The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-16
MN WHO hADE JAPAN
Frank Carpenter Interviews
the Jap Peter the Great.
WENT ABROAD FOR IDEAS
And Came Home TO Make His
Country Powerful.
WENT ABROAD FOR IDEAS

Toxic, Feb. III had a long chat this
afternoon with Marquis Ito, the conf
Dental adviser of the japanese Emperor
and the statesman who more than all
others directs the game of politics in the
far East.
For generation or more Marquis Ito
has been at the head or every great
move in Japan. He has held every great
great position in the gift of the govern
ment He was Premier at the time Of
the war with China, and it was his mas
ter mind which aided largely in the di-
rection of that struggle
The relations of Marquis Ito and the
Emperor have been for many years of
the closest possible nature. They began
with the downfall Of the shotgun, when
His Majesty was dragged foreh from the
pTlppet-like seclusion of his palace in
Kioto and by the party to which Ito be-
longed placed on the throne at Toxic
and made the real ruler of Japan.
It was Ito who acted most as tutor
and adviser to His Majesty in his deal
ings with foreign nations and in the re-
construction Of his whole empire along
the lines which have produced the new
Japan and made the Japanese people the
greatest Of the Asiatic nations.
He was Of the soldier class, and at
one time belonged to band of young
men who ran away from their homes
with the idea Of clearing the foreign
ships and men from Yokohama.
Their beyish expedition was discovered
nd stopped by the soldiers of the sho-
gam A little later on Ito saw the war
SIN ps of the foreigners and noticed row
we'll they we're armed and managed,
and he concluded that the only way his
co1,r,a ry could ever successfully fight the
Europ cans would be by its people learn
ing their methods. For this purpose hi,
and Count Innouye decided to go to Eng
laid and bring back the desired informa-
ton
The two boys proposed their plan to
their military commander, the Primo Of
Chos,1i. who avge them $4,000 for their
expenses- It was contrary to Law for
them to leave Japan, bat the Print in
s+r71cted them to slip away and take
shin for England, where they were to
learn how the English made their guns
and ammunition.
They attempted to do this, but by a
mistake they were shipped as common
sailors. Their money was stol en- and
thew had many adventures in working
their wav before the mast to En- gland.
There Ito saw with wonder tn wealth
and power of the Western w orld and
realized that Japan could never hope to
Withstand its combined strength.
He and Innouye talked the M Utter over
and decided to go and advise their peo-
ple to adopt the new civilizatto n.
They did so. and as their first reward
Tnnouve was nearly killed by mob of
fanatic patriots and Ito had for time
to keep in hiding
AsI cbatted with Marquis Ito this af-
ternoon I referred to his wonderful ca
reer and asked him if he had kept
diary and whether he would not some
time write a book Of "reminiscences, say
that such a volume might pay him half
a. million dollars, as that Of eGn- Grant
did his family. The Marquis laughed as
he replied:
"such sums for book-making are only
possible in a rich country like the United
States. Our people are comparatively
| poor and onr authors as a rule make
but little. A profit of $4,000 from such
a book would be considered enormous
here. Besides, I have no written notes
of my early life. I had diary but this
was lost during the revolution"
| AS Marquis Ito said this we were sit
ting in the library of his Toxic house,
situated on the hill just above the Amer
lean Legation, A Japanese servant,
/ dressed in the costume of the country,
had just brought in some delicious tea,
| which was served in cups of the most
| delicate porcelain. and which we slipped
as we talked.
The Marquis himself was dressed in
! European clothes, wearing a frock coat
of black and dark pantaloons He has
| q strong face, bright black eyes and an
energetic manner He is now about six
| ty years of age, but is stin in his in
telIectual and physical prime. He speaks
| English well, and our conversation was
carried on in that tongue.
I asked as to the present situation of
| Japan as regards Russia.
THE relations of the Russian and Jap
anese Governments" replied the Mar
! quis. are friendly. The reports you re-
fer to are unfounded. There Is some
feeling among the Japanese against the
Russians, but this comes chiefly from
the ignorant people The better classes
are for peace"
How about the enroachments Of the
Russians on Manchuria and Corea? Is
Japan satisfied to see the Leaotung Pc
ninsula in the hands Of the Russians?"
THE Japanese people felt that they
should have had that as result of their
war with China, but it was not TO be.
The Russians have acquired the right to
run their railroad down to the Yellow
Sea The right was acquired in way
that we could not well object TO- and If
the ports there are kept open the con-
| cessiou may not be 3 bad thing for the
world. 1t gives the Russians a hold on
Manchuria- and suppose that province
viii eventually become Russian. As TO
Corea- that IS a different matter. It has
been agreed that it shall maintain its
independence
is Japan doing much In Corea?''
YES. quite a good deal in a CONNER
cial way" replied Marquis Ito The
chief trade Of Co7ea is with Japan. Our
merchants are establishing houses there.
and you viii find japanese settlements
in all the ports and chief cities"
How about the relations of Japan and
China, Your Exoellency? The possSbi-
lily Of an alliance defensive and offensive
IS frequently spoken Of is Il not?4
Yes. 1t has been suggested by out
siders. but an assure You that no such
thing is in contemplation among the Jap
anese What would be the sense q a