NOTES AND ABSTRACTS.

The Three Model Villages in Japan. In the twenty-first year of Meiji (1887)," The City, Town, and Village Regulations were issued, and the foundation of local self-government was established. These regulations were in no small degree modeled after those of the western countries, but at the same time the utmost care was taken to encourage public spirit and to develop good old customs. In fact, the spirit of national unity which had been fostered during these twentyfive centuries since the foundation of the empire was the original element out of which the present system of local self-government was developed. Only a short time has elapsed since these regulations were issued, and our country is now in the midst of improvement in this respect; and yet there are not wanting certain exemplary village communities, which may be regarded as model villages, worthy of imitation by others. Selecting the best of these model villages, we get the following three, and now proceed to describe some of their chief features:

1. Minamoto Village, Sanbu County, Chiba Prefecture.- The prosperity of a community owes much, of course, to the efforts of its authorities, but unless the people of the community co-operate for the same end, its prosperity is not to be expected. Especially where natural resources are wanting, this co-operation is the more important to secure the wealth and prosperity of the whole community. The most remarkable in this respect is Minamoto Village, in Sanbu County, in Chiba Prefecture.

This is only a small village of some three hundred houses, but its administration is in perfect order, and there are many things noteworthy. For instance, one of the most remarkable things in the village is the way in which the passbooks of the villagers are kept. Almost all the people of the village unite in saving all the money they can, and deposit their savings as postal deposits in the village postoffice, and the passbooks are kept, not in the homes of the depositors, as is the case everywhere else, but in the post-office itself. Moreover, instead of the villagers going to the post-office, the authorities come to gather the deposits. And, again, when recently war loan bonds were issued, this little village subscribed for a certain amount, and that at above par in every case. Such is the spirit of union in this little village. Again, this spirit is exhibited in the election of public men. From the election of the members of the House of Representatives to that of the members of the village council, all the villagers get together, deliberate over the matter, nominate one well-qualified candidate, and promise to vote for him. Is this not a beautiful spirit of union? And the result of such spirit is naturally seen in the well-ordered administration of the village.

The common school of the village stands by the side of the village office, and it is painted with red ochre, so that the building may last for a long time. The school has the education fund of the village. One of the villagers contributed 1,000 yen, and that became the occasion of other villagers doing the same thing, and now the fund amounts to 12,000 yen, the interest of which is enough to support the school at present. Consequently no tuition fee is charged. Another thing remarkable in the educational administration of the village is the fact that there is not one child in the whole village that does not go to school. Such is the extent to which education is encouraged.

As to agriculture, Gokurakuji, a division of the village, has done the most. Rice is the main cereal produced, as in other parts of Japan. The buying of manure, the selection of seeds, and the improvement of the nursery beds of rice plants are done through the vote of the whole village. A few years ago the village received an honor flag from the Agricultural Council of the prefecture, and since then it has continued to keep the same honor year after year. As additional work, every house plants trees, the result of which is also remarkable.

And again, to make the village's self-government firm, a scheme has been adopted to raise a village fund of 10,000 yen, and it is already in process of execution.

2. Inatori Village, Kamo County, Shizuoka Prefecture.-Though rich in natural resources, if men who strive to utilize them and turn them to best advantage be wanting, prosperity cannot be hoped for. In Inatori Village, Kamo County, Shizuoka Prefecture, we find pioneer men who make it their business to promote the prosperity and independence of their village.

If we go from the harbor of Shimoda, in the southern extremity of the Izu peninsula, northward some ten miles, passing through more than ten winding mountain paths, we come to luxuriant forests. These are the forests of Inatori Village. These forests are mostly of pine trees, and were planted for the purpose of producing a village fund of 250,000 yen. At first the people of the village considered the plan too vague and foolish, and only a few approved the scheme. But the pioneer of the village, Matakichi Tamura, succeeded in persuading his fellowvillagers to plant the young pine trees. Unfortunately, this first attempt proved a failure, most of the young trees withering away. So the opposition of the villagers was increased, and there seemed no hope left for a second trial. However, Tamura was dauntless. He went around, spade in hand, and himself planted trees everywhere, and at the same time encouraged the stubborn people to do the same thing. He said: "Trees should not be planted by the hand only, but also by the heart." By this he meant that they must be planted and reared carefully nay, kindly, as it were. At last his efforts were not in vain, and the result is the luxuriant forest around the village.

Again, on our entrance to the village, we see some three hundred men and women assiduously working in several scores of boats. These people are gathering the Tokoroten-gusa, a kind of edible seaweed, which may be called the most important natural resource of the place. Indeed, this, too, is the result of co-operation. The net profit of the last five years from this source alone amounted to more than 3,500 yen, more than 40 per cent. of which has been deposited as a school fund, while a portion has been constituted a village fund and has been invested in land.

