The Washington herald., 1907-05-28
MEN AND THINGS.
AOki TO the Coast.

Viscount Aok, the japanese Ambassa-
dor, is leaving the embassy in Washing
ton soon for q trip to the Pacific COas {.
His visit Is fraught with international inn
pOrtanCe. In spite of the strenuous ef-
forts at this Capital and at Tokyo to re-
store the old neghborly feeling that ex-
listed between the two countries prior to
the San Francisco school incident, it sp-
pears tina, partial, If not complete. fail
ure has resulted. At the incipiency of the
San Francisco affair, Viscount AOki' s
passions ragged somewhat violently, and
he made representations to Tokyo which
have ranked in the japanese bosom ever
since. II is now known that but for this
condition Of affairs on the other side of
the Pacific. Gen Kur0ki probably would
not have been taken away from his inn
portant duties in the war office az Tokyo
and sent to the United States nominally
70 represent his government at the James
town Exposition The hero Of so many
bloody sleges In Manchuria has been
careful to inquire automatically wherever
he has Travelled in this country into the
question Of the number Of japanese chill
dren Of school age, how they are treated
by our school authorities, how they stand
IN their classes. &c, and 10 express pride
in the brightness Of Japanese children
admitted 20 our institutions of learning.
Ambassador Abk will, IT is understood in
Washington. take up more directly this
line Of inquiry all through the West, with
the view Of ascertaining definitely and
finally Just what the prospects are of
Japanese children being treated on terms
Of perfect equality with the children Of
other foreigners in America. He will re-
port fully his observations and conclu-
sions TO Tokyo. and upon bis recon-
mendations will largely depend the future
course Of events between the two cOun-
tries The present treaty Of amity. navi-
cation. &C, will expire by limitation in
two years. and the viscOunts representa-
tiOns may largely determine the terms of
the new treaty 20 be negotiated.
Where Hearst and SpoOner Touch.
No two men Of note in the country are
farther apart In their viewpoint Of gov
eminent and Of national affairs in gen
eral than are William Randolph Hearst
and John c. Spooner. who recently re-
signed his seat in the Senate 20 resume
the practice cf law; but they have one
curious trait in common. Both are
rayenous readers, not only Of newspapers,
but of all forms of current literature.
When they are indulging their taste or
bent in this regard, both sit down upon
the floor I'm primitive fashion with news
papers. magazines and books in disorder
od array an around them. Neither regu-
larry sits at desk OF table when engaged
iu the days reading. Their similarity OF
conduct IN this regard is so marked that
each Of them crawls upon his knees over
the floor when q new paper book, or
magazine is wanted. should the desired
object not be- within easy reach. Neither
of them will brook any form OF interfer-
euCe or interruption when thus engaged
and in ordinary circumstances each OF
them dev0tes about three hours every
morning 90 this form Of diversion. OF
Senator Spooner it is said that no Ameri-
can of bis time Keeps better informed on
the days literary output and furthermore
that be has the rare faculty Of memoriz-
ing perfectly every verse Of poetry tha;
strikes his fancy. Il IS claimed that he
can quote more accurately from a greater
number Of American poets than can any
ether man I'm the country.