qualifications of Mr. Hermann for the United
States senate, therefore, are not. to ; be despised, and
must not be overlooked. It is true he has never been
known to stand out iti the rain all day at Salem with
; of the skirts of the mothers of hef young friends and the
ii.uvvicugo iu4i. never gam no matter now oeep ner re-
of, sin and shame and pain she must endure alone; that
no matter how pure and good her after life may be, she can
a load of farm products from the Waldo Hills, thereby never again hold tip her head among those she lovesi never
tbiauusnuig uis uucuiic cnaracicr. fii opputiuiuuc , , uo .weicomcu among ner young companions again. . one
knife certain selected nominees by, being chairman or 1 is a leper, an outcast, condemned forevermore. Is it any
the state central. committee have not been great . He wonder that the river looks inviting? ' ; ' ; ; 1
has never been in the position to act the part of Man ( Jowhere is the absolute brutality of society and women
Friday to a strongerrand patronizing colleague, f He f are .its. arbiters so apparent as in its treatment of the
has no great accumulatibfl , of money to facilitate or girl children who have committed this one fault Nowhere
-impede- legislation.-- His exploits as corporation mt?-is the revolting moral obliquity of society-nd women" are
torney are not notable enough to have won the trust . the high priests-sd grosses in its treatment of fallen men'
and conhdence of the toiling masses, Jriia laugh, we who corrupt virginity unreproved and are welcomed where .
should say, is inferior ''in . volume and penetration to " their partners in crime-or their victims are refused admit
one that-.reverberatcs , continuously along .the lower;, tance. Nowhere else is so great an injustice tolerated as in the
Columbia. r ' ' , ' 1 ' K v' ,? domain of the social evil. There ia o; room in our homes
With these limitations in popular esteem and states- and no welcome iniour hearts for the prodigal daughter
manlike qualities, Mr. Hermann would make lin ideal , ; who brings with hef the outward siga'of her fall and the"
senator. Calumny itself would forbear to charge him best pledge and hope of her regeneration in a Httle Innocent
...with any convictions on" great national issues which"' ' hild. "pt-.U ft'': -V':tv"'!l'i::-v. .
would hamper his activity in the way of appoint- . We enshrine the Magdalen in art and! give her a place
ments and appropriations. The only difficulty m his H iri the gorgeous windows of the Umples dedicated to Him
, way seems to be his frank and manly confession of a r whose greatest, compassion was shown toward these poot
long-cherished ahd burning desire to return to Rose- ' creatures whom we atone to" death with harsh and Cruel
burg and practice his ' profession To overcome Our words or drive to the worse fate of the social outcast f:r
Binger's passionate attachment for Roseburg and con-' The women who clamor for equal rights should give some
quer his conscientious scruples against remaining in thoughtful attention: to.the inequality of the wrongs for
Washington, even as a senator, it will now become the which they alone are responsible, in keeping up a double
duty of his devoted adherents to address themselves, standard of morality for male and female children. It; is
11 a incttnrfiv1v rnra in riAtTAf f r tut tiifitfltirHaMf irUU an1 fKji rtVir f rt TiA ff rlio OA vafiK Atl nnlv iri rr
Johns, and several other manufacturing estab- soon, in the course of nature, will pass away, but the act they knew would bc mctcd out t0 them for youttfu indi8 destroy if permitted to keep under cover, where it
vin also locate tnereaDouts in tne near tuture. "'.."'"V f'v.w cretion when natural consequences had made exposure in- nourishes best
iwhile. it will oav bier dividends m a larerer sense. It will ground, called on all who favored the United Mates and a titr ppnmr.AT. nAtrriHTRP and RpPTNr.iSnw mnr. n.rnif Smffinniifw .
be of great advantage, and of increasing value, to Portland, provisional government to follow him across it , When the . tf tftan 4 Qttr jn toe d.. we cannot afford
Many ships that have hitherto been obliged to go elsewhere opposing forces were counted, Meek and Uncle Sam had r-r 7-iTHIN the past five or six years there have been to keep contaminated children U our public schools any
V r repairs will now come here, furnishing employment to won by a majority of only two. But that was enough. , lW in and near Portiand fivc 1 suicides. Five young more than we can afford to keep smallpox patients among
:. a large number of people, calling for much material and There, then, the future great state of Oregon was born. V V girls almost children, none of them over 20, an? heajthy people. The virus of knowledge which only brings
,1 merchandise, .and favorably and widely advertising this Of all those pioneer patriots only one, F. X. Matthieu, three of them under 18 who have prefcrTed the painful and to the surface the filth which was hidden, and thus more
--port - . - - - remains. His home is yet near that historic spot and he is dreadfui death in the icy waters of the Willamette the fear- dangerons, is better for all. Innocent and guilty alike are
i -A" new woolen mm, to .replace the one Durnea at sen- " v.fc u tui plunge into dark depths from which the warm life withih given a better chance ; the one to escape contamination
: wnnd hilt mtirh lartrr and Wttff mill. Will r MlllT at a '"""in mv iicioMiuit wuiiii. '-
once at St Jol
licimnte will
. ...... w.vw .wvwv - I .
