The record-union., 1897-07-29
The MARQUIS ITO
IS FOR PEACE.
Contradicts the Story Regarding His
Visit to Europe.
Not for the Purpose Of ArouSing Feeling
Against the United States.
Says He Firmly Believes That the
Hawaiian Question Will be Set
tied Without the Peaceful Re-
United States Being Disturbed
in the Least.

NEW YORK, July 2S.-A dispatch to
the Herald" from Paris says: If war
should break out between the United
States and Japan it will be in spite of
Marquis Ito, personally as we'll as po-
litically.
In the first place." said Marquis Ito,
II wish you would contradict a state
ment that 1 am here charged with an
official mission to strongly protest in
the name of my Government against
a usurpation fraught with peril. Moth
ing could be further from the truth.
The statement is inexact in every par
ticular. Not only have [ no official
mission in Europe noW-I never had
any. [ believe firmly that the Ha-
waiian question will be settled without
the peaceful relations between Japan
and the United States being disturbed
in the least
Il came to Europe as one of the suite
attached to Prince Arishgawa, who rep
resented the Emperor a. the jubilee GER
tnOnies in England. That commemor-
alton being over, the Prince has re-
turned to Japan and my duties, only
nominal at any time, are now entirely
at an end. SO I am at liberty to avail
myself of the permission the Emperor
accorded me, to take a holiday in Eu-
rope.
1T has been stated that I have been
in Spain to arrange terms for mutual
support in the attitude of Spain and
Japan Vis-a-vis the United States.
This is quite untrue. When 1 was
Prime Minister the Emperor bestowed
an order on the King of Spain. The
insignia was never sent, as it was not
convenient at the time for any one of
sufficiently high rank to leave Japan.
But the visit of Prince Arishgawa to
Europe gave the Emperor an occasion
he has been looking for, and so, TAX
ing advantage of the opportunity, the
Prince went to Spain, and I, as a mat
ter of course, went also. But although
| met the Foreign Minister and all the
other officials, the relations of Japan
with America were never alluded to-,
and [ never broached the subject of
Spain's difficulties in Cuba, and SINH
larly my visit to the Due De Mendes
was only prompted by politeness and
was an acknowledgment of the courtesy
he bestowed on me at San Sebastian
Il do not think it possible that any
opposition manifested in Japan to the
annexation of the Sandwich Islands by
the United States will take any more
extended form than a mere protest
made-remember this point-made in
order that the interests of Japan in
those islands may not suffer injury.
Japan is simply seeking to protect
cI,o
has a perfect right to do; this she is in
duty bound to do; but that she will
look after her interests in other than a.
dignilied diplomatic way is absurd
THE Emperor, I know, will not sup
port any bellicose policy. All my friends
in the Ministry or in the control of the
different branches of the Government
are of the same mind as the Emperor
on this subject and Japanese public
sentiment is one of strong friendship
for the United States. Thus the Ha-
waiian question cannot possibly bring
about a conflict, either armed or diplo-
matte, with the Americans, in spite of
the jingOes."
THE LOS ANGELES INCIDENT.
LOS ANGELES, July 2S. The
Times tomorrow will say: While
the majority of people laugh at the idea
of Japan going to war with the United
States over the annexation of the Ha-
waiian Islands, there is no denying the
fact that the Mikado and his Ministers
are making inquiries and seeking in
formation concerning the country
which they have never heretofore ap-
parently considered of value On the
last steamer direct from Japan there
came a message to a we'll known jap
anese in this city in the shape of cir
cular of interrogations. The document
came from the State Department of the
Imperial Government and freely trans
lated is as follows:
You are commanded by the Imperial
Government to carry out at the earliest
possible date the following Instructions:
Ascertain how many Japanese are
in the county in which you live. Do
not take the United States census. but
ascertain by actual work by yourself.
How many japanese in your county
are American citizens?
How many Japanese in your county
attend the English schools?
What is the average age of the male
japanese living in your county?
How many japanese are engaged in
pursuits where capital is invested by
themselves, and about what amount of
capital is invested?
How many japanese women are
there in your county?
Where do the majority of the Japan
ese in your county live?
What is the nearest seaport in your
county, and if none, what is the nearest
seaport to be reached by you?
State number of railroads, steamship
lines or sailing vessels available from
your county to the nearest port of en-
barkation fer Japan, together with cost
of fare and the time necessary to reach
said nearest port.
What, if any, Japanese papers are
taken in your county?
Give names of the principal members
of the japanese colony in your county.
with location, business and postoffice
addresses.
THE above questions need your i'm
mediate attention, and reports should
be forwarded at the earliest date. This
circular is confidential, and is directed
to Won by order of his irnDpr-ial m iac+y