The record-union., 1895-01-11

ernment's position was telegraphed, the
sender being ignorant that any previous
statement had been forwarded.
Ihe Governments attitude was further
set forth In message to the Associated
Press. By this time much agitation had
been created In Japan, the charges in the
okohama journal before mentioned
having been more than once repeated on
the authority of eye witnesses. Japanese
newspapers and one foreign paper not
hostile to Japan had expressed strong
disbelief in the publications that Japanese
soldiers should have dlsgraced them
selves, upon which the direct testimony
OF Messrs. Creelman and Nilliers was
brought forward. The former author
lied series of very damaging accusa-
tlons, repeated through several issues of
the Iokonanla newspapers, and alleging
an interrupted succession of butcheries
and unspeakable atrocities for three days
after the ialI OF Port Arthur, accompanied
! by equally positive, though perhaps less
| vehement, assertions from Villiers, who
declared emphatically, but with some APP
! pearance Of reluctance, that he Endorsed
! Creelman's IS accounts"
For additional confirmation, NJ. De La
Guerrie, correspondent of the Paris
! Temps, volunteered evidence in support
OF all the facts presented by the American
and English correspondents. To allow
no possibility of Observation-Disclosures and
to circulate discreditable truths to the
/ widest extent practicable the tales of the
! three gentlemen have been reiterated day
alter day TO the present time, and, as If to
| prove the uSelessness of denial, in terms
OF steadily increasing severity.
Turning to the other side, it is proper
to say that no denial has been attempted
! by any person IN authority or from any
official source. The only statements
! from which the opinion and feeling of
/ the (InNarrn1aDt ha fair W fo,l
are those given TO the Associated Press
and TO the HOytd, and they tell their own
! story. 1t Is Well-knoWn habit of the
authorities to make no announcements 10
| the japanese public upon any subject
until after the minutest facts have been
gathered. 1t has been several times
aVerred by newspapers in Yokohama
that the Ministers of State are endeavor-
ing to justify the misconduct of those
who took part in the slaughter on the
strength OF the frightful provocation
given, and to mitigate censure by pro-
! ducing evidence OF similar excesses in
European armies. Ii any such endeayor
had been made they would not have es-
capped the observation of your corre-
spondent. Not a word of attempted eX-
LenuatlOn has been discovered. The onlv
voices continuously heard are those of
the foreign war correspondents.
Upon the question of the actual occur
iSbSSS lLGS6 SSlt1SLlSu- are unQlNlQGQ.
IN the conclusions drawn they are less
united. The American writer arraigns
! the entire Japanese race. He does this
with every appearance OF sincerity. His
companions are not SO unreserved in their
condemnation. 1t has been mentioned
that statements sent forth to America
from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
were given before the worst OF the charges
brought by the war correspondent had
been made public here.
Deemlng II possible that these detailed
indictments might suggest new consid-
erationS TO the authorities, especially in
view OF the popular Indignation they
have aroused, the agent of the Associated
Press asked at a proper quarter il il
were desired that any further message
be conveyed, and was informed that so
far as the Government was concerned the
subject was closed Tor the present. What
the Ministers of Stale thought and felt
had been 100 plainly declared to admit of
doubt, and to pursue the matter into par
tIcuIars would have had the appearance
OF sancuoning the controversy in points
concerning which there could be no pos
sible alteration. 1t IS not Xpected that
any formal expression of the Govern
mentS opinion as to methods here en-
ployed by foreign journalists will be
heard. Informal and unofficial opinions
are heard loudly enough on all Sides
in clubs, in comnlttee-rooms of houses
OF Parliament, i'll sanctuarIes Of depart
meuts and III leading literary circles, that
no suppression OF them would be pos
sible. Correspondents are condemned,
not Tor telling everything that they saw
however appalling, nor for performing
their duties with scrupulous fidelity, but
tor alleged abuse of privilege, such AS
would not be practiced IN any western
country, Tor careIeSsnesS resulting in
the uitfusiOutOf gross eXaggerauonS, and
Tor perversiOns of truth calculated to
bring unmerited shame upon the entire
Japanese nation.
The carelessness alleged is found in
such assertions as that an entire peaceful
population was masSacred when it is now
lndIsputaDly proved that the peaceful
population lied before the attack, and has
since largely returned TO its habitaton,
persons slaughtered having been mainly
Chinese soldiers In disguise. Perversion
OF truth Is said TO lie in statements iik e
that which represents correspondents as
deserving the army "in body' because
they were horrltied by spectacles OF
! bloodshed; as compelled To leave the
field OF their duty because they could not
countenance by their presence the wick
edness OF Japan embodied in the crimes
OF her army, when in fact they came
away by pre-arrangement 10 post their
letters, having announced their luteu-
ton many days before TO start as soon as
Port Arthur was taken.
These are mentioned only to show
upon what conditions the widespread
ana increasing irritation OF the japanese
is based. These people believe that they
have been treated ungenerousiy and
with wanton Indifference 10 their keenest
sensibilitles, not rom love OF truth, but
from reckless ambition 10 achieve sensa-
Jloual trlumphs, and they mean to VEN
tilate their grievance broadly and
suurdily in their own land, if they cannot
make themselves heard elsewhere They
Iooh upon the foreign press and It's repre-
sentatiyeS as their active ioes. They are
quite unaware that leading New York
newspapers, prompted by a desire to deal
justly with ali, TOOK unusual pains TO Cb-
tain a statement directly from the Gov
ernmont. They see only what has hap
pened here, anu they Judge accordingly.
IneIr resentment VIII pass in time. but
not too soon.
The war correspondents do not con-
slider that they were bound to withhold
their unpleasant news from the Iolio-
hama press, and tue newspaper that
published the tIdings has had no pur-
pose OF oversteppIng what it conceIyes
TO be proper boundaries of journalism;
| but great flame OF national wrath has
! been kIudled, aud 1t is desirable tnat
American readers should learn precisely
how 1t originated.
With respect TO the underlying fact of
the disorders at Port Arthur, public SEN
tIment Is sound and wholesome
Whether it will declare itself as promptly
and ensrgetically as 1t might have done,
but for the angry channel into which the
feeling Of the community has been di-
rected, Is question just now coming 10
the surface.
The latest news from General 0yama's
army Is that hai Ping was taken on De-
cemDer 18th, without resistance, the Chi