The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1905-12-22
TAKAHIRA TALKS 1870.
OF KOREAN AFFAIRS
CONTINUED from page one).

| WdlCOile lnt MINISTER RlltT u DIleI
trip about the city, Hon. Takahira went
with his host to the Japanese Consular
! residence where luncheon was served.
In person Minister Takahira Is prob
ably little above the average Japa-
nese in height. He is in the prime
of life and that his every faculty is
keen and alert is obvious after the
shortest conversation. Courteous to
| a detail he nevertheless seems to be ION
duty all the time and 1t is a pretty
safe hazard that this faculty has been
in no small measure responsible for his
advancement to so prominent posi-
ito mas that which he now holds.
Il am always glad to see newspaper
men" he said at noon today at the
I Japanese consular residence Il met
! many in Washington and they were al
ways friends of mine. What can L
say as to my present trip? l can
hardly say anything as l am simply
going home in response to a cali from
my government. There are Of course
many matters which may be discussed
but at present am not informed"
1t will be remembered that during the
recent Russo-Japanese war cables were
sent all over the United States signed
"Takahira" giving accounts of the pro-
gress of the Japanese cause and the
opportunity was taken of questioning
the m mister as to what these amounted
to in all.
Takahira smiled and dismissed the
matter with a wave of his hand.
REALLY 1 cannot tell he said eve
Of course wished to have matters placed
fairly before the public of the United
States and the facts bore us out but 1
never kept no account of just how
many words were sent out. Every
thing that was sent was, of course, Of
fetal"
The minister closed UP like an oyster
when he was asked if he expected to
return to the Washington ministry.
"That is a matter 1 cannot discuss"
he said I do not know" Incidentally
however, it may be said that it is quite
within probabilities that if he does re-
turn he will go as an ambassador in
stead of as a minister. Great Britain
has raised her japanese representation
to the dignity of an embassy and the
United States will certainly not be far
behind.
Minister Takahira, who is a passen-
ger on the Manchuria is on a leave of
absence granted nearly three years
ago. but of which he has been unable
to avail himself until now. In regard
to statements by Homer B. Hurlburt,
the representative in the United States
Of the Emperor of Korea that the lat
To- 90
protectorate over his country and that
he will ask the President of the Unite
States to make a direct appeal to1the
people on behalf of Korea, Minister
Takahira said in an interview:
81 cannot say what authority this
man Hubert has, if any, I know moth
ing of him or his mission outside of
what 1 have read in the papers Re-
garding his statement that he would
appeal to the American people and ask
this country to prevent Japan eXercis-
ing it's sovereign rights over Korea, it
is of course, for the people of the Unit
ed States to say whether they will in
terfere for the purpose of multiplying an
agreement which has alr5 ady been
made between the countries.
"As for the statement that the agree
ment between Kora and Japan was OBJ
tanned by force the idea is ridiculous.
AS soon as the war between Japan and
Russia ended tn arrangements were
made and the Emperor of Korea was
at all times a free agent. Any state
ment to the contrary is absolutely un-
true 1t is certain that Japan will
tot Of L nd
particularly regarding it's foreign policy
and relations, until that country is in
a fit condition to manage its own af-
fairs, which it is not at the present
time.
Experience has shown that Korea
is nowerless to maintain it's own in
dependence. The rulers have allowed
themselves to be swayed by every
breath, and the whole country is di-
vided into groups, all of which are
looking for control and all having
their own ends to serve. The arrange
ments recently concluded are not en-
tirely the result of the late war, for
in any event we would have had to
take such steps as would guarantee the
preservation of the japanese empire.
AS an independent country at the
present time, in it's unsettled condi-
ton Korea would be a menace to the
peace Of the world"
When questioned regarding the ac-
ton which would be taken by Japan
in the event of an act being passed
to exclude the laboring classes of that
country did not intend to dictate its
lister Takahira said that he did not
expect any such course to be taken,
but that should the necessity arise he
would naturally, protest against it.
He declined to state what steps would
be taken, saying that It would be a
matter Of policy and could not be
discussed.
Regarding Japan's policy in China,
Minister Takahira stated that his
country did not intend to dictate its
policy to the latter country Japan's