Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-03-03

bilities of the occident and the orient
becoming competitors for the trade of
China and as to the possibility of Chi
ma herself becoming manufacturing
nation. He did not seem to think Chi
ma would ever become competitor of
the United States because the products
of the United States imported into
China are agricultural in their char
acter, such as flour, oil, cotton stuffs
and woolens, products which cannot
be raised in the orient.
Russia, he declared, is our only
competitor and he went on to say
that the exclusive occupation of any
port of Asia by Russia would mean the
exclusion of that much American
trade and consequent American loss.
Japan, he pointed out, aims to pro-
duce such products as can not be pro.
duced in the occident for sale in the
cheap markets of the far east. In our
conversation which followed he made
it plain to me that those products of
the orient which compete with the
products of the occident should be
raised in the orient, manufactured in
the orient and sold in the orient and
it is only in this manner that inevita-
BILE conflict between the two can be
averted. Where the occident and the
orient come into conflict, individually
the occident may be supreme; collect
lively the oriental forces everything to
his own level or standard.
81 asked him how country like the
United States, controlling the destinies
of both the occidental and oriental
races could govern both without a con.
f1ict of interest. He expressed the be.
lief that to do this to advantage laws
should be enacted to prevent the labor
and products of the one from coming
into competition with the other. 9th,
erwise the laborers the laborers receiv,
ing the highest wages must accept the
wages paid to those who could produce
the cheapest. This brought us to a
discussion of the articles capable Of
production in the Philippines which
are desired by Japan. He declared
that the Japanese would gladly take
and consume all the tobacco and sugar
| the Philippines could produce for many
years.
Japan, it seems, is establishing {
government monopoly in tobacco, ant
the tobacco of the Philippines is es
pecially desired because it can stand {
moist climate better than any other
This advantage and the exceedingl.
low cost of production might warran
Japan in making arrangements witt
the United States by treaty or other
wise, SO Philippine tobacco would hav
a practical monopoly in Japan, an
through her would become the Tobacco
of China. This, from a Japanese point
would develop the Philippines wit
great rapidity, provided an agriculture
class of people could be induced to sci
tie in the islands. The only compel
tors in foreign tobacco would then d
the tropical colonies of England
France and the Netherlands. AS t
sugar a similar condition exists.
learned that the Japanese sugar trus
was able and willing to SO increase it
reineries as to absorb all the suga
which can be raised in the Philippines
Japan has a constantly increasin
home market, and will always have be
fore her the markets of China, Will
, her ability to manufacture cheapl
!; would enable her to compete with tn
4 cheapest beet sugar of Europe an
Asiatic Russia. The latter is alread
establishing beet sugar factories i
: Siberia, with view to furnishin
China with beet sugar if Rusia's pla
for the absorption of China is success
full
81 learned that Japan had been az
preached by other oriental producers G
sugar and tobacco with view of GU
ting out the Importation of Philippn
sugar and tobacco into Japan. mad
bold to ask another question, and tina
was, did Japan still desire to acquir
the Philippines. Baron Komura DE-
clared that there was a time whe
Japan felt she must acquire the Phi
: ippines not only to prevent their fallin
into the hands OF her enemies, but I
supply a place where raw material fo
Japanese manufacture could be RAISED
, and which would be an outlet for th
surplus Japanese population. But no.
with the Philippines under Akqerica
control, Japan feels that she has
friend at her doors, and her factories
Baron Komura declared, can be SUI
piled with all the necessary raw m,
terials without the expense of govern
. ing the islands or defending them
time of war. Baron Komura said thu
he thought Japan would gladly receiy
proposition to enter into an arrang
ment whereby the products of the Phi
ippines could find profitable mark'
in japan