The times., 1897-10-31

tie foundation of the selfgovernlnent
graciously conferred upon them by their
sovereign, and it's mandates are uniyer-
sally regarded az sacred and inyioiahle.
Militia rism.
Il is sometimes alleged that undue pronii-
nence is given 10 militarism IN Japan. That,
however, is mistake The profession OF
arms did at one time carry with it great
privileges but that tine has passed. In
fact, one of tie greatest difficulties which
confronted the imperial government aC
tie tirae of tie restoration, and for some
years after, Arose from the presence OF an
influential class among our people I might
almost say the predominant class soldiers
hy birth aud training, some of whom We're
loath to surrender the peculiar ittmnnities
and prerogatives which had been enjoyed
by the caste Cor centuries That difficulty
was overeome in time and its recurrence
was prevented by the law of conscnption,
which makes everyone in the empire from
the highest 10 the lowest, liable TO military
service. A present we have well-organ.
ICED army and good navy, but we maiE-
tain and strengthen them as a means Of
lefeuse aud mo- of ofrensa our national
policy ia this respect has been uniforu anG
corsistent Throughout; it is the policy en-
joined by the Emperor in 1867 to strength.
en- the country "by adopting the rreans or
defense employed in foreign lands There
have been occasions in our history when we
sadly felt the need of such strength, and
now that we have the opportunity To ac-
quire il We would fall far short of what We
If we did not utilize it. But this III no
wise implies the presence of an aggres.
siye or a GuarrtlsonAe spirit. We have done
nn more il, the way of strengthening our
military aud naval resources than the
most ordinary caution demands of a people
situated as we are and confronted by the
potentialities OF danger 10 which Japan
is exposed. The stirring events which fol-
lowed Immediately after the restoration
appeared for the time being to give undue
prominence Ia the spirit of Inilitarism But
eur progress since then has been greatest
on other lines, and today the military estab
Iishment has only its appointed place in
the body polite. with no greater privile Ges
or power than of right belong to it. Nat
urally the army and navy hold high
place in tie nations regard, but it is one
they have earned by proving themselves
the patriotic and ohedient Instruments OF
the VIII OF the state.
Japanese Statesmanship.
Itisnot gracious thing TO say but many
persons who discourse IearnedIy upon
things Japanese never get farther than the
discovery that Japan is in Asia. Because
Asiatic nations do not, as a rule, care for
those thin gs or attempt those things whica
Japan values and seeks To attain, IL ap.
pears 10 be taken for granted by such critics
that Japan. heing an ASiatic nation, has
no serious purpose in striving to adopt West
+ era civilization. Such reasoning has no
4 weight, Of course, with impartial students OF
/ human progress, but, unfortunately, il does
/ leadastTay n.aa y W no ok either the inclina-
ton or tie opportunity TO discover the
truth. The answer is obvious. Asiatlc pep-
pies may differ as widely from each other
/ as those OF Europe or America. Because
! with one ASiatic nation religion is an in-
4 sUperabie bar &c progress, because another
is perfectly satisfied with its present condi-
hon aEd refuses 10 adopt even the most
/ obviously useful products OF modern inven-
! tion, it does not follow that all Asiatio
nations are bigoted or Iethargic. Granted
sincerity of purpose and honesty of effort.
/ and there is nothing inexplieab ble in Japan's
! career during the past thirty years. The
question of race has no valid title to prior
/ consideration in The case: certainly hone
as a decisive factor. For people who
1 have shown aspiration for Improvement
! and ability 10 attain a higher standard,
the onIy legitimate test is one that esti-
mates the earnestness of effort and the
/ measure of caTacity.
The New Japan.
are to go into effect III 1899, and by the
terms Of which Japan RECEIVERS all of the
| prerogatves temporarily suspended by the
operation CT the old treaties.
Tins change in Japan's conventional
status has q significance peculiarly its
own. For the first tine in the history
or the international relations of Eastern
and Western countries, an Oriental nation
VIII Be received upon footing of perfect
equality by Christian powers. Natur.
ally, the Japanese people are gratifed
with this result, but that does not Imply
that those who inspire and direct national
thought and progress, regard this great
change as a cause for self-gratnlation
merely. On the contrary. they fully un
derstand that it win bring fresh cares
and onerous responsibilities. They real.
as it were, end that the Judgment of
CbriStenlom viii depend upon the man
! ner in which her government and her
people aequit themselves of their new
obligations Under these circumstances.
it would be folly to speak over-confi-
dently, and 1 sincerely believe that my
countrymen VIII pass through the ordeal
with the appreciation of just ana impartial
observers
Japan and the United States.
Japan is so new as a factor in tho
worlds calculations, SO little studied. and
SO little ~ rderstood that her motives and
her actions are sometimes seriously nus
construed. This is topic upon which
must speak with due caution, but even ar
the risk Of seeming improperly 1 cannot
allow the opportunity to pass of saying a
word upon subjects which have lately
been attracting widespread attention.
No citizen Of this country should be e
noraut of the fact that among the people
Of Japan there is q genuine and deeply
rooted attachment to the United States.
1t is not n.erely sentimental liking, but
feeling founded upon the memory of many
kindnesses received. The United States
has been friend TO Japan, helpful in the
hour Of need, considerable at all times II
there was q nation uPOn whose sympath :
they could rely in the effort to improve cir
condition, aud of whose appreciation they
were certain in whatever successes they
might gain. that nation, the Japanese peo-
pie have thought, was the United States
Such beingthe case, the tone ofmany recent