epeatedly stopped.
At a time when the interests of Hokkaido demand more farmers and there
is a general complaint of lack of labour, at a time when there are
persistent pleas for oversea expansion, there are in Japan twice or
thrice as many people applying for land in the island as are granted
entry. The blunt truth is that the State has felt itself compelled to
spend so much on military and naval expansion that the claims of
Hokkaido for the wherewithal for better roads, more railway line and
better credit have often been put aside.[273]

One thing is certain, that slow progress in the development of
Hokkaido gives an opening to the critics of Japan who doubt whether
her need for expansion beyond her own territory is as pressing as is
represented by some writers. However this may be, Hokkaido is stated
to take only a tenth of the overplus of the population of Old Japan.
The number of emigrants in 1913 was no larger than the number in 1906.
A usual view in Hokkaido is that the island can hold twice as many
people as it now contains. "When 3,625,000 acres are brought into
cultivation," says an official publication, "Hokkaido will be able
easily to maintain 5,000,000 inhabitants on her own products."

Very much of what has been achieved in Hokkaido has been done under
the stimulating influence of the Agricultural College, now the
University. The northern climate seems to be conducive to mental
vigour in both professors and students. If in moving about Hokkaido
one is conscious of a somewhat materialistic view of progress it may
be remembered that an absorption in "getting on" is characteristic of
colonists and their advisers everywhere. It is not high ideals of life
but bitter experience of inability to make a living on the mainland
which has brought immigrants to Hokkaido. As time goes on, the rural
and industrial development may have a less sordid look.[274] At
present the visitor who lacks time to penetrate into the fastnesses
of Hokkaido and enjoy its natural beauties brings away the unhappy
impression which is presented by a view of man's first assault on the
wild.

But he must still be glad to have seen this distant part of Japan. He
finds there something stimulating and free which seems to be absent
from the older mainland. It is possible that when Hokkaido shall have
worked out her destiny she may not be without her influence on the
development of Old Japan. Those of the settlers who are reasonably
well equippe