Arizona republican., 1908-02-20
OUR COMMERCIAL GRIP
 LOST IN MANCHURIA
The Cause is Not as Might be Supposed
 Japanese Aggression
1t is Attributed by Government Officials to the Crow ing Tendency In This Country Toward Government tai Regulation.

Washington, Feb. 19.-Information from an unofficial source evidencing the aggressiveness of Japan in Man. churia has been accommodating in the state department for some time. That this condition IS irritating in an in- creasing degree to China is a matter of Knowledge here. It IS said with authority, However, that in no manner has the Chinese government brought the matter to the attention of the Am erican government and no report on the subject is looked for.
 A remarkable explanation of the at titude of our government in this inn portant matter is developed as the re- suit Of an injury directed toward of ficials whO cannot be quoted but are in positions to direct our policies In effect 1t IS as follows: It is frankly admitted that America is losing her commercial foothold in the rient This loss, however, is not charged to Japan. Rather it is asserted to be the effect of the growing tendency toward inter nal governmental regulations in the United States.
 As an illustration attention is called to these facts: Five years ago flour in barrels were being shipped to the Orient from the northwest: steel rails from Pittsbur- and cotton in bales from Texas. These shipments were made possible because of the exceed ingly low ocean freight rate bv a rail- road combination. This arrangement has been condemned by the courts as a consDirac,- against trade. and the developments of trade has been aban- / doned. The domestic var, as 1t is characterized, against the Standard i Oil, which is credited with the largest Oriental trade Of an- American enter i prise, .s declared to have been disas- trously affective i, the Orient. while the tobacco and ceftOn trade goods are
 said to have been damaged heavily in and through the operation of railroad | legislation here.
 : From this point t seemed easy for ' government officials here. conversant !, with foreign matters. to view Japanese commercial aggression in Manchuria with greater degree of complaisance than world be the case in the face of
 an urgent domestic demand for govern mental assistance. Japan, it is as-
 serted, can without great difficulty | justify everything she has done in Manchuria as sanctioned by the open door DOlic,' initiated by the late Sec retary 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 evil dence here of the use of many methods and practices which might not bear ] the light of impartial investigation. Besides a claim to equal footing with other nations in Manchuria in the "open 6OOr'' basis, she has. it is as serted, obtained man- valuable con- sessions through which her control of railroad and telegraphic facilities is practically complete. This control is known to be used primarily in the in- terest oc Japanese tradesmen to the detriment of all foreign competitions. this disadvantage of course being felt | by American tradesmen as well as by those of other foreign nations.
 As the trade of Germany and Eng | land and other nations is more valu- able than the American trade. and as
 these nations are what is termed high
 ly commercially organized. it would not
 be a great surprise to American di-
 plomacy to hear of protests from these
 quarters against Japanese aggression.
 There is nothing in Hays promul- gadop Of the "oDen door" policy which