Page:Brinkley - Japan - Volume 6.djvu/241

RV 213 out reputations to imperil, and they approached the foreigner with a disposition to regard him as a person to be neither spared nor respected. In short, they were not, nor are they yet, fair representatives of the upper grade of Japanese merchants. A more subtle factor is that the wholesome atmosphere of public opinion is virtually wanting in the region of this open-port trade. Whatever chicanery a Japanese may practise against foreigners, his own version of the incident alone reaches his nationals. Opinions may differ as to the efficacy of the checks which the scrutiny of his fellows imposes upon the average mortal's improbity, but that it does impose a considerable check, none will deny. The Japanese trader, in his dealings with foreign resident merchants, is beyond the influence of such checks. If he sins, it is with the comfortable conviction that his sin will not find him out. Then, above all, there is the fact that the foreigner is generally regarded as fair game. He may preach to the Japanese about commercial morality, but the Japanese consider him arbitrary, masterful, exacting, and often unjust. His style of living also contributes to render him unwelcome. He builds for himself a mansion far more imposing than that of his native client, and his daily expenditure is such as to suggest to Japanese eyes that he derives a splendid income from his business. Thus, receiving little consideration from the people of the country in his