Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-07-10
THAT MASAMPO INCIDENT.
Nh, Kondo, President Of ], N. S. Co., *.
poaIns Il in Full,
There il Much EXaggcrution About
the Attitude OF Russia and Japan
In China and Corea.

New York, July 1O.-R Kondo, presl-
dent Of the Japan Mail Steamship COM
pany, says, in an interview in the
Journal Of Commerce, that there has
been a great deal Of eXaggeratIon con-
corning Russia's and Japans attitudes
both in China and Korea. The Masam-
20 incident. concerning which so much
has been said. Is an instance in point.
All that there was In that AFFAIR was
that the Russians desired to obtain
certain piece Of land In Masampo
wherein to provide shore facilities Tor
a steamship line to be run in connec-
tion with the Eastern Chinese Railway.
The japanese owner OF that much
tuiKed-ul piece Of land was no other
than the Japan Mail steamship COM
paHy OF wnlCn Mi koudO is president,
which desires to use IL for precisely the
same purpose as the Russian company.
The incident has absolutely no p0ntical
significance whatever Nothing could
be farther from Japan's desire, Mr.,
kOndO adds, than TO nght Russia, and
he believes that the same may be said
VI ANAEalo ANNAlAh wv az "a oh-oAs
The first question which attracted Mr.
KOndOs attention on his arrival in san
Francisco, was the agitation against
japanese Immigration. Naturally, he
took great interest in the matter and
investigated the condition OF affairs
which had given rise to the agitation.
He found some OF the japanese IN a de-
plorable condition. Many of them had
evidently come TO this country under
the impression that money Is 10 be
earned without much effort, leaving
their homes where living Is much
cheaper by comparison and where they
could lead simple, happy lives. without
any definite idea OF what they were 90
do on arriving, but with a haZy impress
sion that they would improve their con-
diti0n, Just az many Americans 60 20
Cape Nome or the Klondikc. The dis
appointment In many cases Is bitter,
and the hardships which such expert
enCes entail win doubtless have "A DIFF
ferent effect upon japanese immigra-
tiOn. The japanese government has no
desire, Mr.. KOudo states 20 have such
immigration continue, as was shown In
the recent restrictive measures adopted
IN Japan on the other hand. Mr. K0n-
do found many employers Of japanese
lab0fers VINO pronounced them Ohedl-
ent. honest and hard working. That
such labor would be OF benefit 70 this
country IN districts where labor OF AN
kinds is scarce and where the natural
resources richly repay all toll expended
upon them he does not entertain the
least doubt. Nor can he conceive Of
anything like general opposition In such
n country as the United states 20 the
free and voluntary coming OF useful la
borers because they belong 10 a differ
ent race. least Of all when u Is remem.
bered that their number can never be
very great Mr.. Kondo does not believe
that the United States would ever take
any restrictive action against japanese
immigration which could be construed
as an affront 10 Japan's prestige but n !
that should ever be done. he thinks q |
no more than probable that Japan
would adopt retaliatory measures. That |
result, he thinks, would be a matter Of |
deea regret IN the case ~ two nations |
whose friendship has always been so |
cordial. and 10 both OF whom even clos |
or ties IN the future would be OF so /
much advantage