Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-28
JAPS WILL NEVER YIELD
KATsURA DECLARES HIS NATION
WILL FIGHT TO THE END.
Says Japan is Thoroughly Alive to
Seriousness Of Situation-All
Glasses for War.

Discussing the war and the domestic
| financial and political conditions Of japan
on the eve of the assembling of the d1et
with the correspondent OF the Associated
Press yesterday. Premier Katsura said:
ITO insure peace in the orient and to
safeguard our national existence Is the aim
| and purpose of our empire. and no sacrifice
! shall be too great for successfully effectins
| this purpose.
Russia, besides violating her pledges In
| Manchuria, crowned her overbearing ana
| aggressive policy by extending her arms
| to the Korean peninsula. We were highly
| solicitous to preserve peace, but had no
alternative except that Of war, which was
| forced upon us.
'"Throughout the negotiations Russia
| showed a naughty and overbearing atti-
| tude, which, as has latterly been shown.
| was inadequately supported by military
| strength. Russia allowed herself to be de-
! ceived and sighted our empire, for she
| never believed that Japan would draw the
| sword Of war. Then, after suffering re-
peated defeats on land and sea, Russia
perceived the mistake she had made, ana
| having discovered the seriousness OF the
situation, began to take adequate meas
uIes.
are alive to the seriousness of the situation
and were prepared for exigencies. Russia
must see that the war cannot be concluded
| by the issues of few battles With us
| OF our 45 900 900 brethren remains ignorant
of the vital issue at stake. We are pre-
| pared to sacrifice our last man and our
last cent for this war.
Port Arthur Key to Situation.
1.-THE delay in the decisive result Of our
siege at Port Arthur gives Russia hope OF
being able to relieve the garrison. and for
this purpose she resolved to empty her
naval defense at home. while on land corps
after corps has been modified and sent
eastward.
1.-THE military and naval plan Of Russia
seems to center in the relief Of Port Ar
thur. and Gen. Kuropatkin's southwark adj
vance, which resulted in his serious defeat,
had the relief of the garrison as its sole
object. The Russian emperor's instructions
to Kuropatkin not to retire beyond Mukden
were designed to raise the gloom that had
been hanging over the people OF Russia
since the defeat of Russian arms at the
battle Of Liaoyang. and Kuropatkin as
sumed the aggressive perhaps against his
own judgment.
Everything seems to hinge on the fall
of Port Arthur. but do not console myself
with the thought that the capture of that
Inflated fortress will bring the war to a
| speedy termination. Its capture will give
occasion for renewed plans for warfare by
Russia, and am watching keenly for such
new developments.
1.-The domestic conditions of Japan are
highly satisfactory. The history of our diet
may be summed up by saying that from the
first 1t planted itself firmly in opposition to
the government on financial questions.
After my appointment friction became in
creasingly violent. The two parties-the
constitutionalists and the progressists-held
combined front In opposition to my min
istry. Despite administrative reforms eff
fected on their demand we failed to satisfy
them. They criticised our financial meas
ures as excessive and refused to pass the
bills.
Japanese People Are United.
Judging by those conditions, serious col
lisions between the governed and governing
were predicted. but when the war came this
friction entirely ceased, and the house Of
representatives. which once refused to pass
budget Of 100000 as excessive and
unbearable, gave a ready and willing assent
to the first war budget of s2Ss, OOO,O0
AT this session of the diet the govern
ment will be compelled to present budget
Gaining for S3SS,OOO,0OO, and Indications are
that 1t will be passed without the slightest
difficulty.
This happy phenomenon Is attributable
to the characteristics Of our people Before
great national problem our people unite
and friends and opponents join hands for
the accomplishment Of our national pur-
poses. With the great problem of the war
before them, the people Of our nation have
become as one man. We have no war party
and no peace party, as Russia has but on
tne contrary, our nation Is one and united
with determination to fight to the last
extremity.
When the war came on It so fappened
that our financial condition was such that
everything indicated a fresh awakening
AFTER period Of long dullness and inactiv-
lty. Thus, our latent financial energy was
olrected toward the war fund. Our people
are showing ample capacity to finance the
war, and, despite the floating of domestic
been anected, while banking conditions have
actually expanded since the beginning Of
hostilities. "a
War Taxes Cheerfully Paid.
The war expenses reach a large sum
monthly, but the government has managed
their absorption in such a manner as 70
least affect the normal conditions Of the
money market. The decrease in circulation
mas been very small, and our people are
cheerfully meeting the advanced taxation.
while every domestic loan has been over
subscribed
Il confess that the results have exceeded
our expectations They are explained by
the TACT that our people maintain a calm
attitude. and diligently continue their usual
occupations. Frugal habits have been
been sacrificed e' LAS
Our crops this year exceed their aver. ee
value by $50,OO0,000. Our foreign trsSe
shows an improvement over that of 1ane
and l expect 1t will reach a total of CO.."
OOo0O0. The prices Of Commodities bova
peen slightly increased, but our financi.I
anu economic conditions remain una ffactad -