occurred from the very beginning of our government.” Yet he |
himself has been a strenuous campaigner against Japanese immi-
gration. Wonderful is the logic of some politicians!

But more specifically brings Mr. E. A. Hayes charges against
Japanese. Here is a set of wholesale charges. “A close acquaint-
ance shows one that unblushing lying is so universal among the
Japanese as to be one of the leading national traits; that com-
mercial honor, even among her commercial classes, is so rare as
to be only the exception that proves the reverse rule, and that the
vast majority of the Japanese people do not understand the
meaning of the word ‘morality,’ but are given up to practice of
licentiousness more generally than in any nation in the world
justly making any pretenses to civilization. I am told by those
who have lived in Japan and understand its language that there
is no word in Japanese corresponding to ‘sin,’ because there is in
the ordinary Japanese mind no conception of its meaning. There

is no word corresponding to the word ‘home,’ because there is |}

nothing in the Japanese domestic life corresponding to the home
as we know it. The Japanese language has no term for ‘privacy.’
They lack the term and the clear idea because they lack the prac-

tice.” These words are taken from his speech made before the |};

House on March 13, 1906, under the title of “Japanese Exclu-
sion.”

I am afraid that the opening sentence has to include Mr. Hayes
himself. At its best, it is the case of a pot calling a kettle black.
If what is said is true, how was the tremendous growth of Japa- |
nese commerce during the last fifty years accomplished? By
lying, I suppose. As to the meaning of the word “morality,” I
should like to suggest a reading of Dr. Nitobe’s Bushido. It is
exquisitely written, though by a native of Japan. Those who |
informed Mr. Hayes evidently do not understand Japanese lan-
guage. The Japanese word “tsumi” exactly corresponds to “sin,”
while “uchi” and “naisho” correspond respectively to “home” and
“privacy.” I have purposely given the coloquial terms, because }
they are understood universally. It is better not to pretend to be |)
wise about things we are absolutely ignorant of. |

60