Perth Amboy evening news., 1905-12-22

By
KOGORO
TAKAHIRA.
japanese Minister
to the United
States
Americas
Influence
For Peace

- HF late % between Russia and Japan-the bloodiest in
a the history of mankind-was practically a fight between
the elephant and the whale, and THERE SEEMED TO
~ BE NO END in the near future. But President Roose
welt offered his good offices and brought together the two
warning nations to meet for the negotiation OF peace which resulted
in the conclusion of the treaty of Portsmouth. 1 am convinced am
only echoing the true sentiment of the whole civilized world when l
say that humanity and civilization owe him a great debt.
We hear charges frequently made against Japan for engaging her
self in the so CALLED yellow peril propaganda and the Philip
pine design. But I must withhold my remarks in respect of such erro-
neons charges because any statement from my lips on such matters
may be looked upon virtually as the differentiation OF the high intel
igence and wide experience of the United States.
Considering the circumstances and also in view Of peace being re-
stored, with the "open door, secured, l believe THE PRESENT
TIME is most opportune for the American people to extend their
commercial interests in the far east. 1t is specially satisfactory at
this moment to note that the new ties binding the United States and
Japan will be shortly fastened by the completion OF an all American
cable connecting Guam with the BONN islands, an outlying possession
of Japan. AS the far east WILL DEPEND UPON The UNITED
STATES for its progress and prosperity, your great future will also
be largely insured by the growing Importance of your neighbors across
the Pacific in commerce and industry, thus s~gnifying the indispensa-
beness of establishing the closest relations possible between the
United States and the far east.
1t is, therefore, earnestly to be hoped that any such measures as
might interfere with the right of intercourse and trade between the
Americans and any far eastern people should be confined within the
proper limit and that every effort be used to promote as much as pos
sible the mutual interest AND RECIPROCAL ADVANTAGE of
commerce and navigation between the two borders of the Pacific.
During the last thirty years the foreign commerce of Japan has
developed from petty beginnings to quite important proportions. In
that time the imports have grown from a total valuation of 2~S,0O0,000
yen in 1878 to more than 3D. 600, 900 in 1908, and exports from 81,
100000 to more than 2S9, 100000 yen. 1t is gratifying to note the
large share which the UNITED STATES has in this total.
In the first year of the period referred to-that is, 1S73-our i'm
ports from the United States were only a little more than 100000
yen, but they rose to the handsome amount of over AS, 100000 yen in
1908, which fact must be taken as quite significant when it is consid-
cred that only ten years before the imports amounted to about 6,Ooo,-
900 yen and only one year later-that is, 19O4-they jumped to more
than %58y0O0,O0O yen.
A nation with such just policy and with such great power as the
United States is exactly what is needed for the peace of the far east,
and, therefore, for the peace of THE WORLD.
MAY THE PEACE OF THE WORLD BE BROUGHT NEARER TO
SIGHT BY THE GROWTH OF THE UNITED STATES.