Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-11-10

content and uneasiness they have
been entertained at geisha dance.
or banquet has been given in their
honor by some important functionary.
For more than six months this ami
able and well meant duplicity has con-
tinucd, and while large number of
the correspondents. having become
discouraged or short of funds, or for
other reasons. have gone home. the
majority OF them still remain and are
patiently but wrathfully awaiting a
summons to leave for the front. Not
only have false hopes and encourage
ment been held out by the Japanese
officials, but they have gone so far as
10 warn the correspondents that they
had better not leave Toxic for fear
they may miss their chance of Joining
the army. They have been told again
and again. week after week and
month after month, for six months,
that the summons was likely to come
any day or any hour. hence they
have kept their kits packed ready to
start at an instant's notice. Mean
while the most important and respon-
sible among the correspondents have
become convinced that they are the
victims of polite deception, and have
not hesitated to say so openly and
publicly. Men who should and would
have been friends have been made en-
nmies because of lack of candor. for
some of the Japanese ofiicials-noi
ihnga " Gih
howeyer-are beginning 10 intimate
hat II has been and is still impossi-
BILE for their government to crafty
the correspondents, and explain with
great detail the reasons why.
AT the war Office, however. the pre-
lenses are still maintained. and when
ever one of the anxious, waiting cor
respondents makes inquiry there he
is informed that hhe second detach-
to the front next week, or certainly
the week after Whenever CORE
ipondent asks whether il would be
safe for him to go to Nikko or to Mi
vanoshita for a few days the Japan
,se officials shake their heads gravely
and advise him not to do SO for fear
the expedition may start without him.
Hence thirty or forty men of educa-
ion, wide experience and influence
have been detained month after month
sitting around the Imperial hotel at
Toxic with their luggage packed and
their kits prepared. awaiting the full
fillment of promises that have been
reiterated every time they visit the
war office.
The most humble of us dislikes to
be trifled with Hence you may appre-
ciate the feelings of these eminent
gentlemen of the press, some of whom
have national and some universal rep
itations. and whose Indignation is not
to be allayed by dinners and geisha
dances. The more eminent of the cor
respondents and the more self-respect
ing have long since declined to partic-
ipate in such functions. and for sever
al months have refused 10 accept hos
pitality from the Japanese government
or people. This independence OF spi
rt and assertion of self respect has
not restored harmony or promoted
good feeling, and nothing can ever re
deem Japan In the eyes OF many oi
those who came here to exalt this re
markable nation. But II should be
said that the military and naval at
taches sent here by the Uuited States
and the European powers to observe
the war have been treated in a similar
manner.
The Japanese officials contemplate
the situation from very different
point OF view. Nobody in the war Of
flee is willing to discuss the situation
or admit that there is the slightest
doubt that every foreign newspaper
man will be sent to the front sooner
or later; but others. who are not di-
rectly concerned. explain how impos-
sibe II was TO crafty the correspond
| ents, and how preposterous their de
mands have been. For example. one
prominent official told me that more
than 200 newspaper men had applied
for permission to go to the front. in
cluding SO foreigners. OF the latter
| number "a were Americans, 36 We're
English, including English papers in
Hong Kong, Shanghai and other Chi
nese cities, and the remainder were
from Germany, France. Belgium. Aus
tria and Italy in order. OF that num-
Der he was confident 10 per cent were
lmpostors. or irresponsible and un.
| trustworthy adventurers, which is un.
doubtedly true Every man here who
is well acquainted with his profession
| can pick out the black sheep, who
usually appear early at scenes of ex-
citement. And undoubtedly the gov.
crnment has taken pains to ascertain
the character and antecedents of ev-
cry man who has applied to go to the
| front, especially those who are not
personally vouched for at the legation
Of their government
| Eighty-nine foreign newspaper men
In addition to about Ill representa-
lives OF the Japanese press. made a
formidable battalion, especially as
each of the foreigners applied for per
mission to take an interpreter and a
| servant was told that one of the
| English correspondents had also a
private secretary and cook One
newspaper sent seven men. another
| four and SpvprnI have fbraa man an