The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1904-04-14

TOXIC, April 9-The most important
subject before the Japanese just at this
moment is the financial question. The
government is very well satisfied with the
work which the navy has done up to this
time and is also satisfied that when the
land fighting begins the army will give just
as good an account OF itself.
All the efforts of the government officials,
with the exception of those who are actual
" engaged in directing the naval or field
operations, are directed towards the solu-
ton of the financial problem This war
has been in contemplation for so many
years that there is very little left to guess
work, now that war has actually started.
Even the financial measures which the diet
will be asked to pass when it convenes
next week have been carefully thought out
and there is practically nothing left to do.
In the first place all expenses are to be
cut down to the very minimum All the
possible expenses of the war have been fig
ured over a dozen times and the result
of all this figuring is that it is believed that
the total expenses of the war can be held
down to 300 100000 yen, or $l500O0,000 In
American money, year. This sum, while
it seems very large one, is in reality very
small Men in Japan who have made such
estimates in other countries almost life
long study believe that no other country in
the world would be able to prosecute a
great war at so small cost.
The japanese are very economical race
to begin with. Their wants are very few
and the expenses of the army and the navy
are correspondingly small. The pay OF
the soldiers and sailors is very small, in
deed. and the cost Of sustenance is lower
by two-thrds than in any other army in
the world. saving only that of China. The
japanese soldier IS not attracted by the
paw and the easy time he will have when
he wears the uniform of his country. He
is extremely patriotic and even if he wasn't
it would make very little difference, for he
is compelled to serve whether he likes it
or not.
The next question that appeals to the
japanese fnancier is where is the money
to be obtained to prosecute this war. The
first plan is, of course. foreign loan. But
this the japanese object to. They are
very anxious to fight this war themselves
without any help from the outside They
even object TO borrowing money from other
nations. 1t has been figured out that the
government is now in the possession OF
funds for the carrying on of this war for
at least eighteen months. If it were GER
tain that the war would be over by that
time then there would be no question to
trouble the government But will it? The
consensus of opinion seems to be that it
will not Therefore it viii be necessary
to obtain more money, Then the question
at once arises, viii it not be better to
| borrow large sums Of money now? Japan's
credit is excellent at the present time, but
at the end OF year. and a half of war
and possible defeats.-wil it be as good ?
Some of the members Of the various state
councils are in favor of borrowing a large
| sum of money by means Of foreign loan
at once, while others think that il would
be wise to wait until the money is actually
needed What will be done viii not he
decided for some time to come.
The methods which the government has
used and will use to secure the necessary
money for carrying on the war for the
/ first year and a half are somewhat peculiar.
In the first place there is already a large
sum in the hands of the government for
this purpose A war fund has been estab-
lished and this is rapidly growing from
contributions which range in amount from
1000, 600 yen contributed by the emperor
from his private fortune to one yen, the
amount of hundreds Of contributions from
the very poor Of the country. All Of the
rich men of the country have made large
contributions to this fund and II has reach
ed very large sum.
The next step was the Aotation Of a
popular loan. War bonds are about TO be
issued in small amounts. similar to the
bonds issued by the United States during
/ the Spanish war The first issue Of these
| bonds will aggregate l00.000000 yen. The
The Str. Greyhound Is now on the run
from Tacoma to Olympia. as