New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-11-15
JAPAN TO THE FORE.

Beyond all question Japan IS getting on She
has not been content with taking leaf from
the book OF American and European progress.
She has taken the whole volume. and marked,
read and inwardly dgestcd 1t. and the diet
seems to agree with her. Never was there nm
other nation that showed such growth In almost
every direction, in SO short time, as Japan has
in the last dozen years. Never was there one
that set before Itself n more ambitious pro-
gramme than that which Japan now has before
her. And with memory OF her recent achieve
ments fresh in mind. who shall say she Is I'M
equal to the task OF It's fuiment?
The resignation Of Marquis Ito and Count
Mutsu, and the accession TO power Of Count
Okuma. n few weeks ago. generally sup
posed to mean the beginning OF strong foreign
policy" There are now unmstakable Indications
that that supposliion will be more than verified.
But it is not necessarily TO be a fighting policy.
On the contrary, Count Okuma believes diplo-
macy to be more potent than war lie would
not have given up LcaoTong and Corea as meek
" as his predecessor did Neither would he
have gone to war with Russia and Germany
and France to retain them. But he would have
temporized; he would have made n show Of iron
resolution; he would have attacked diplomat
ton; he would. in brief, have played colossal
game Of bluff and in eventually yielding
would have contrlved to secure for Japan some
compensatory advantages. That Is what Greece
did ten years ago. in the face OF all Europe, and
what Greece could do Japan could surely do!
Nor IS that all. nor more than the beginning.
Japan must enlarge her borders. Her tide OF
emigration is setting strongly toward the south.
Formosa Is already hers. Next TO 1t are the
Philippines, and nothing could be more proper
than that she should ultimately get them, and
the Carolines. Upon the Hawaiian group still
more she has fixed her eyes. Her people are
going ththcr at the rate Of thousands every
year, and already form more than 0ne-fourth
Of the total population, vastly Outnumbering all
other foreigners. "rhe growth Of Japanese in
"nucnce has naturally made Japan an object
"of jealousy to foreign countries. such as Amer-
"ca Portugal and England and there are per-
SONS in the present Hawaiian Government who
favor the idea Of n union with the United
States" Wherefore it is eXpedient that a
Minister and Consul be forthwith stationed
at Honolulu, to protect Japanese interests and to
chcckmate the designs OF rival Powers, until
such time as the little Republic by force Of its
Japanese population, is absorbed into the En-
pre Of the Rising SUM-
Beyond all that. Japan must not be content
with mere piecemcal expansion of her territory
She must extend her colonies and her commerce
to the uttermost ends of the earth She must
have a Minister ut every capital and a Consul
ut every port. Brazil, for example, Is n land Of
vast possibilities. There Is room there for thou
sands of Japanese, and there Is an opening for
much trade, for which, indeed, commercial
treaty Is now being consunlmated. Siam Is a
bone Of contention between England and France
But japanese immigrants are pouring in, q
Japan-Siam Society has been organized at Bang
kok, a commercial treaty is being negotiated
and Japan may yet slip in between France and
England and secure the prize. $50 elsewhere
The expansive power Of the japanese race must
make itself felt through North and South
America and tie Indies through India. and
throughout Polynesia dominating everywhere
1.-The white inhabitants and suppan,ng the
"black races
Such Is the ambition Of the new Japanese
Government, as set forth In its chief newspaper
organ. Is it too greatly vaulting? VIII 1t over
leap itself? We shall see. What Japan has
done and is doing are. at any rate. not calcu-
lated to discourage faith In her ability to do yet
greater th'ugs- II IL no light matter to have