Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-01
NOTES EXCHANGED.

Washington, Nov 30--Secretary of
| State Elihu Root on behalf of the
United States and kogero Takahara,
ambassador, on behalf of Japan, cX-
changed diplomatic notes today de:in-
| ing the policy of the two gov ernments
in the Far East. The actual ceremony
| of exchange was very brief. Secretary
| Root handed the ambassador a note
which bore his signature, and the am
| bassador gave Mr.. Root a paper dctin-
ing Japan's policy and bearing his sig
nature. Assistant Secretary Bacon,
Second Secretary of Embassy Masan
ao-Haihar, and Mr.. Babcock, Mr..
Roots private secretary, We're witness
eS to the act. After an informal eX
change of Fluctuations the ambassador
and his secretary left the state depart
nent, the former With a smile on his
face, Indicating his great satisfaction
with the conclusion of the exchanges.
The full purport Of the notes has al
ready been set forth in The Associated
Press dispatches They will be made
public simultaneously in the United
States and Japan tomorrow night with
a view to their publication in both
countries on Wednesday morning.
The exchange of notes is basel on
the idea of encouraging and defending
free and peaceful commercial develop
ments i'll the Pacific and to ths end the
signatory powers have prepared d Sc
RIGS Of articles expressive Gf their in
tCntiDiiS in the matter. Legislative ac
ton by the Senate is unnecessary and
the declaration or exchange Of notes
will not have to be referred to that
] cGy. The declaration is not a treaty,
| simply Il rc-aflirmation of what both
| Japan and the United States have
| stood for in China and in the Far East
generally. 1t has no legal standing but
its greatest benefit will Lc that q
rived from the moral effect il VIII exc,
| else in the future diplomacy gDVGruiI.
the Far East. In this respect it ha
been lillened to the Monroe Do ,trine il
American history
1t was pointed out today as rathe,
a singular coinSidcnce that the eX-
change of notes with Japan regarding
| China should occur on the same day
as that on which Tang Shao vi ha
come to thank the American govern
ment for the remission of the Boxer
indemnity
Apart from the reite1ation Of ths at
titude of the two goveynments inter
ested in China the exchange of today
rotes is very timely and useful. ac
cording to the state department. To
days newspaper publications abroad
express generally a favorable view 0.
the step taken by Japan and the Unit
ed States but they show there is still
some misconception of the real posi-
ton of the two countries. America
and Japan each understand very wei
what the attitude of the other is,
prominent official said today, but there
are a number Of people in various parts
Of the world who do not seem to un
dcrstand and fer this reason a re
statement of the attitude Of the twt
governments was deemed wise.
Bringing the thanks of a grateful
people for the remittance by the Amer
ican government of a large part of tl'c
Boxer indemnity, Tang Shao VI
president of the Chinese board, and
created d special ambassador for the
occasion. arrived here today. Accom-
panied by Prince Tsai Flu, member
of the Chinese royal family and dis
| tinguishcd group Of attaches the party
was met by Huntington Wilson, third
assistant secretary of state, numerous
other officials of the state department
and several aides of President Roose-
Welt After an exchange of greetings
the party was escorted to two resi-
dences, where the visitors will be do
micled during their stay of three or
| four months.