Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-10-25
japan and the Philippines.

japanese Legation at Washington de-
liyered an address to the members OF the
Cleveland, Ohio, Chamber Of Commerce
Yesterday evening, his subject being ga
nan. America and the Orient" Mr.
Hioki said in part
"Now that the Japanese-Russian war
is ended the world seems to be dllligent-
ly watching for the next act which Will
be produced on the stage Of Oriental pol
itics. There are various speculations.
Some of them are clearly malicious IN
origin. while others are honest. Both
are Injurious to the interests OF the
world.
"Some preach from the high altar the
doctrine of the yellow peril; some
question the ambition of Japan; others,
apprehend Japau's designs upon the
Philippines. Taken altogether, it would
appear that the world is trying to ascribe
to the little island empire the position OF
a dictatorship in the Orient ! wish
such was the real position of Japan, but
I must confess, to my regret, that 1t Is
too far from fact.
sIn spite of tie influence which once
il gained, the doctrine Of yellow peril
seems to have practically lost its hold on
mems minds, at least in America.
"Frsnk and unreserved disavowal OF
the alleged designs of Japan upon the
Philippines having frequently emanated
from authOritive sources, Ii is issuperhuous
for me to repeat them. If bona hde
statement of the responsible party failed
TO convince them, let us try brief ar
gument. Laying aside entirely for the
moment, for the sake of argument, the
consideration of the motive of Japan re-
parding the present. subject, let me ask
Won a 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
he The first in the race civilization has
set for men to run, would allow her flag
to be lowered be it in the Philippines
or any other place which legitimately
belongs to her but any hands but hers ?
No. most emphatically no. That is the
spirit with which ycu cling to your new
possessions in the Pacific, and that ought
to be the spirit of the people. And who
can better understand that spirit o
the American than the Japanese? There
fore if Japan harbored sinister design
as i, attributed to her, she must be pre-
pared to plunge in war far more gi-
eantic than the one just ended against
nation to which she owes much for what
she is today, and to whose people she
owes that moral aud financial support so
unreservedly given at the most crlti-
cal period in her history. No. The
Phiiippines are not worth the sacrifice
of such a valuable friendship as that of
America and the enormous losses in men
and money which such a war would
necessarily entail. Nor is Japan in a
position to carry on another costly war
but for self-defense.
"The increased prestige OF Japan
turned the eyes of the w,rld toward the
problem Of what influence Japan Will
WELD over China. Without questioning
either the value of the principles con-
tanned in the so-called Monroe doctrine
or its applicability to the Eastern siiu-
alton at present, | can simply say that
such an idea has not entered into Japa-
nese minds, and such policy has not
even the symptoms Of formation.
at is a matter of congratulation for
Japan, as well as for sll other nations,
that there is d fair prospect of the In
crease of japanese influence in China as
a result Of her increased prestige"