Sellwood meanwhile will not fall backward, even if it re- w"1 endure as long as there is an uregon and an America. Cvitable. Neither bov nor rir! are Uueht that knowledge of them-
' ceived a hard blow. A'stove" factory there is contemplated; That those girls were all good and innocent, save for the selves which is the best safeguard of all against moral dis
if not that, it will be something, or several things, else. A MATURE ESTIMATE OF BINDER HERMANN, one fault so dreadfully expiated, the very act of self-de- ease; but the boy must be taught the value of self-control
There .is fine site, at Sellwood, as well as at St Tohns, for : struction goes to prove. Inability to guard against the con- and the beauty of purity and morality, as well as the girL.
such establishments, and the people of Sellwood have al- A LITTLE less than a year and a half ago, when Bin- sequences of sin is- not characteristic of the really evil wo- Purity and Impurity cannot live side by side in the same
ready: proved that they will not be kept down nor back. JA ger Hermann was under the cloud of impending man; bad women are not driven to suicide through shame; home, in the same schools, and purity go uncontarainated.
- These are only large sample items. Other suburbs, as well dismissal from the office of United States land com- they do not know what shame is. Yet these poor children The double standard of morality has no defense. Common
as the central city, are growing, developing, industriously, missioner, the Oregonian published an editorial upon the suffered such a panic of fear and despair that the river justice and common sense demand purity in both sexes, or
' invery direction, n various ways, and we see as yet only subject of his supposed candidacy for the senate. The appeased to them more tender, in its mercies than even the -that the punishment ior immorality be as great for one as
the beginnings. t editorial was published December 30, 1902, and at that mothers who bore them. Mothers rarely find any excuse for the. other. V .
- r-The Lewis and Dark 'fair next year will give a great, time the nature of the charges filed, against Hermann were or palliation for this one fault in their daughters, and harsh ' . . , ."
impetus to this development. Of the thousands who come tut vaguely known. It was understood, however, that the and bitter words and acts were all these unfortunates had to ANOTHER CRAZY PROFESSOR.
here from" the east to see, to look around and investigate, report of Inspector Green had shown an intimate, if not look forward to. , . : ; , :
! a large proportion will remain, or will return. If they really criminal connection between Hermann and the ring of This is not a pleasant commentary tipon mother love,' or T GEORGE McCLELLAN, demonstrator of anat-
come not merely for a careless pleasur trip,: but to raves-:8n.dlfr who wcrc engaged in the business of making father love either. It proves the sad truth that parental lJ amy at the Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts, in a
tigate and explore and ascertain facts about this region, fraudulent surveys and entries upon public lands. iove js usually founded upon parental pride and cannot with- lecture to the Philobiblian club on "The Relation of
' they Trill be agreeably surprised, and they will become vol- The public career of Binger Hermann, extending over stand the strain of the disgrace of its object Mothers and Anatomy, to Art," said: "The perfect form of a man is
' untary immigration agents on their return.1 We may rea- period of 36 years, was a frmhar book to the Oregonian. fathers should be taught that every, child whom they have much prettier than that of a woman." He was addressing
sonably expect a very large "number of eastern visitors to the H deeds and misdeeds had been; the subject of frequent taken it upon themselves to call into' existence has a greater men only. He is entitled, to his opinion. He may be a
fair, notwithstanding the St Louis fair this year, for the comment in its columns. The editorial in question was pub- ciaim for love and a more assured tenderness and care in its very learned man, but if so the popular opinion will be that,
' trip will be new to most of them, will be more interesting h'shed at a time when it was supposed that Hermann was hour of bitter need than at any other time. If parental love as in the case of the most noble Festus, "much learning hath
and inviting;. they will come not only to see the fair, but candidate for the United States senate, and it is especially js worth anything at all it should be a sure shelter, a safe made him mad."
