Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-09-03
MlNosAkU YAMAMoTo DECLARES
RACE PREJUDICE A HIND
RANCE TO CIVILIZATION.
Native Japanese Student Visiting at
Home of Mr.. and Mrs. r. D. Foster
Writes Interesting Paper Upon
Phase Of Russo-Japanese War.

eth century," writes Minosaku Yama
OTTO resident of Yamaguichi, Japan
who is in the city visiting at the home
of Mr.. and Mrs. T. D. Foster, 205 East
Fifth street. Mr.. Yamamoto is stud
ent at Park college, Parkville, Mo-, and
has resided in this country about four
months.
Previous to coming to America, Mr.
Yamamoto was teacher in, the Jap.
anese mission school in which Miss
Anna Foster daughter of T. d. Foster,
first learned the Japanese language.
He.reports that Americans are. the
quickest to pick up the Japanese Ian
guage and that of all the missionaries
who came to the mission school, Miss
Foster was the quickest to pick up the
tongue.
May Return to Fight.
Mr. Yamamoto is greatly interested
in the Russo-Japanese war and has no
doubt whatever but that Japan will be
the winner in the struggle. He would
be in the army himself but for the fact
he is not strong physically but il the
need comes he declares he will return
and fight to the limit for his beloved
land of the cherry blossom.
Mr. Yamamoto has prepared paper
upon the present war which will prove
of interest as being the views ex-
pressed by native Japanese concern
ing what is known as the yellow per-
ill.," The paper is as follows:
Ambition of Russia.
."The ambition Of Russia to acquire
Manchuria has resulted in the terrible
Russo Japanese war. The eyes of the
world are attracted to this struggle
and statesmen are anxiously watching
to see what Transformation will take
place in oriental politics. In the minds
of some of the statesmen OF certain
western nations great fear has ris-
en- as result of this struggle. The OBJ
ject of this fear is the yellow peril
which is sometimes called 'colorphobia'
The Russians are seeking the SYM
pathy of the people of the western
world by emphasizing this fear.
"You may wonder how we Japanese
look at this suggestion. 1t seems to me
at least, that there is no reason to fear
the supremacy of either race.The pres
ent conflict is reflection upon human
civilization. 1t is not a struggle for
supremacy for either race. A states
man who is greatly responsible to his
own nation must decide on the char
acter Of the diplomacy required both In
the present instance and the future
largely by studying past historical
records. 1t may be that there are rea-
sons for comparing the present in
stance with the one in the distant thir-
teenth century in the age of Genghis-
Kahn the Mongol. but there is no rea-
son why the early fear of the Mongol
should again take possession of Euro
peans.
Fighting for Peace.
1--WE Japanese are fighting for con-
slant peace and perpetual friendship
in the world and we desire civilization
to be universal We are not fighting
for the future of the yellow race. The
japanese do not put SO much stress
upon the difference of color as is done
by some statesmen in the west.
3"The terms Ethiopian, Caucasian, and
Monaghan are only artificial and pro-
yisional words which were created for
the convenience of the historian.
1.-THE small island empire is mostly
inhabitated by the race of Yamato-Min-
zoku. Through all history it has shown
such superiority that 1t has be-
come the imperial line. The mikados
line has continued unbroken since the
beginning Of history to the present day
a period of 1857 years, through peri
cd of 225 generations.
eff Russia with her great dominion
in the far east is so much concerned
in Oriental diplomacy and really
wishes peace and civilization in the
Orient and would regard treaty obi
cations with justice and honesty, not
only Japan but all Oriental nations
would give cordial encouragement te
her.
"Russia's deeds resemble those Of
Genghis-K Kahn in the thirteenth cen
fury and before all the laws of civil
cation which is the more barbarous
she or the Mongol? In 1899 when trou
BILE arose in northern China, the deeds
Of the Russian soldiers showed theil
true nature They butchered peaceful
citizens, insulted women, burned pri
vate houses and looted properties ant
later repeated these outrages on the
japanese refugees in Manchuria ane
Siberia after this war broke out.
by whom have these terrible catas,
trophies in Manchuria and in the orr
entail waters been brought about:
Certainly not by Japan, but by Rus
sia Their selfish policy in the orient
is the whole cause OF the present war
The Japanese are not people to fight
for the mere sake of fighting as is con.
tended by some. Japan has done he1
best to preserve peace under the
treaty with Russia. Japan has been
actuated by desire to maintain the
independence and territorial integrity
of the Chinese and the Korean EN-.
pires and to secure equal opportunities
In these countries for the people of
all nations. She has declared herself
to be entirely uninfluenced by any ag.
gressive tendencies in either country.
But Russia disregarded this principle,
ignored the protocol by the terms of
which she was bound to evacuate Man
churia by October of last year Break
ing faith, Russia made an increase in
her forces and her tendencies since has
been to acquire the possession of
Korean territory.