Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-09-15
Former Minister 10 Japan Says
Hlkado's Government Is Friendly.
NATIONAL lEsT PREVENTS WAR
General Luke Wright Positive in the
Belief That Japan is Not Financially
Able to Engage in War With This
Country.

WASHINGTON, Sept 1i-GencraI
Luke h. Wright. of Tennessee, return
Ing home after n residence of year
ana half in Toxic MS American am
bassador, is here on business, which
when disposed of. will formally mark
his retirement from the diplomatic
service His successor MS the frat
ambassador to Japan, Thomas j.
OBricn, former minister To Denmark
sailed from Seattle yesterday with the
Taft party for Toxic.
General Wright takes most com
pacent and optimistic view of Japan
ana the future of its people, and re-
pudiates ms unworthy the suggestion
OF the prospect of armed conflict be-
tween the United States and the MI
kauos government. He said that ia
pan had enough real work to do ri
Korea and Manchuria TO exercise her
energies for years to como, without
seeking trouble with the Unltet.
States.
He did not regard war even MS n
remote possibility. and MS for trouble
In the future over the Philippines. he
did not think Japan has over wanted
The archipelago or ever will want 1t
bad enough to fight for tho stake.
One reason, In General Wrignts'
opinion, why Japan is not smartlng
for trouble With the United States is
the cnormlty of It's national debt,
which In round figures is one billion
dollars. Considering the resources or
the government, that gigantic sum was
equivalent TO II national debt in this
country OF fifteen or twenty billions.
In other words, General Wright
thought the United States could bet
ter afford To owe twenty billion dol.
lars than japan can afford to carry n
debt of one billion. 1t should not be
inferred from this comparison of the
resourccse OF the two countries that
japan Is not emlnenuy capable OF
carrying for her national obligation.
Many Admirable Traits.
or the people of Japan. General
Wright said that thoy nnd many ad-
mirable traits and characteristics,
which made for them national unity
and strength
He said that some OF tho creates,
students he had over met in public
life We're Japanese, and that their en-.
pnclty for achievement was almost
immeasurablc. General Wright 70.
GREETED the anti-Japaneso outbreak III
Sa Francisco. but did not regard 1t as
suificlent provocatlon for war be.
tween the two countries. Tho best
thinkers of Japan, he said. were nd
verse TO the idea of war with the
United States and earnestly desired
To add cohesion to the relations which
heretofore had made Japan and Amer.
lea friendly,
Ancnt national politics. Generai
Wright, although protesting to lack
owing TO his prolonged absence from
home. thought there was good
chance for the Democratic party to
win. IL no mistake was made in So
lecting the head of the ticket. He
suggested no name for this place.
He thought raft or Hughes would
make n formidable contestant with
any Democrat, and MS to President
Roosevelt, he regarded him as almost
invinciblo In those States that support
cd him IN the last election.
General Wright rctires from the dip.
lomatic service of his country to re-
turn to Memphis to reestablish him
self in the practice OF law. in which
profession he has won permanent
fame and recognition. He will pac.
ticc with his son, Major Il. ID. Wright
who is one of the ablest young lawy-
crs in the South.
General Wright declared that he had
no political ambition to crafty. and
would return TO his native city for the
single purpose of resuming work In
n field that offered him the most con-
genial labors.