the city, the state, the Pacific northwest; they will come, valuable now as a matured and dispassionate statement harbor in time of storm and stress. As things are now, How is he to judge of what mankind in general think
'' tinf tn a nlar of climatic discomfort but to one of almost of the Oregonian S estimate of Mr. Hermann's fitness to the rents are usually the first to turn and rend ht own "nrettv anv mora than what most nleases th oalate of a
constant comfort ; after traversing desert regions and moun- represent Oregon in the national legislature. The editorial children, to cast them into outer darkness at once that Frenchman, a, queen of society, or a Digger Indian? What
jouows:
The Oregonian will oppose, no objection at this time
either to Commissioner Hermann's retirement from
the general land office or to his senatorial candidacy.
It it apparent that if the commissioner had the evidence
at hand to prove to Secretary Hitchcock that he was
in sympathy with the department's solicitude for the
public domain and indignation at land conspiracies,
he did not think it worth while to produce it. Mr.
Hermann has been a candidate for the senatorship ever
since he has been in the land office, and never before
- found it necessary to resign .in-order, to conduct his
campaign. He has undoubtedly been forced out by
accessible. The new blood that the fair, andthe advertise SecretaryHitchcock. because of disagreements in pol
itics, and so far as the land abuses are concerned, the
secretary has given every evidence of determination
. ..tains they. will come down into and through the richest re
gion in natural resources on the continent; and many of
' them will appreciate this fact, and remember it
j- But the last and most valuable result of the fair, one
"'. already visible and noticeable for it is a result of the deter-
mination and efforts to hold the fair, rather: than of the
1 ' fair itself -is the spirit of energy,' enterprise and "goahead
itiveness" that it has aroused in our own people. They are
i doing far more already, and will do far more, in upbuilding
Tthis city and making it great than if the fair had not been
' resolved on and undertaken. Thev have more faith, more
-confidence, more energy, more - aspiration, -more ambition,
more life ; they aim at greater things ; they see greater things
ing thereof, will bring, will help greatly to make a greater
Oregon and a greater Portland, but a still Better result
-- is the enriching, the warming, the vitalizing, the energizing,
1,. of our own hitherto too cold and stagnant blood. , :
, Connection with various interior localities is the next big
problem to be solved, involving -several . undertakinga-that-
must be accomplished. We must have an electric line to
Hillsboro,; we roust have the railroad to Tillamook and
, ,Nehalem; we must have more and better transportation
is, if they are girl children just so soon as they are "dis- is "pretty" is what seems so to the eye, and the almost
graced in the eyes ot society, lne sex and not the quan- universal judgment of mankind, particularly of male man
turn of the sin determines the amount of punishment to be kind, is that there ia. nothing on earth, nor, so far as has
meted out to the sinner. : , been discovered or reasonably imagined, in the heavens
Just here lies the root of immorality, in the double stand- above, or in the sea beneath, so beautiful as a well-formed,
ard of morals. We allow our sons too large a liberty; we healthy young woman. The little girl comes nearest, but
teach them that self-indulgence is the right of their sex by what she lacks in form is scarcely made up by her utter
turning them loose to choose their own companions and go innocence and lack of self-consciousness,
whither they will, at an age when our. daughters are, or - Not only does this professor it is a wonder he is not a
should be, kept under strict surveillance. We expect purity member of the Chicago University faculty contradict the
and moral strength to flourish and grow strong side by side universal testimony, expressed or unuttered, of all man-
with impurity and moral - weakness We - expect -our-kind, who are not professors or scientists, but he also runs
neighbors' sons to respect the purity of our daughters whilst counter to all the teachings of his own tribe, who have
we teach our sons that respect for our neighbors' daughters taught for centuries that curved lines are more beautiful "
is unnecessary and foolish. , . than straight or angular lines.
The fathers of fallen boys shruer their shoulders over the But it is bootless to argue with this blind man. Nobodv
to pursue an upright and reformatory course. sins of their sons and, refer to "young blood" as an excuse will agree with himperhaps he counted on this to gain a
Mr. Hermann's release and early appearance in Or
egon may serve to remind the faithful that he is a man
-wha,always..requirea.to be taken care oL If there, is.
nothing left but the senate, doubtless it is the senate
he will have to have. He isnot the highest type of
statesman. He is not the type of man Oregon should
which does not excuse their daughters.- Many s fathers' little unenviable notoriety- and the world will go on be-
revert with covert smiles to the likeness of the chip to the r iievrng, '"'and unheedirig any one who may say
old block and are rather pleased than otherwiseThe sow is a -delusion,- thatheside-4u welUformed woman - a -welling
of wild oats troubles them not at all, unless they are formed man is in comparison an ugly, shapeless thing; and
sown by some other man's son and their own daughters be- that the perfect physical woman is the loveliest thing that
come the chaff cast aside for the burning as a result of the God ever created, as a part of his physical universe.
