Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-30


ter of Japan. He Is imbued with American
ideas. trained to American methods and
recognizes the value Of frank ana 1rlend-
ly understanding between the United states
and his government. With other officials
at Tokyo he has BEEN concerned lest the
yellow peril agitation may affect public
sentiment in the United States, and In
Tokyo the other day he asked me to assure
our people that the motives and purposes
of the two governments in their policy to-
ward China have been Identical from the
start.
THE yellow peril1' Baron Komura said,
thizers to deceive and deIude other nations
regarding the intentions and the pohcles
of Japan. Like the United states ana
Great Britain, Japan stands pledged 70 pre-
and to keep the doors Of commerce open III
Manchuria. That pledge will be strictly
observed. We have been in constant COM
munication with Secretary Hay. There mas
been a perfect understanding between
Washington and Tokyo from the s.art, anu
if Japan is successful in this war the POLICY POLICY
defined and inau aug by, by o .ne on''e0
Il confess that it is true. cohsrh4 the
Baron Komura, that Japan has taken tne
leadership in eastern affairs, put ~ - ue
cause she felt 1t her duty to ne sa Whether
or not 1t be her destiny to continue ~ t
leadership, whether or not the resgo
ties shall continue to rest upon Pa HiII
not willingly retrace her own steps, the the
she will at least endeavor TO Persuat ~. ex.
Chinese and the Koreans to follow nc ,od
ample in adopting the best 1eatuIeS " dove
ern civilizations; to do what she mas uo
herself, and what she Is trying " Wv ~
perfectly. L. ravent the
THE object of this war is to preVen nr; tue
dissolution Of China, to protec' +hat emnre
rial and political integrity OF Una. ut
and to secure equal rights and opPoi onr
for all nations in the interest," ol Su tiny
Justice progress, humanity ana clViilAa . 'io. W,
Questions of race and religion navT 80, no' , en-
tsred into consideration at all. This war
has nothing whatever to do with them. nc
enemies of Japan have attempted W .iso nv,
the prejudices of the Christian county, w
asserting that we are struggling III
nremacy of race over race and rellglon over
religion but I venture to suggest that Tue
attitude Of the Japanese governlienm, ".
ward the Christian missionaries ol an na
tions and toward the foreign renglons tnal
have been introduced here is not ohly
complete answer to such an assertion put
will be cordially commended by the repre-
sentatives of the Protestant the roman
Catholic and the Greek churches, without
exception or reserve.
Japan and Civilization.
"The policies of Japan toward rehglon
and civilization generally are no longer
matters of doubt or discussion. They are
as fixed and as we'll known as the attitude
ton toward the same questions. Religious
freedom and commercial freedom have been
two of the fundamental principles OF our
national policy. We have found them proht.
able as well essentiol to progress, ana
we desire to see the development of our
neighboring countries conducted on the
same lines.
Japan is now recognized as leader in
educational movements because we DelleVe
that popular education is essential to pros
neritv and hanptneSS That / believe, is
the western idea. We may have absorbed
it from you, and our people have accepted
it with all their hearts Our educational
system is as comprehensive and complete
as that of any other nation. 1t embraces
every grade of instruction, from the kinder
garten to the highest specialized courses
of a university. There Is not hamlet in
the empire without a primary public school;
there is secondary school in every town of
Importance; there are high schools and col
leges in every province, and universities at
Tokyo and kyoto. Besides these are many
normal and technical schools with which
you are familiar. The entire system
inaugurated and is sustained by the govern
ment, and while it may not yet be perfect
gent, that the policy of our government is
founded upon broad lines and that our
emperor recognizes that the people should
be educated to share his responsibilities.
II sure that our laws and the pro-
cedure of our courts have the confidence of
foreign critics. and that the rights, however
insignificant, of every individual however
humble, are protected and defended in ia
pan as they are in the. United States and
the European countries. Japan has
reason to be ashamed of her courts, and
the same may be said Of other features of
government-our financial credit, our COM
mercial laws and custom house regulations.
We are not conscious that any foreigner has
reason to complain of his treatment in
Japan. On the contrary, we are frequently
reminded by eminent foreign visitors of
I, tt.,1i Of hn Inc
tice of our laws and of the liberal hoSpi-
tally with which the subjects of all ma
tons are treated in Japan.
I'VE desire that similar conditions should
prevail in the neighboring nations, because
we believe that they are for the advantage
of every one concerned, as we'll as being
just and right and in harmony with the
spirit of the age. Japan pledges herself to
promote all of these interests in China, in
Korea and elsewhere so far as our influence
extends We desire to aid in the develop
Inent of those countries as We have been
aided by the United States and other friend
Iy nations in our own national progress, and
all fears that any other policy may be
adopted are unfounded. If Japan should
attain to a position of leadership in eastern
Asia her influence will always be exercised
in the interest of progress education, ma te-
rial development and justice, and the inter-
eStS of western nations, whether they re-
late to industry or commerce or religion,
will always be protected.
The Anglo-Japanese Treaty.
In January, 1902, Great Britain and Japan
signed very important treaty. The minds
of both nations were resting upon the pos
sibility of such a war as is now going on,
for that made the treaty necessary and SUBJ
seduent events have emphasized its sig
nificance. This treaty pledges both Japan
and Great Britain to recognize and protect
the indie pendence and the territorial in
tegrity of China and Korea and to take
such measures as may be indispensable in
order to safeguard those interests if threat
ened by the aggressive actions of any other
power"
Article second provides that "if either
Great Britain or Japan, in the defense of
their respective interests, as above de-
scribed, should become involved in war
with another power, the other high con-
tracing party will maintain a strict neu-
trality and use its efforts to prevent other
powers from joining in hostiities against
its ally" The third article, which is es-
pecially interesting in the light of current
events, guarantees that "if in the above
events any other power or powers should