The San Francisco call., 1904-10-24
TO TIGHTEN
THE BOND Of
FRIENDSHIP
Royal Prince Sails
From Japan for
America.
General FuShimi'S Mission
Is to Draw the Two
Nations Closer.
Coming First to San Francisco, but
Will Assume Official Status at st.
Louis and Washington Only.

\ YOKOHAMA, Oct. 2S = Lieutenant
General Prince Fushimi, special i'm
perial envoy to the st. Louis exposi-
tion, sailed to-day, with his suite, on
the steamship Manchuria for San Fran
cisco, amid general enthusiasm. Prince
Fushimi was attended from Toxic by
officials of the imperial household,
and the entire American Legation staff
in uniform. Arriving at Yokohama, the
Prince and his party proceeded to a
detached imperial palace, escorted by
the Governor of the province, the
Mayor OF Yokohama and city officials
and the American consular officials.
Shortly afterward Prince Fushimi
embarked in the presence of an i'm
n1ense crowd. arid shouts Banzai's'
and America
: WASHINGTON, oct. 23-It is stated
authoritatively to-day that the purpose
of the Emperor of Japan in sending on
a visit to this country his adopted
brother, his imperial Highness, Prince
Fushimi, who will reach San Francisco
about the middle of November, is to
strengthen by every appropriate means
the traditional friendship between the
United States and Japan.
VISIT PLANNED LONG AGO.
Kogoro Takahira, the Japanese Min
lister in Washington, in a conversation
at the Legation said:
When a person of dignity travels in
foreign country it is almost always
the case that the occasion is used to
start some speculation in regard to the
object Of his journey. So / do not ex-
pect that exception should be made of
the visit Of his imperial Highness. But
to attribute it to the so-called change
in American feeling, as represented by
some newspapers, is entirely guess. ;
from wild imagination. The Princes
visit to this country was originally
brought into consideration as long ago
as last spring, but as it was a part of
his object to see the worlds fair at
st. Louis, it was considered advisable
to defer it to the autumn. when the
exhibits would be in a more compIete
form for observation, and for that
reason this time was chosen for his
visit; but there is, of course, no oues-
tion about the principal object of his
visit being to strengthen thereby the
ties of genuine friendship so happilv
existing between the United States and
japan in most appropriate manner.
bat not in such PATCHWORK fashion az
has been reported in some quarters.
His Highness will maintain his of-
hcial status as Imperial Prince onlv
in Washington and st. Louis. but in
all other cities he will travel incosnito
This is another evidence that he is
not coming here to start a boom as
has been reported. After his visit to
the fair, where he will be particularly
interested to see that wonderful dis
play Of American genius and energy.
he will visit the educational, CONNER
ciaI and industrial centers of this
country such as Boston, Philadelphia.
New York, Pittsburg and Chicago. to
study the true causes of the greatness
of the United States and also the le-
gitimate interests of this great repub-
lie in the Far East.
HONORS TO BE SHOWN HIM.
"As to the so-called change in
American sentiment toward japan. so
newspapers, do not feel it at all. TT
may be because 1 have not been SUBJ
jected to a fit Of nervousness for some
time that do not feel such a change.
If there is any. But, in my opinion.
SO long as Japan has nothing in her
motive nor action that may be con-
sidered prejudicial to the legitimate
interest of all nations, she has no fear
of losing the friendship of any people:
and. even if there should occur some
deviation in this sentiment, through
misunderstanding or on account of
mischievous agencies, such misunder-
standing soon must disappear, mas
much as there is no real ground for
its existence. We are not afraid of
any such misunderstanding, but we
implicitly rely upon the keen intelli-
gence and good sense of the American
people for correct judgment of our
cause and position"
Pierce. the Third Assistant Secre-
tary of State. and Takahira are now