The Washington herald., 1908-04-21

doctrines OF the rights or man First Of
all, he learned 20 read the Bible. Then
came the one political document which
/ the devoLed missionary possessed, the
Declaration II Independence.
Young Okuma read the immortal char
ter OF American protest and independ-
ence and his soul was set on fire. Just
the other day, seventy years Old and
blessed with every comfort which man
can claim, he sat In the magnificent IL
brary OF his hadsOmely appointed home
and said '"The reading Of the Declara-
ton OF Independence when I was a boy
made such an impress upon my scul that
the doctrines proclaimed by it have ever
been my guiding rule Ia life"
In view OF this it is not strange that
Count Okuma should admire the great
American Democrat. Thomas Jefferson.
When he learned that the Declaration OF
Independence had been written by JEFF
fersOn he set about studying the career
of that statesman. He read several biog-
raphies and some extracts from Jeffer-
sons own writings and became familiar
with his principles. Three years ago Mr.
William Jennings Bryan was the guest
OF Count Okuma, and the conversation
fell on Jefferson. When Mr.. Bryan went
back 70 the United States he sent Count
Okuma a complete collection OF Jeffer-
soniana, which now occupies q position
Of honor in the old counts library.
The influence OF Jefferson upon Oku-
ma life Is marked. As jefferson Ia his
old days placed the University OF Viz
ginia above svery work Of his life as his
most worthy deed, so Count Okuma Is
prouder Of his position as founder Of Wa
seda University than he is OF all his po-
liucal accomplishments. Waseda Univer-
sity is at the very gates Of Count Oku-
mas beautiful mansion grounds, Just as
the University Of Virginia was at the
gates Of Monticello But when Count
Okuma looks out upon his school he sees
an institution In which 5000 young men
are being brought into the light of the
higher education. while Jefferson could
not have counted that many university
students in the whole nation in his time
In the concluding chapter OF Count
Okuma's recent work. Fifty Years of
New Japan he frankly says that the
Japanese nation Is not yet arrived at the
level of civilization enjoyed by the other
great nations. He declares that Japan
is st!ll at school, and must stay on at its
bNAAAEo hAAAAA Al4N AaGAC dlE ttkA LiilSilEta.
Then, he thinks, Japan viii be the equal
OF any nation on earth. While recogniz-
ing the nfeTiority in accomplishment. he
denies that this is inherent or permanent.
Therefore, he Is opposed, heart and soul.
to the Japanese government adopting
policy by which il pledges itself 10 ac-
cept as right the mandate Of another na-
ton that Japanese people shall not 20
where they please, just as foreigners are
allowed to come and go in Japan.
It was in support of this doctrine Of na-
tional pride and dignity that Count
okuma voiced the anti-American senti-
ment which stirred Japan a year ago.
although be used the issue to hammer
the heads OF the cabinet. Now that the
issue is no longer to be used as a polit-
ical cry, okuma and all his followers
have ceased to talk Count Okuma de-
clares as all japanese will declare, that
the United States is Japan's best friend
and that trouble between them is un-
thinkable. But Count Okuma adds, as
other japanese do not, that the United
States must treat Japan as an equal in
every respecE. When asked to address
| himself TO American newspaper readers,
he said
Japan came into the community Of
nations by the introduction and under the
guidance Of the United States. which fact
we appreciate. We were taught by the
United States and We are still learning
from America. But the Americans. should
remember the words Of the ancient
philosopher who declared that to teach,
one must learn. The United States
should study the condition Of her pupil
Japan. We learn from them. and tnev
should learn from Us that they may the
better understand us. Nowadays the
American understanding of the Japanese
people Is imperfect. In the American
newspapers there is talk Of war between
their country and ours In Japan one
never hears Of such a thing except as it
is repeated from American and Euro
pean newspapers. The whole trouble is
due 10 the fact that the American peo-
pie Do not understand Japan, and are