Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-07-22

tcTHdtlOudl SlSulHcdHce "HuIeNer 1Ho /
people of Japan feel that San Fran
cisco does not represent the heart Of
the American public, but take their !
view of 1t from the words OF President |
Roosevelt, in whom they have the !,
greatest confidence.
"Count Katsura. premier during the
Russian war, and a soldier, said to
me just after the war had started:
we fight If necessary, but hate war.
We have STAYED off this war for six
months, but our principles are opposed
to Russia's, so we must fight After
the war he told me 1t had been one
for liberty and the open door for all.
And the truest expression of the Jap
anese national spirit is contained in
this quotation:
eff any one inquiries what is the
national spirit of Japan-it is like the
wild cherry blossoms on the mountain
sides, whose fragrance is freely given
to all the atmosphere, and whose bios
SONS fall from the trees to die, re-
joicing.'
"That does not look like war spirit.
but the lingo papers tell of the swelled
heads of the japanese. There was
never any one so modest over victories.
| For six weeks after their big victories
| | met generals, colonies and privateS
| but 1 never saw a glimpse of joy or
heard a boastful word upon cOngratu-
lating them. We could well afford to
sit at their feet and learn to be modest.
I believe that one source of this lingo
talk is in the disgruntled war CORE
spondents of the Russian war. Those
| who went out at the beginning of the
war were sorely disappointed when not
allowed TO go at once 10 the front. The
Japan Mail has said more than once
that some ot these men resolved to do
all they could to throw dirt upon Japan
because of their treatment.
at is mistake to charge Count
Okuma with being the leader of any
war spirit against the United States.
He is one of our warmest friends and
would never lend himself to any such
debased iingOism. While he is leading
the Progressives and opposing the adj
minstration, he is not the man to
make any trouble with America. He
. must necessarily oppose the admins
tration, as the political parties of ia
pan are largely a matter of being in or
out and have no very well defined poll
cies which differentiate either side He
and all other intelligent Japanese know
that nation can do as it likes in ex-
. Guiding cody labor. Japan itself will
not allow Chinese cody in tie coun-
, try overnight.
"a war with Japan would be the
I highest calamity to the civilization Of
the world. 1t is fortunate that there ia
no possibility of 1t. 1t is not only Inn
q possible to get up a war in the present
= situation, but there is not stuff enough
' to get up for an arbitration case. This
I foolish talk must lower us in the eyes
|. of European nations.
8 ut is a most unhappy thing thai
+ President Roosevelt. who has won thu
r. admiration Of Japan. should play int
1 the hands of the jingoes at this time
l. by the sending of a fleet to the Pacific
8 but even here I believe the real spiri
Of Japan-not merely worded senti
ment with a hidden meaning-is this:
|, 'If the feet comes to Japanese wa
i tiers, let us welcome It as the navy o
+ our best friend and give 1t the warm
: est greeting possible.
: 1.-The Japanese government is ahso
i lutely true to the United States whic
= has been its friend as no other natio
}, has. There is no more truthful an
8 righteous government in its interna
l. tional relations than that of Japan"