The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1907-08-30
WORST TYPE Of
JAPS ON COAST
A JAPANESE CORRESPONDENT
VISITS VANCOUVER AND SAYS
EMIGRANTs ARE POOR LOT,


VANCOUVER, August S.-ratsuya
Kato, a special correspondent of the
japanese Trade Journal of Toxic, ar
rived in Victoria yesterday morning ,
and as a steerage passenger on board ,
the Blue Funnel liner Antilochus, |
bound to Seattle, Portland, San Fran
cisco and other United States points, |
with a view to studying the conditions
of Japanese immigrants on the PACING |
coast at first hand. In order to ascer- |
tain conditions Mr. Kato, who was a
war correspondent of his paper during
the Manchurian campaign, came as a
steerage passenger.
Mr.. Kato says he witnessed the ar
rival of Prince Fushimi on board the
British cruiser Monmouth before leav-
ing Yokohama Several Japanese
cruisers and torpedo destroyers went
out to meet the British cruiser, firing
salutes at sea. The Japanese fleet
then formed on either side of the Mon
mouth and escorted the vessel into To-
kio bay, wnere all the fleet were dress
ed with flags and the city was in gala
dress On the day following the land
ing Prince Fushimi entertained the Of
ficers of the Monmouth and they were
presented to the emperor at Toxic. The
Monmouth afterwards went to Yoko-
.suka naval station, where the ships
company was entertained by Admira
Kamimura.
The Japanese correspondent was not
highly impressed with the character
'of the steerage passengers among
He said the Japanese who come to THIS
coast were among the worst type of
Japan They were mostly uneducated
countrymen, who having heard tales
of an Eldorado beyond the Pacific, had
sold their LANDS for two or three hun
bred yen and set out to pick up riches
in this garden of the Hesperides. A
number of thase who came by the An
tilochus lost nearly everything they
possessed as a result of gambling on
shipboard. They also drank consid-
erably and were by no means such
representatives as the newspaperman
would have wished for his countrys
sake. He said Japan is ashamed
but the Japanese government is now
endeavoring to secure the better class
of emigration to this coast
Mr.. Kato does not think any serious
trouble will result as a result of the
San Francisco agitation He thinks
there is wrong on both sides and the
newspapers of both lands have not
aided the solution. The Japanese
have, since learning the real condition
of affairs, found that the affair at
San Francisco is purely local, and by
no means national. San Francisco it
is now known is in a disturbed con-
dition, owing to the condition of It's
internal affairs, and it has been shown
that the nation must not be held
blameable for the happenings there.
Messrs. Yamaoka and Hattori' who
went to Japan from Seattle to repre-
sent the conditions on this coast, have
done much to show the people Of
Japan the real state of affairs, Count
Okuma and other prominent Japanese
who held strong views regarding this
matter have since learned the true
state of affairs and have altered their
opinions. Messrs. Yamaoka and Hat
tori have held meeting, made speeches
issued circulars, and in other ways
have laid before the Japanese people
such information regarding the con-
ditions of Japanese on the Pacific coast
that a better understanding has result
ed and the situation seems easy of
solution.
! With regard to the oft expressed
statement that Japan bankers for the
Philippine Island Mr.. Kato said that
his opinion was that his country would
not care to take the islands as a gift
much less to plunge the nation in wal
by Selling them as has been alleged
to be the intention of the Nipponese
He said that the possession of the
Philippines would involve burden up
on Japan which it is not prepared tc
assume, the occupation of the islands
Inecessitating further increases to the
navy. etc. Formosa is found to be tal
enough from Japan.