The morning journal-courier., 1907-12-20
JAPAN IS FRIENDLY
Most Prominent Men in Mika- dos Government Express
 Heartiest Good Will,
SAY WAR IS UNTHINKABLE
Consider Our Action in Sending Fleet on Pacific Cruise Legitimate
 Proceeding.


 Tokio, Dec. lO.-6 D. m.--The follow
 ing interviews have been granted eX-
 clusVely to the Associated Press:
 Japan will heartily welcome the
 American fleet of battleships to the Pa
 cltic and to the ports of this country, 1T 1t be decided to extend the trip n
 this direction" said NIscount Hayashl'
 the foreign minister, to tlle correspond-
 ent,
 The fact that the fleet is sailing to- wards the Pacific creates no excitement here, and, as I have said before to the
 Associated Press. Japan views In the triendliest manner any action America may within the scope of wisdom see it to take in the disposition Of its naval forces because the Japanese people have absolute confidence in the friend | ly attitude of the statesmen and great mass of the people We hope that the fleet may have a successful and safe | voyage, and Americans everywhere may rest assured that. should the fleet de- eide to visit the Far East, at no place will it receive heartier welcome than | in Japan.
 | .Viseont Hayashi. in giving the
 above statement, voiced the sentiment Il of the whole Japanese people. The
 news of the actual sailing of the fleet
 only reached Japan yesterday, and this | | naeuar and foreign press, accompanied H by. a description of the scenes on the
 ships
 A special dispatch carried an inter
 view with the Russian admiral. Roiest- | vensky, under a New York date com II pairing the chances of a Japanese fleet
 against the American fleet. This inter. II View caused some amusement In naval
 circles, in view of Rojestvenskys fate \ when he reached Japan but It was mo- frH 1.ls ,F VVeal aF FT,fV | would be led into a discussion of the I admiral's view for publication | Admiral Count Togo said: H am very glad that the fleet has Il started for the Pacific If am cor H iectly informed, 1t is expected onNths II side In April or May next. If 1t should H ultimately touch at our shores we will II greet the officers and men as friends Il and give them the warmest reception Il We entertain nothing but the kind Il Hest toward American sailors Il The minister of the navy, Admiral II The American fleet will be heartily II welcomed should 1t visit Japan. l know H Admiral Evans well. He is d deligltt- HI fu gentleman and q splendid sailor, HI and certainly hope that he will bring HI his ships on this side and give us q HI chance to, show our appreciation of his HI good qualities
 M Prince Ito, resident general of Korea HI raid:
 HI America has always been a helpful HI friend to Japan, and the Japanese are HI staunch admirers of President Roose- HI velt. We have never had any other HI idea than 1t was quite the intention of HI America to dispatch a fleet where 1t HI was desired, and t will be especially HI welcomed should 1t come to Japan HI l have always maintained that talk HI of war between Japan and America is HI unspeakable and unthinkable, and the l,.Ir HI will ultimately prove the sincerity Of IN our words, which have been consistent HI ly friendly
 HI Privy Councillor viscount Kaneko re- HI marked that the dispatch of the fleet lll is regarded only as tho natural out HI como in the course of things such as HI exist in the United states. He con NH tInued.
 III Early in 1892, when saw ex- Presi- HI dent Cleveland at Gray Gables. ] ven lII tured to point out to him what Is now HI occurring. I then said that the Allan HI tic side Of the United States had real HI ized such conditions of development III that left little for further exploration MI while the Pacific was extending an i'm Ill mense field for commercial interests XII and that eventually American energy MI must be directed toward that goal |II Let me call yourattention tolthe fact |lI that the BulwerClayton treaty wa' HI drawn simply in consideration of tn,
 
 HI sfe Commercial interests once devel HI oped, the natural consequerce is thu III warshlps will follow the commercial HI carriers, Americans are already large II ly interested in the Pacific, why, there II fore should not that portion of thei lI dominion be protected2
 lll Moreover the center of diplomac! llI having shifted to Asia, 1t is of predom HI mating importance that the peace Q III the Pacific should ge we'll guarded an, HI Insured As things now stand, sucl lIlI guardians should be the United State HI ment in the Pacific eah only mean q I'M considerable addition to the nsuranc llI of tranqulity-at least in this portioi INK of the world It is not too much t lII say that Japan and the United state I'M have a joint responsibility in main lIIl taining peace on the Pacific I'M l know Rear Admiral Evans person MI ally. When he was here l had th pleasure of inviting himself and hi HI staff to hunting expedition We hop NI he will extend his cruise to thes Il shores and give us an opportunity t NM renew the acquaintance.
 III Count Okuma, the leader of the Pro Ull gressve party of Japan said: llI ] sincerely hope the American flee NH will have safe voyage. I will gl,dl Il send 1t my greetings when it reaene Il the Pacific The coming of Pacifi lI fleet will tend toward the clvilizatio lll of the world, and Increase the friend lI liness of our two nations, The influ MI ence of America and Japan in the Ia lIl East would be enormous and para @ ~, mount surley, this voyage of tn NH American fleet and the attitude of tn lID Japanese people now. and in the ever IIN Rear Admiral Evans decides to wis III Japan, will stop the ridiculous talk ( l|l war or unfriendliness upon the pal lIl of the Japanese people.