Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-29
MacARTHUR'S CHARGE
MINISTER TAKAHIRA THINKS he
MUST BE MISTAKEN.
The Japanese Government, He Says,
Never Authorized Any Dealing
With Filipino Insurgents.

Mr.. Takahira, the japanese minister, ex-
pressed great surprise at the statement in
Gen. MacArthurs telegram of December
%. 1890, just made public. that evidence
had been discovered of dealings between
an official of the Japanese consulate at
Manila and the insurgent leader Trias.
This is the first intimation of such an
occurrence that has reached me- said Mr.
Takahira, and while Gen. MacArthurs
statement was undoubtedly made in good
faith, / cannot but think that he was mis-
taken. But if, contrary to this belief, the
japanese official in question did really act
as charged, he was not only guilty of .
gross dereliction of duty, but of wholly
unauthorized departure from the friendly
attitude invariably maintained by the Jap
anese government and its officials since the
Inauguration of diplomatic relations with
the United States. At the very time when
he alleged to have been plotting with
Trias, in October. 1909, Picking had been
relieved by the cooperation of the | nitai
ST.. ties and Japan with the European pow
ers, and the relations of the two countries
were most cordial Marquis Yamagata,
warm friend of the United States, was pre-
mier and 1t is ridiculous to suppose that
he or any one associated with him in til"
government would have sanctioned such
treacherous breach of friendship as that
attributed to this petty official in Manila
There We're at the time some FliipinoS III
Japan, permitted to remain without moles'
tation In pursuance of the poilcy always
maintained by Japan in respect of political
refugees. They had friends in Japan. OF
course, just as doubt they would have
found friends in the United States itSel-,
but their presence eXerted no appreciabiy
important influence upon japanese pubic
opinion, and certainly did not affect the
friendly attitude of the japanese govern
ment toward this country.
Ono for 10
Gen. MacArthurs sources of information
in this case is the nature of the conces-
sions alleged to have been sought from thu
insurgents on behalf of Japan. Even
superficial knowledge of our situation
should have been sufficient to show thar
they were useless to us. For we havi: ali
the coaling stations that we need and the
railway enterprises on foot in our country,
including FormoSa, give full occupation Tor
all the energy and capital we have 70 tx
pend in that direction. So far as freedom
to trade is concerned, we have always
known that we would receive that from the
United States and the gratifying grown
of our commerce with the islands. contem-
poraneous with American occupation, con-
vinceS us that we were correct in that an
ticipation while it fully satisfies every am
bition and desire we ever entertained re-
garding the Philippines.
Il have spoken frankly on this subject
because of the high source whence the re-
pcrt came Doubtless my government Tor
the same reason will deem the mater
worthy of official investigation, not. DC II
distinctly understood because 1t would con-
slider it worth while to take notice of any
statement of that kind regarding its own
attitude but because 1t will certainly de-
sire to discover whether even the least re-
sDonsible among its officials could nave
been guilty of such an egregiouS error.