598 



REVIEW OF REVIEWS. 



the fislierios of almost every town aloiifi the 

 coast, in many of wliich they almost mono- 

 polise this occupation. The Japanese fisher- 

 men not only supply a large part of the 

 domestic market, but their canneries supply 

 a further demand in Hawaii. In Las An- 

 geles alone some seven-tenths of the fishery 

 business is taken by the Japanese. 



EDUCATION. 



Considering" the amount of discussion 

 that has been caused by Japanese immi- 

 gration to California, it may be taken 

 for granted, says this writer, that " ques- 

 tions of social ethics and religion are 

 among the most important that have to 

 be faced by the immigrants in making 

 good their right to live in America." 



It will be admitted at the outset that the 

 Japanese are as anxious for education, both 

 for themselves and their children, as any 

 people in the world. This is quite a charac- 

 teristic of the Japanese in California, no less 

 than among their fellow-countrj'men at 

 home. When it is understood that the Jap- 

 anese in California have a birth-rate of 

 about 1000 a year, the problem of education 

 becomes a pressing one. In 1911 there were 

 found to be some 2426 Japanese children of 

 school age, that is, from 5 to 20 years of age. 

 Of these, 582 attend American primary 

 schools, and 532 go to Japanese primary 

 schools, in addition to wliich there are a 

 number of Japanese children at various 

 schools here and there through the State. 

 There are also a numbc]- of Japanese at 

 higher institutions of learning in California. 

 Of these some 186 are at high schools, and 

 at the various universities there are usually 

 from 20 to 30 Japanese students. The Japan- 

 ese in California spend about £3600 annually 

 on tlieir primary schools, including 11 kin- 

 dergartens connected with the said schools. 

 They also have established schools for the 

 teaching of langua,ge, cooking and crafts. In 

 fact, they are doi^g all within their ability 

 to fit themselves to take an intelligent part 



in the great civilisation in which they find 

 themselves placed. 



J.AP.\NESE CHRISTIANS. 



The Japanese have not lost all their 

 home ways and traditions. 



As to religion, the immigrants are either 

 Buddliists or Christians. The impetus is in 

 favour of Christianity, and most of the Jap- 

 anese incline that way. They iiave their 

 churches and their clergy-, and the American 

 Christians maintain missions for them; while 

 at the various Christian meetings and con- 

 ventions there is always a fair sprinkling of 

 Japanese. Of Japanese churches there are 

 at least 48 now in the State, with 42 pastors 

 or missionaries, and the membership is about 

 2600. Last year the members contributed 

 some £4700 for the support of Christian 

 work. 



The Buddhist cause among the Japanese 

 in California is under the auspices of Hong- 

 wanji sect, uhose priests are labouring for 

 tlie spreading of the faith among their coun- 

 trymen. There are now about 14 places of 

 worship, with an equal number of priests, 

 and the amount annually contributed for the 

 support of the religion is £3300, with a mem- 

 bership of some 4663. 



Summmg up, this writer says : 



It will be seen that on the whole the Japan- 

 ese in California are in a prosperous condi- 

 tion ; and that compared with the rest of the 

 population they are no less morally and spiri- 

 tually inclined than the Americans. Con- 

 sidering the prejudice with which they have 

 had to contend, they have entered to a mar- 

 vellous extent into the life and activity of 

 the country, and have taken a very impor- 

 tant part in its development. There is no 

 doubt that as the spirit of true humanity 

 and civilisation prevails, racial prejiidice will 

 give way to genuine neighbourliness and 

 sociality, and the Japanese will be as wel- 

 come in California as the immigrant,s of 

 Europe. 



NOTABLE MEN AND WOMEN. 



LORD STRATHCONA. 



The Pall Mall Magazine study in per- 

 sonality, from the pen of T. P. O'Con- 

 nor, M.P., has for its subject this month 

 the distinguished ex-High Commis- 

 sioner of Canada. 



Lord Strathcona is a man on whom 

 Nature has written in legible letters, for 

 all to see, the remarkable and versatile 

 gifts which have made one of the most 

 varied, most brilliant, and most bene- 

 ficent careers of our time. The massive 

 head, the e\es at once keen and humor- 



ous, the patriarchal white beard — not 

 soft and silken, but strong and rugged 

 — the eyebrows snow-white and bristluig 

 and protuberant, the hrm mouth, and the 

 robust frame, all proclaim one of the 

 born leaclers of men. The quickness and 

 alertness of the mind of this nona- 

 genarian, the rapidity with which he 

 goes right straight to the heart of an}' 

 subject, his judgment so well balanced, 

 all afford some e.xplanation of his mar- 

 vellous life. Another hrst impression of 

 him is the softness and even sweetness 



