Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1908-02-27
JAPAN CONTROLS
ALL MANCHUR|A
Proyokes China by Her Continued
Policy of Aggression.
Rival Nations for Oriental Trade Are
Shut Out-American Firms Suffer
Through Rebate Prosecutions and
Development Is Being Abandoned
-Oowers May Protest.

Washington, Feb. 20.-Informatior
from unofficial and individual sources
evidencing the ggressiveness of Japan
in Manchuria has been accommodating
in the State department for some time
That this condition is irritating in in
-creasing degree to China is also mat
ter of knowledge here. 1t is said with
authority, however, that in no manner
has the Chinese government brought
the matter to the attention of the
American government, and no report
on the subject is looked for.
A remarkable explanation of the at
titude of our government in this i'm
portant matter is developed the result
of inquiry directed toward officials who
cnanot be quoted, but are in positions
to direct our policies. In effect, it is
as follows:
1T is frankly admitted that America
is losing her commercial foothold in
the Orient. This loss, however, is not
charged to Japan. Rather it is assert
ed to be the effect Of the growing ten
dency toward international government
al regulation in the United States. As
an illustration of this, attention is call
ed to these facts:
give years ago -four in barrels was
being shipped to the Orient from the
Northwest, steel rails from Pittsburg,
and cotton in bales from Texas. These
shipments were, made possible because
of an exceedingly low ocean freight rate
arrived at by railroad combination.
This rate has been condemned by our
courts as a conspiracy against trade,
and the development of this trade has
been abandoned. The domestic war,
as it is characterized, against the Stand
ard Oil company, which is credited
with the largest Oriental trade of any
American enterprise, is declared to
have been disastrously effective in the
Orient, while the tobacco and cotton
goods trades are said to have been dealt
heavy injury through the operation of
the railroad legislation here.
From this point it seemed easy for
government officials here conversant
with foreign matters, to view japanese
commercial aggression in Manchura
with greater degree of complaisance
than would be the case in the face Of
an urgent domestic demand for govern
mental assistance. Japan, it is assert
ed. without great difficulty, justify
everything she has done in Manchuria
as sanctioned by the open door policy
initiated by the late Secretary Hay,
and adhered to by the greater nations,
including Japan.
While Japan may justify these things
through the ''open door policy, it has
been charged that there exists evidence
of her use of many methods and prac-
tices which might not bear the light of
impartial investigation. Besides her
claim to an equal footing with other
nations in Manchuria, on the open
door basis, she has, it is asserted, OBJ
tained many valuable concessions
through which her control of the rail
road and telegraphic facilities is prac-
tically complete. This control is known
to be used primarily in the interest of
Japanese tradesmen ard to the detri-
naent of all foreign competitors.