Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-25
Japan and the Philippines.

Mr. Hioki, first secretary of the japanese
legation at this capital, in an address before
the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce last
night dealt so frankly ana clearly with the
gossip about his country's designs on the
Philippines that his remarks are entitled to
more than ordinary consideration.
lie opened with this very emphatic state
ment and shrewd appraisement of what UNI
derlies much of the agitation of this sub
ject:
Japan has no designs on the Philippines.
Frank and unreserved disavowals of the al
legged designs of Japan upon the philippines
having frequently emanated from authori-
tative sources, 1t Is superfiuous for me to
repeat them But the fact that there Is q
constant recurrence of the same allegation
In the newspapers of this country shows
that the repeated disavowals from the au-
thoritative sources have borne little fruit.
either because the general public still dis
trusts Japan In this matter because a
certain section OF the American people
wants TO get UP some agitation for their
own interest"
There are people-but the number Is not
large-who having raised this spectre do
not for their own reasons want 1t laid.
Though one were to return from the dead
they would not be convinced.
But even to those people Mr.. Hioki offers
an argument: -.. s-. -...- r. s.=
Laying aside entirely for the moment,
for the sake of argument, the considera-
ton of the motive of Japan regarding the
present subject, let me ask you question.
Can you believe that this great American
people. who glory in their national spirit. In
their gigantic strength, In their boundless
wealth, in their marvellous development, and
who look forward with proud and confident
anticipation to the time when they shall be
the first in the race civilization has set for
man to run, would allow her flag to be low
L.. q. Tt-lr. 4.~..
else which legitimately belongs to her. by
any hands but hers? No. most emphati-
cally no. That is the spirit with which you
cling to your new possessions in the Pacific,
and that ought to be the spirit of the people
who respect honor and Justice"
This is at once a tribute to our common
sense and our national pride. And surely
We may accept 1t. The flag In the Philip
pines will stay put. We have numerous
difficulties to deal with there, and some OF
them are novel and will try both our pa
tience and our capacity, but the greatest or
them does not point to scuttle. No better
means. however. could be employed to In
vite outside interference than the encour-
agement of the anti-imperialist yarn that
we are sick of the job and would hail an
excuse to withdraw.
That Japan's real attitude is stated in this
we may not for moment doubt:
And who can better understand that
spirit of the Americans than the Japanese?
Therefore. IL Japan harbored such a sinister
design as is attributed to her, she must be
prepared to plunge in war far more gil
gantic than the one just ended, against a
nation to which she owes much of what she
is today and to whose people she owes that
moral and financial support unreservedly
given at the most critical period in her his
tory No, the Philippines are not worth
the sacrifice of such a valuable friendship
as that of America and the enormous losses
in men and money which such war would
necessarily entail. Nor is Japan in posi-
ton to carry on another costly war, but for
self-defense.'
1t is stupid enough for the anti-imperial-
lists to be using the Philippine question In
the game of domestic politics. but reckless
for them to carry 1t to the point of impugn-
ing the motives OF a foreign power which
is firmly our friend and anxious to remain