The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-08
ito ARRIVES TODAY
JAPAN'S FOREMOST STATESMAN
TO VISIT THE SANITY
CITY
HE MAY STAY TWO DAYS
Sketch of the Career of the Most
Remarkable Character the East
Has Produced in Many
Centuries.

veteran and most respected statesman,
will visit st. Paul today from Seattle
If the plans of the itinerary permit, he
will remain in the Twin Cities for two
days, but it is possible that no lengthy
stay may be made.
The marquis is taking the trip largely
for his health. The enormous political
experiences which his country has passed
through the past ten years have severely
tried the strength of ''the Gladstone of the
Orient" His is a remarkable personal
lty, and in the diplomatic world he is
conceded to be one of the worlds fore
most masters of statecraft.
Oriental events are so far away and
mystical that Western minds do not al
ways give them due proportion, but the
Grand Old Man of Japan has had
career which in romantic features and
epoch making achievements entities him
to rank among the most remarkahle
characters in history
Born in privileged class Ito turned
his back on the old system to uplft the
common people. Running away from
his own country as a boy, in spite of a.
restraining law, he learned the superior
lty of Occidental civilization and vowed
to give it's benefits to his native land
lie was by birth one of the Samurai, the
privileged soldier class of old Japan, with
the right to wear a sword at his side,
but he deliberately renounced old ties
to start the revolution which ~unseated
the Shotgun and restored the mikado to
his ancient power.
Since then he has been a leader in
every movement for the benefit of his
people. He has held many high offices,
and often been a member of the cabinet
He foresaw the war with China, and
stroVe to provide a great fund of money
for the time of stress. AS admiral he
won the great naval battle with the Chi
neSe fleet. He was Instrumental in Civ
ing the Japanese a liberal constitution
He was rewarded with titles formerly re-
served for the imperial family, and has
often been called the Bismarck of ia
pan for his work in rejuvenating his
country, and the Gladstone of Japan for
his craftsmanship in it's governmental
affairs
Marquis Ito was born in the province
of Choshu about sixty-five years ago.
AS Samurai he belonged to the MOBILES
He was intensely patriotic, and like
others of his class was bitterly opposed
to the intrusion of foreigners. So strong
was this feeling that the young Samurai
formed a secret band, of which Ito was
member, for the purpose of clearing the
foreign ships and their crews from the
harbor of Yokohoma. This boyish enter
prise was discovered and the officers of
the Shotgun nipped it in the bud.
FIRST TRIP ABROAD.
The incident apparently set up a new
train of thought in the mind of young Ito.
He began to study the foreign war ships
more closely. He observed that they
bristled with cannon and that their
crews were carefully trained He came
to realize that the hated foreigners
possessed great power in their war yes
sells, and he longed to learn more of their
methods in order that Japan might profit
by them. The bright young Jap reached
the conclusion that if his country wished
to cope with the foreigners it must have
such lighting ships, and he vaguely felt
/ that he mast be it's Moses To that end
he conspired with Count Innouye to go
to England to get the desired informa-
ton and bring it back to Japan. They
shipped as common sailors and at the
outset of the voyage their money was
stolen They reached their destination,
however, and crammed their heads with
as much Western wisdom as possible
On their return to the Land of Morning
Calm they began to tell of what they had
discovered and to advise their people
to wake up to European ways. The first
result was that Innouye was nearly killed
by mob of ignorant bigots, and Ito had
to keep in hiding for a time. Their ideas
made an impression, however and the
great Japanese revolution was already
fermenting. When that struggle broke
forth the two young Samurai were found
IN the front rank and dealt powerful
blows for the redemption of their coun-
try. The power of the usurping Shotgun
was destroyed forever and the hum
Ole m1kado was dragged from his pup
pet-llke secluSon at Kiato to be set on
the throne with all the dignity of his
ancestors of olden time.
COMES TO UNITED STATES.
Count Ito came to the United States
IN 1868 to study its coinage system. He
made another visit in 1872 with the Iva
kura embassy, which sought the revision
OF treaty. AS under secretary of fhe
department of public works in 1874 he
oulit the hrst railroad in Japan. Two
years later he became minister of pub
nc works, and on the death of Count
Okubo in 1877 he was made minister of
the interior. -
PREPARED A CONSTITUTION
An imperial edict in 1881 promised the
people constitution, and a committee
unoer the direction of Ito worked ten
years preparing the document, much of
which is based on American and Euro
pean models. In anticipation of the pro-
muigation the mikado made Count Ito
his premier in 1885, and Count Tnnonve
was appointed minister of foreign affairs.
Ihey had collisions with the lower house
u the olet, Which led to their resigna-
LION, out they came back into power in
1877 1t was this Ito ministry which fore
saw the war with China and boarded I'M
a great sum for the Japanese war chest
ITO mad much to do with the direction
OF the war, and was the high admiral
OF the japanese navy during the STRUGGLE
coming off with flying colors. II was
ne who negotiated the treaty of peace
with Ii Hung Chang
The mikado as a reward raised Count
Ito to the rank OF marquis and conferred
upon him the Order of Merit and the
order of the Chrysanthemum. Those dec
orations had never been conferred on
anyone except member of the imneriaI
family. A'i
me marquis and his party will arrive
at 2;so this afternoon, on the car Cascade
attached to the regular Great Northern
flyer. 'iieiH