The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-02-11

Shsu Mhfcu;s no has bnen The ehfef power
behind thu throne. and It IL he who to-day
IS largely directing tn. foreign policy OF
Japan. He is. IN fact. the Gladstone and
Bismarck OF this part Of the world. stand
ing higher than Ii Hung Chang has ever
stood. and having the confidence rot only of
tho leading men Of Japan. but the implicit
confidence Of tho Emperor.
Marquis Ito and the Hikado.
The relations OF Marquis Ito and the En-
peror have been for many years Of the
closest possible nature. They began with
the downfall Of the Shotgun. when his
Majesty was dragged 10th from the pup
etllks secIus;on OF his palace in kluto and
by the party TO which Ito belonged placed
on the throne at Toxic and made the real
ruler Of Japan. 1t vas Ito who acted most
as tutor and adviser TO his Majesty in his
dealings with foreign nations. and in the
reconstructi1n Of his Empire along the lines
which have produced the new Japan and
made the japanese people the greatest Of
the Asiatic nations
A Romantic Career
Marquis Ito was. In fact. the first % tho
great men Of japan to realize that his coun-
try could not remain shut out from the
rest Of the world and that it could not
EAtNtSSAAa4F hLhL -tt El'dA sAAiN.H - I-"-
rope without modern ships and without .
knowledge OF our science Of war. The
story has been told. by. never as Marquis
Ito himself could tell +. He got his frs,
glimpse OF the Western civilization a. -
boy. Then. as now. ne was an intense
patriot. and he. Ike the other young no.
bles OF the time, was opposed 10 having
foreigners land IN japan. He was Of the
soldier class. and at one time belonged to
q band OF young men who ran away from
their homes with the idea Of clearing the
foreign ships and men from the harho7 az
Yokohama. Their boyish expedition was
discovered and stopped by the soldiers u
the shotgun. A little later on Ito "a" the
wlrships Of the foreigners and noticed how
well they were armed ana managed. and
20 concluded that the only way LHs gouU-
try could ever succcssmfIiiy fight the Euro
peans would be by Its people learning the.-
methods. For tins purpose he AMI Count
InnoUyc decided to 20 to England and
bring back the desired Information.
The TWO boys proposed their plan 20 their
military commander. the Prince of I'll siu.
who gave them $>o,J for their expenses.
It was contrary TO law. for them 10 leave
Japan, but the Prince Instructed them to
slip away ana take ship for England. where
they were TO learn how the EuS.iSh made
their guns and ammunition and 10 study tn
secrets Of European naval supremacy. They
ATTEMPTED to d. this. olt 10y Il mistake
were shipped as common sailors. Their
money was stolen and they had many au-
ventures IN working th1ir way before he
mast TO England. There Ito saw with Won
der the wealth and power OF the Western
world and realized that Japan could never
hope - Withstand its combined strength.
He and lnruuye talked the matter over
and decided to go back home and advise
their people 10 adopt the new civilization.
They did SO. and as the!- first reward In
nouye WAS nearly killed by Il mob Of fanatic
patriots and Ito had for "a time - keep in
hiding. Il WAS soon seen, however. that
the boys were right. The statesmen Of one
party with them organized the new move
ment. and from tina; time on both have
been In the trent ranks CT everything which
has aided in making Jaran the great coun-
try II is to-day.
May Write o Hook.
As 1 chatted with Marquis Ito this after
and asked HIM If he had kept a diary. and
whether TO would not some time write a
book of "reminiscences. SAYING that such a
volume might pay him half i million dol
lars. as that of Gencral Grant did mis- fam
Is. The Marquis laughed as lie replied:
Such sums from booS-mak;nS are only
possible IN a rich country like the United
States. Our people are comparatively poor
and our authors as a rule make but little.