INHERITANCE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL if By MRS. JOHN A LOGAN
, (Copyright. IBM. bt W. K. Hetrit. Great
BrltaU Hlfhtt Beierred.)
IT 18 aa encouragement that science hM
called attention to the fact that mental
aa well al physical qualities are trans
mitted by parenta. Prof. Karl Pearson
makes the lamentable statement that there
is a decadence, mentally and physically, In
-."British professional and working- men."
He attributes this degeneracy to enerva
tion "by wealth or love of pleasure', or fol
; lowing an erroneous standard of life."
Thoughtful people will be disposed to agrea
with him and to say that what is said of the
British may be said of the Americans, for,
notwithstanding the advancement of th
agr and the universal educational privi
leges, there 'are, unmistakably, fewer re
markable minds in this generation In propor
tion to the population than there were a
' quarter of a century ago.
It is seen in every class of society and
branch of business and the professions. Ed
ucation is more general, but ability is more
rare. This can be explained In no other
way than by the intermarriage of indolent,
listless people of mediocre minds, who have
no aspirations or ambitions above the grat
ifications of their own desires.
What can be expected from the issue of
the1 union of the' devotees of society and
pleasure seekers? They neither read nor
think. They drift Into anr port offering
diversion and ease.
Neither their brains nor their hearts can
develop with nothing to Inspire or prompt
them to high attainments. The majority
are satiated with everything and are too
Indifferent to think or act.
We watch with Interest the experiments
of stock growers to .produce animals of the
finest types, ahd yet we see dally alliance in
marriage that promises nothing but deteri
oration of the race because of the enfeebled
condition of the minds and bodies of the
contracting parties, . whose primogenitors
were probably below the proper standard
of Intelligence' and physical strength they
should have maintained had they lived up
to their Inheritance and opportunities. Con
tinual reproduction 6f weakness, generation
after generation, On the principle that Ilka
begets like, is bound to affect the race un
favorably. If parents would manifest more Intelli
gence In the development of their offspring
and in Impressing them with high ideals,
and In seeking husbands for their daughters
and wives for their sons who would bring
to them mental,, moral and physical strength,
instead of seeking titles, wealth and posi
tion, they would see them happier and do
more toward exalting the race. -
Esra mourned over the infirmities of his
people, attributing the calamities that had
befallen them to their connubial wickedness.
He besought them not to continue In their
sins "nor seek their peace or their wealth,
forever that ye' may be strong and eat the
good of the land and leave it for an Inheri
tance to your children forever." Ezra, 9-13.
, The Ood who Created man and endowed
him" with intelligence Intended that h6'
should obey HIS laws In the perpetuation of
hia kind. ,
The violation of these laws has brought
destruction upon nations. 1 They are as Im
mutable now as In the beginning and are
just as obligatory as when they were first
established; hence it is the duty of aU men
to consider their individual responsibilities
and act accordingly.
Before marrying all men should know all
about the mental, moral and physical inheri
tance of. the women whom they take as
wives. Women should be equally careful
In consenting to become wives. They should
never assume the sacred, relation of wife
without knowing the antecedents, actual
character and inheritance of the man whom
they swear to love and obey.
., The thought that your children may be the
victims of evil propensities that have ,ben
Inherited should give parents deep concern.
Instances are ever present proving the ser
iousness of the laws of inheritance. .
Indiana has wisely established an asylum
for "feeble minded women" to prevent the
multiplication of their kind. Last year there
were 404 women in this institution; 170 of
them were between IS and 45 years of age.-- -
One of these women had borne IS, an
other 11 and another eight children. Five
had had 1 children, and ot these II the His
tories of IS had been looked up. These- 15
had been maintained at public expense a
total of. over 104'years.'- j ' v- V?
