The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-07-09
.SHIMIzU IS HERE.
Wants to Find Ont About Kansas
Wheat.
Japanese Want TO Know of Our
Flour.
USING MORE AND MORE
His People Are Gradually
Adopting It.
DO Not Want the Philippines,
Says He.
SING MORE AND MORE

MY card2 Ea-yaas. that is eet.
Pronounce the na-ame? Try set"
sShim-i-zu; is that it ss'
Ea-yaas, ea-yaass That is heem.
Pronounce just like it spell. OF course
we don't spell with the same letters
in Japan
Mr.. seizaburo shimizu, imperial
consul of his majesty the emperor of
Japan, sat in the Office of Secretary r.
D. Coburn of the Kansas department
Of agriculture this morning, asking
questions about Kansas wheat, and an
swering questions about Japan Mr.
Shimizu came here from Chicago to-
day to spend week watching the
Kansas farmers garner their wheat
crop, and to try to find out why Kan
sas hard wheat is superior to any
other wheat for making -four He will
talk to millers grain buyers and wheat
producers all through the wheat belt
of the state
Kansas Turkey wheat is the best in
the world. said Mr.. Coburn.
'Ea-yaas? indeed" said the inn
perial japanese consul, with interest
and enthusiasm.
The Minneapolis rnillers send down
here and buy Kansas wheat in train
load lots for the purpose of mixing 1t
with their northern wheat to tone it
up" continued Mr.. Coburn.
You don't sayl' exclaimed the lit
tie Jap, rubbing his hands and smiling
delightedly.
"Of course when you go 10 Mime
apolis, the milIers there won't tell you
that said Mr.. Coburn. They won't
admit it,
mo. of course, no." echoed the con-
sui, with a reproachful shrug at the
thought of the deceitfuI northern mill
owners.
lowed the wheat from Kansas City
right into the mills at Minneapolis. .
said Mr.. Coburn.
so? Well. Well we want to know
all about It. GU raise 50 much wheat
ninety millions-nay. my. SO much -
and the little man with the big brown
eyes and black stringy moustaehe, al
most went into ecstacies of delight.
Consul S. Shimizu of Japan has
been in this country for three years
He was educated in the Imperial uni
versity of Japan. and it was there that
he learned English. While his pro-
nunciation is peculiar and gutteral,
and some of the long American words
get him almost down and out, he con-
verses with great intelligence, and
seems to have no trouble in under
standing whatever is said. even though
the remarks may be considerably in
volved.
people in Japan" said Mr.. Shimizu
-omitting the peculiarities OF his
sDeech-sfare each year using more
-four. The greatest quantity of the
-four now comes from Oregon, Mon
tana. Minnesota and the Dakotas. That
is because Kansas has been unable TO
send its wheat to the Pacific coast IN
competition with northern wheat Iney
can send their flour to Japan Tor
about As cents; down here am told
Won have to pay TO cents. But we want
to see what this Turkey hard wheat
is like. They say that II has some
superior qualities. 1 Will hnd out
about It. and make report 10 my
government.
lover in Japan wheat -four is being
used for making the kind Of eread
you use here, but more especls lIy Tor
making noodles. 1t is also used Tor
making biscuits and cakes. Rice, OF
course. still forms the staple article of
diet. especially for the lower classes
The more intelligent, however are
using more -four all the time.
something was said about Togo
Togo, he's great man one ls. OF me 1ne
greatest in the world, said Snlmlzu'
with enthusiasm. I'VE have no title
big enough to do honor to Togo.
what do you think about the
chances of another war with Russia =
was asked. ~
Russia said the consul positively.
@T1o YOU think that Japan Is ambit-
ious to control the Philippine ISLANDS,
sexo. no. said Shimizu with great
emphasis I'VE want TO see the stars
and stripes stay there. You have the
money to develop those islands. We
don't want them; we want you for neigh
bors You Americans make good neigh
hors. We have no desire for the Philip
pines"
what will be the prevailing religion
of Tanan in the future ?'' was asked
"That is very, very difficult ques-
ton y said the consul shaking his head
solernuiv Things are much disturbed.
The Christians are gaining more con-
yerts than the others. The Christian
missionaries make an aggressive fight
for converts: the Buddhists sit still and
do nothing Buddhism is the religion of
the masses of the people. In the uni
versities and among the more highly
educated there is a disposition to reject
all religion. The highly educated Jap
anese is philosopher. We want rea-
son for things When he is asked to
believe something without a reason.
without proof, simply because be Is told
to have faith. it IS very hard for him.
That is why the highest educated classes
are not religious
Mr. Shimizu expressed great adnira-
ton for American newspapers. They
are so cheap. SO cheap he said You
nave 10 lUSa NOW QAiiC1Al IL II 70 pIit4t
a japanese newspaper. We can't use
typesetting machines, because there are
i. 600 characters in the alphabet The
same Is true Of typewriters. This cid
alphabet is great handicap to bust
ness. and to our children who start IN
at school. It takes them three years to
learn the alphabet. We cant 90 on that
way. There is one element that fayors
adopting the Roman alphabet. which
you use. Others advocate the eIimina-
ton Of ell the characters which we
nave borrowed from the Chinese and
simply using our own original alphabet
Of As letters Il IS hard to tel what