The uncommonly prosperous administration of the village owes much, of course, to its rich natural resources, and yet at the same time it owes not a little to the untiring efforts and indefatigable spirit of Tamura. He had been the village master for six years, during which time he always lived in the village office and sacrificed his private affairs for the sake of the prosperity of the village. No one could excel him in earnestness and faithfulness. But one day he thought and said to himself: "It is easy to coerce by public authority, but if the people are not intelligent enough, success, though once attained, cannot last long. Certainly it is my duty as a private villager to develop the real strength of the people." So he left the village office, to return no more, took off his uniform, and let his wife burn it. Since then he has devoted himself to the improvement of agriculture and to the general prosperity of Iriya; that is, the division of the village in which he lives. He has tried to be virtuous himself and to induce others to be virtuous also. First of all, he established a meeting of house-masters." There he gave lectures on agricultural, economical, educational, and moral subjects. In this manner he formed his plans and schemes. As the main product the raising of silk-worms was encouraged, and as an additional product the cultivation of oranges was taken up. Every year 10 per cent. of the whole profit is deposited under the name of "long peace-giving money," a sort of reserve fund.

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In this way the farmers were encouraged. But if household help be wanting, it could not be called satisfactory. So he began a meeting of mothers," where he lectures on home education, housekeeping, etc. To encourage mothers, there is a vote for the best girls, and each girl who has the honor of being elected is presented with a work-box which is to be taken to her new home. It is no wonder that the people of the neighboring villages apply to these girls for marriage.

The meeting for mothers is not enough. So a meeting of daughters was started. Housekeeping and sewing are taught, and lectures on morals are also given.

Such has been the work which Tamura has done for his village. The result of all this is the fact that there is not a criminal, and almost no case of divorce, in the whole village. Moreover, we see many noteworthy things in the administration of the village. Industrial, engineering, and sanitary matters are improving. Agricultural improvements, the repair of roads, the building of a hospital and aqueduct, are all forthcoming. And every one of these is the result of the untiring efforts of Matakichi Tamura.

But the administration of Inatori Village is not wholly to be ascribed to Matakichi Tamura alone. There is a philanthropist in the village, who is a big landlord. He is rich enough to devote his life to social and political relief and improvement. Police, legal, and prison matters owe much to this man's efforts and generosity. And concerning agriculture, the veteran farmer, another Tamura, who has done not a little for the present prosperity of the village, must be especially mentioned. As to education, there is the school-master, who with singleheartedness has devoted himself to the education of the village for these twenty years. Almost every child goes to school. The people of the whole village are enlightened and intelligent. They are remarkable for their good manners. The spiritual health of the community is not the only thing cared for, for the physical health is also looked after. Goro Nishiyama is the hospital master, and he is uncommonly skilful and faithful in his duty. The sanitary conditions of the village have nothing to be criticised. Local diseases have died away. The village council, deeply thankful for his efforts, unanimously voted to present the hospital building and all its appendages to this doctor as his well-earned reward. The doctor's faithfulness and the villagers' good deeds are both worth mentioning.

Formerly this village was numbered among the poorest villages of the province of Izu, the taxes being seldom paid punctually. But at present this same village has changed and is counted among the three model villages in the whole country, and this has been accomplished by the utilization of natural resources through the efforts of the pioneer men of the village.

3. Oide Village, Natori County, Miyagi Prefecture.- Finally, we mention Oide Village, in Natori County, in Miyagi Prefecture. Though natural resources like those of Inatori are wanting, and co-operation like that of Minamoto Village is not forthcoming, yet, mainly through the efforts of the village master, Oide Village has won the laurel of being a model village. It was originally a poor, insignificant village. But since the present village master has come into his office, he has done and is doing his utmost for its welfare. The name of the master is Shiroemon Nagao, and he loves his villagers as a father does his children. If a stranger comes to the village office, he will see a rude-looking farmer. If the stranger asks him whether the village master is in, that farmer will answer: "I am the village master." This shows what sort of a man he is. In conversing with him, the stranger will be further surprised to find that what he says about the village administration is correct, and that his well-developed common-sense has led to many excellent plans and schemes for the village. He is a man of patience and self-respect, and devotes himself wholly to the good of the village. Hence no wonder that his administration is successful. As his co-operator we find the village school-master, Hidefuku Moniwa. For the last thirty years this man has been the school-master of the village. He is so ardent in his work that, if any of his pupils are absent from school, he himself on his way from school visits the home of the absent pupil and inquires the reason of his absence, and warns the pupil and his parents against idleness. The result is that the percentage of the school attendance of the village is much more favorable than that of other villages. Except the blind and deaf mutes, there is almost no child that does not go to school.

Not only in education, but also in sanitary, engineering, and industrial matters, arrangements are all satisfactorily made. Among these, industry is regarded as specially important, and the idea that industry is the source of prosperity permeates the mind of the villagers. They mean to co-operate and neglect no available resource. The extension of the arable land, improvements in the cultivation of rice and barley, and the use of horses in cultivation, are all encouraged and practiced. The cultivation of mulberries is also encouraged, and efforts are being made to develop the raising of silk-worms and the production of silk. And extra