The Washington herald., 1906-12-18

| NeW ork, Dec I.-BarOn AOki, the
| first Ambassador accredited by the En-
peror of Japan to the United States. de-
livered himself Of his first public utter
ance in this country tonight. when, as a
guest of the American Asiatic Assoeia-
tion, at its ninth annual dinner in Del
monico's, he responded to the toast. THE
! Emperor Of Japan"
/ The Ambassador was the honored guest
Of the evening. He came from washing
ton, accompanied by the naval and milf
tary attaches Of the japanese Legation.
Commander Taniguchi and Mai. Tanaka.
to face for the first time since his arrival
IN this country. last March. the ordeal OF
a formal banquet
The banquetting room at DeImonico's
was decorated with the intertwfned flags
of America. Japan. and China. As spe-
cial compliment TO the guest OF honor. a
fleet Of candied battle ships. bearing the
sun flag Of Japan. sailed airily across the
guests table in front Of the Ambassadors
plate. There were cheers for America
and for japan, when the baron was an
nounced, the band in the gallery strug-
gied manfuliy with the minor chords Of
! the japanese national anthem
China was represented by X. T. Shah,
| Chinese consul general in New York. Sir
Percy Sanderson, consul general Of Great
/ Britain in this city. sat at the left Of
/ President James r. Morse, Of the assOcia-
ton, as one Of the guests Of the occasion.
John Ford, Of Washington. secretary OF
| the American Asiatic Association. and
! Harold NJ Sewall. former consul general
Of the United States in Japan. and T
! Miyaoka. japanese consul general in New
/ York, were among those who sat with the
! Ambassador at the guests table.
| Countries Have Unity of Interest.
| When President Morse introduced the
| new japanese Ambassador. Baron Aoki
/ rose with his manuscript in his hand. and
stood half bowing, while the band and the
diners hailed him as "a good fellow
i am aware that the sense Of this as
/ soeiation in regard to the relations be-
tween Japan and the United States IS
based on the recognition OF the fact that
the interests of the United States and Of
/ the empire Of Japan are identical" said
! the Ambassador.
Indeed, it would be difficult to find
/ parallel case IN the history of mankind
/ in which better reasons existed for the
/ maintenance Of the most amicable rela-
/ tions between any two nations. viewed
either from q historical. a commercial.
/ or a moral point of view.
Historically speaking. it was the
/ United States that raped at the door OF
! seclusion within Japan. in her ancient
isolation. cherishing her own science, lit
I of civilization entirely distinct in type
( from that of yours. Since then not a
/ year has passed but has witnessed some
( incidents that have yividly recalled TO
/ the minds of the two peoples the exist
ence Of weighty problems which formed
the basis Of their mutual respect, love.
/ and admiration"
The baron said this close alliance Of In
terests between the two countries had
never shown itself in a manner more
gratifying 10 the Japanese people than in
the Russo-Japanese war from which it
has pleased providence to see US emerge
as a power Of some consequence"
1T was a struggle in which our very
existence was at stake continued the
baron. Japan was fighting the battle
therefore she was entitled TO the full
measure of your moral support The sup
port actually received at the hands Of
the American people was wider in its
scope than mere moral support and en-
braced every kind Of assistance which
could consistently be given to a belliger-
ent by a nation that had declared its
neutrality
Japan Appreciates Our Friendship.
The people of Japan are fully alive TO
the magnitude Of the everlasting service
which was thus rendered by the people
of this country to the cause of Japan.
and the memory Of that support so literally
given viii continue to be living monu-
ment of the cordial friendship which
cements the two nations"
Baron Aoki carefully avoided any refer
ence TO the recent diplomatic situation
raised by the school question in San
Francisco, cOntenting himself with re-
futing by inference all rumors of present
or future unpIeasantness possible between
the two nations
''The plain facts should not be lost sight
OF" said he in touching upon the bogy
Of future struggle for the mastery Of
the Pacific. that the Pacific Ocean is a
vast expanse Of water; that the ties OF
Japan and Of the United States nowhere
touch each other, and that Eastern Asia.
with more than 5OO,OO0OOO of souls. is
trying to give room for the commerce Of
ali nations
The dream of the pessimist who sees
the phantom of the struggle for suprem-
acy between Japan and the United States
for the control Of the Pacific Is too ride
.ulous to be made the subject of serious
comment The government OF Japan is
as fully and firmly pledged as the gov
ernment of the United States 10 the prin-
ciple Of maintenance Of the open door In
the neutral markets of Asia I am not
unmindful Of the fact that IN certain
circles during the course Of the last sum
mer some doubts were entertained as 10
the intentions of Japan regarding the
maintenance OF the principle in Man
churia, which was then still under mill
tary occupation.
such apprehension, no doubt, was
largely due to the inability OF the civil
ians TO comprehend in their proper di-
mensions the nature of the difficulties
which our military authorities had to
contend with in Withdrawing an army
comprising more than half q million Tight
ing men,