New-York tribune., 1907-06-08
Is OTHER NATIONS.
five hundre,

There can no longer be any question. If in
deed there has for years been any, of Japan
full membership in spirit as we'll as in letter IN
the community of nations She has put herselI
in accord with the rest of the civilized world 10
a remarkable degree, in its faults and foloies
as we'll as its virtues; though we ungrudglngiy
testify that the island empire has shown lar
greater aptitude for assimilating that when
is good than that which IS evil. Human nature
is pretty much the same there as elsewhere
and the political motives and ways and means
Of japan are not unlike those of the United
States
This fact is illustrated at the present time In
the attitude of Japan toward America in rela-
ton to the Ill treatment of Japanese citizens In
California Japan evidently means to insist
upon being treated like other nations. Her peo-
pie here must be treated as those OF other
countries are and If wrong is done to them
amends must be made therefor just as they
would be to any other nation whose citizens
were aggreved-as to America, for exam
ple If some of our citizens were harried
by a mob in Toxic. With that attitude it
is impossible to quarrel. We must con
cede its justice and If it should be proved
that wrong had been done to Japanese and
amends were due, the part of honor and Of self
respect would be for to make the amends
and learn the lesson of doing to every other
nation as we would have her do to US.
The same fact is set forth, also, in the con-
duct of the japanese government, which is
as temperate. dlgnified and restrained as that
OF any Western nation which has been IN
diplomatic relations with the world as many
centuries as Japan has been decades. We can
perceive no excitabity, no bumptiousness, no
raw uucuence in the responsible statesmen of
Japan Deeply concerned they doubtless are
over what has happened in California, they
should be They are also determined to secure
Justice if injustice has been done. But they
have confidence in the good faith and friend
ship of America, and expect this country to
treat them as it does other nations; in which
expectation they will not he disappointed.
A less disagreeable but quite natural demon
straton of the community Of disposition be-
tween Japan and the rest of the world is to
he observed In the attitude and course Of the
Opposition in that country, represented by
such a statesman as Count Okuma and such
paper as the "IIochi Shimbun''-bOth of high
and influential standing. There has been some
unfavorabe comment upon them In this coun-
try because Of their aggressive tone toward
America. Doubtless such a tone IS unpleasant
to our ears. But nobody needs long memory
10 recall similar Rgtations In this country
against more than one foreign power no
greater provocatlon than this. and for the same
purpose Count Okuma's propaganda -
namely, to embarrass or TO bring reprOach upon
the government. The Japanese statesmen and
newspapers whose tone is now critical Of
their own government and mcnacng toward
America are simply doing precisely what many
Americans would do in their places II the sit
uatiOn We're reversed.
We have no idea that these agitators in japan
will force their governments hand or embroH
the two nations-if indeed they really wish TO go
far that We have doubt that the atti-
tude of the japanese government and the Japan
ese nation Mt large will continue 10 be cor
rect as 1t now appears. We are entirely con
fldcnt that our own government will satisfy
the just claims of Japan, either-as we SIN
cerely hope-by demonstrating that no wrong
has been done for which It Is In any valid sense
responsible or, in the unfortunate contingency
of culpability being proved, by making such
amends as equity and honor require.