Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1905-08-25
PLAN OF INVASION.
JAPS ARE MAKING PLANS FOR A
FOOTHOlD IN SOUTH.

JAPS ARE MAKING PLANS FOR A
FOOTHOLD IN SOUTH.
II Will Come Gradually so as. II Possible. 1t
NAY Excite No Special Wonder - An Ad.
vance Corps Of Students Now Studying As-
ricuture in florida-The Time and Extent
of immigration to Depend on the Reports
Submitted. Which Are Expected to Verify
Information Already Obtained. on Which the
Determination Is Based I'VE Think, Then
Verify. Then Act" Says Representative Shi.
| mizu.
The constantly recurring establish
ment Of small japanese colonies in the
Southern States that is now being not.
ed in casual press dispatches, portends
an immigration movement of much
greater magnitude and Importance
than is generally suspected, says the
Palm Beach, Fla, correspondent OF the
Manufacturers Record. Some three
months ago had the pleasure Of
spending several hours each day for
three days in company with S. Shi-
mizu, the representative of the Japan
ese government, stationed at Chicago,
and learned from him some things
that will no doubt prove of more than
passing interest to the people ef the
South. I met Mr. Shimizu, in New
Orleans while en- route to the south
west, where a number of Japanese
have recently settled. l found him to
be man OF intelligence, education
and to possess clear.cut business
judgment and a grasp Of American
conditions that to me, at least, was
surprising. He was away from his
official post on an official mission. and
was working it out on a well-defined
plan with foundation of facts that
were remarkable.
After several meetings and converse.
tions with Mr.. Shimizu, at my request
he consented to tell me what the pur.
pose OF his visit to the South was, and
what idea on the part of his govern
ment (for, as already stated, he was
travelling officially prompted it. He
did not give me permission to publish
everything that he told me, but he
had no objection to the general pur.
pose of his visit being made known.
Mr.. Shimizu said that he had been
sent into the South by order OF his
government 10 investigate the soil,
climate and general agricultural con.
ditions of the section for the purpose
OF ascertaining what the opportunities
were for his people TO find desirable
homes and money-making opportuni.
ties better than those that they enjoy
in their own country. He showed me
pages of carefully prepared statistics
on the subjects under investigation,
and explained that bis purpose was to
verify them, that they might be given
out at the proper time to his people
with authority and without question.
In his polite and suave manner, with
. significant bow and smile, he said !:
"You know we Japanese think first,
verify second, and act third or not at
ALL"
"You know, he said in tho same
conversation, "that We are going to
win this war, but We are not counting
of doing il within three or four years,
but when we do, as is always the case
at the end Of such struggles, many
important changes will be made in our
affairs, and with the foresight that l
think you will give US credit for, We are
looking ahead for the new conditions
that will follow. There will be many
pensions on our rolls and the govern.
ment will be under obligations to
thousands OF its heroic subjects, and
every effort will be made to throw all
material advantages possible in their
way.
"From the agricultural and labor
statistics which we have in hand the
fertile and undeveloped fields of the
Southern States offer many attractive
opportunities to the industrious Japan.
Csc farmer moro favorable than those
he has at home, and if investigation
bears them out to the satisfaction Of
the government. they will be made
known to our people and every facility
furnished to take advantage Of them.
Quite . number of Japanese are al.
ready located in the South, and it ID
my purpose to find out what line oil
agricultural industry they are pursu.
ing, and what their success and pros.
poets are"
"Do you think that there will be q
general Japanese immigration to the
South!" I inquired of Mr.. Shimizu.
], "No, not in the sense you Ameri.
cana term general movements' for the
present. A few of our experienced
and reliable farmers will locate in diff.
ferent sections of the Southern States
} and make q thorough test Of condi.
tions and opportunities, and if these
prove satisfactory the result will be 9
settling of q great many of our people
in your States. Whom they come il
} will not be on the general haphazard
immigration plan, but they will be
accurately advised in advance OF where
to 60 and what they can engage in
with profit"
i Bearing out Mr.. Shimizu's state
ment is q colony of fifteen Japanese
agricultural students that have re-