The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1908-11-19
"WAR WITH laps COMING
General Viscount ToriO Says an
Armed Contest is Inevitable.

New York, Nov War between
Japan and the Duited States is inev.
isable," Is She startling declaration
made by General Niscount Torio,
Japanese elder statesman and one Of
the closest counselors 10 the mikado.
Not only is it inevitable. but. on the
same prophetic authority, it will last
not three, nor thirtr, but perhaps u
hundred Years, aud it will be the
greatest war in the history OF man.
kind. General Torio makes shis bold
prophecy ia an interview secured by
Richard Barry, the well known war
correspondents, IN she December
Hampton's Broadway Magazine.
IL il remarkable utterance, coming
Hs 1t does, from man OF such great
prominence. General Torio is the
first authoritative voice al Japan to
predict war with America. As 80 the
length OF the predicted coutlics the
Seer OF Atamri, ~ the magazine ar
ticle entities him, said:
Come and see me when you return
from the first stage of it. Your hair
will be ia gray rs mine"
"What! A snirty years war?
perhaps hundred, ~ he answered.
"You have great nation, and We
have-well-we have Il nation, too"
But is IL possible for nations to
fight 80 continuously Ia these mod.
o days?
In she life OF a nation like Japan
century Is but q day. We have ex-
listed since the growing OF the first
anemone; We will continue 50 exist
after the reaping OF the last sun
flower. And We have existed so long
Tor one thing-to preserve our ma
tional unity.
"As a natiCn we are only one MEM
Der OF a family. That family covers
the whole continent OF Asia and all
the islands that lie nearby, Is has
many members, from the old grand
father, China, 80 the httle bad boy
In she Philippines. Is is big family,
"a wonderful family, and We revere t..
Behind the family We remember
nothing; beyond that family We see
nothing. There is nothing bu. she
family.
"All our ideas OF lie are based up
on the family; shereto our civilization
is bulls. We are born, We live, We die
for the family; the family gives us
our colossal strength, our perpetuity.
Aud It also gives us that easy reli
ance In ourselves which let's Us drift,
sometimes for centuries, secure al
ways IN the faith that il some mem.
bers OF the family may be strong
member to fight TO maintain, to
shield"
"Do you, then regard SO confident.
ly conflict with American
II regard 1t as Inevitable. You are
encroachiDg on the rights OF our
family
"Ani you feel certain OF she out
icome?'
Remember this" and AZ he spoke
tile Oll IUhH rose. ht Nllblt uihci
ence between you and us hinges on a
thought, whas your philosophers
call mental attitude. That thought
Is She a;titude We bear toward one
another. Among you the purposes
OF life are mixed; sometimes you art
u family, sometimes you are not u
family. With us she purposes OF lie
. are absolute. We have but one pur,
possibility; the highest duty is the
family"
Fifteen years ago General TorlC
wrote for the mikado and his imme
date advisers report on the condi
tions In Korea. In this report be
foretold the necessity OF war witt
Russia; then and ever since he ha'
urged Japan to prepare. He wss
the youngest officer In the war OF th'
rebellion, after which he was made {
uianonpt