The foregoing are only the statistics of one
year in one state. ' What appalling figures "
would confront one were It possible-to show
the facts as they exist in all the states,
where these women Jiave been allowed to j
propagate' their species unrestrained by law
or any humanltariaii effort T. 'H-c VtVT:--
It is to be hoped that the alarm that
aroused Indian to the noble action of pre
venting aS far as possible the propagation
of offspring from such mothers may spread
all over the union and that every state win
move" in the same direction. They should
not stop 'with the Incarceration ot feeble
minded women in institution where they
will be- prevented from bringing into the
' world children , accursed' by . such Inheri
. tance. .-; ," '
The men of the nation who are like af
flicted or who are accursed with vicious
habits and eyll propensities should also be
confined in '" some . institution where they
would be unable to multiply their progeny.
... Inheritance, is a serious question tar be
'yond that ot material things, and should en
list the- interest and thought ot all who are
alive - to the needs of the nation in fur
therance of the great plans and enterprises
of the American nation.. The i mentality,
morality and physical strength of the race
will have all to de with iti destiny.
THE PRESS IN JAPAN By PROF. J. DUNOLARD OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKIO
kHOUQH Jmmense progress has
been ' mads in .Japan in many
; respects, and westsrs Inven
tions and improvements are to
-be found even in the most remote parts
of the continent; the interest of the peo
ple in wading V still jremalns to be
aroused.". -m't '''--'.
The Urge majority Of the people are
Illiterate, a fact ., which is partly ex
plained by the complicated nature of the
or! glnal Japanese alphabet.:
During, the last Jew years, and epcl
ally since the war with China,'-' there
ha beea change and nor attention
Is being paid to the study of literature,
and the number of books published is
quite large, if compared with that of 10
years ago.
The introduction of printing presses,
with movable types, was, o doubt, re
sponsible for this.
Oaly a comparatively few years ago
Wooden blocks were In use. but It was
a work of great labor to prepare them,
end as only a limited number of copies
could be struck, from them, books were
enormously expensive.-j-VvThe
growth of the newspaper press
during the past few ; years aa been
auiu x&aarkabie.
' At the period of the last revolution
there existed but one publication tbat
could be " properly classed under this
head, the so-called Government Garette,
which was read only by the official
class, for whom alone Its contents
possessed any Interest
But since then so' many newspapers
have come into existence tbat the list
for the whole country now ' comprises
several hundred!.' ; " ,
'"lipifie chief cities they are Issued
daily; Kn country districts every two or
three ays, though during the present
war also roost of these have been pub
lished dail& i '
"- The Tokio papers have a very" wide
circulation and are forwarded even to
the most remote post towns. Among
these the Nlchl-nlchl Shirobun : (Daily
News),' and the -Choya Bhlmbun 1 (Court
and Country: Kewsh and the Hochl
Shimbun (Information Mews), are per
haps the best known; the first named Is
a semt-tftmclal organ.
. These papers appear OS every day tx
cept holidays.9 They are all similar la
style, the flrst page containing govern,
mentf notlficatkme and editorlalst . the
second mlsoellaneous Items of informa
tion, and the third contributed articles
sometimes of a political, but oftener of
a popular or satirical character whUe
the fourth nage is devoted to advertise
ments. '"v .-...j, f :
The papers are now always printed
-from movable metal typesv . The style
of composition is : principally Chinese,
interspersed with 'kana"f at intervals,
but the papers printed for the express
benefit ef the very-low classes are al
most entirely in kana, and are in many
cases-illustrated with rough wood outa
Nominally there Is freedom Of the
press, but many an editor has been fined
or imprisoned fcr publishing what-was
deemed by the government an infraction
of the press lawa and bd editor would
dare to-give any account ; of defeat
suffered in time of war. as this would
surely result in a long term Of lnf
prlsonment 4 '
; Before a newspaper Is started, a peti
tion requesting the permission of ths
government is made. - e .
The paper, once it is started, Is under
the supervision of the, local oflloials, and
whatever they may deem a contraven
tion of the laws In question is punished
by fine.nlmprisonment or suspension or
total abplltion of the offending papers
wit Is Seedless to point out tbat under
this system anything like free and open
.criticism of the proceedings of govern
ment is well nigh impossible, although
ingenious plans have . been contrived
whereby, though keeping within the
actual letter of the law,, the editor casj
proclaim his true views of the subject
under discussion.
. A very common method is to draw a
satirical picture of Japan under the
name of some other country.
Thfr bonds, imposed by , the govern
ment are felt to be galling, and perfect
freedom of the press would, be hailed
with delight by the Exceedingly large ;
and Influential class Interested in the -publication
of things in their true light; I