The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-12-14
REMARKABLE STORY
OF JAPANESE TREATY
CONTINUED from Page oneJ

lions between the United States and
Japan a year or SO ago.
SENATE ACTION NOT NEEDED.
Since that time there has been a
change in the ministry in japan and
with it came its suddenly changed po-
Icy, so that the new agreement has
been reached on the old lines and has
actually been signed by representa-
tives of the two governments. 1t is
not treaty and does not have to be
submitted to the senate, but is fair
statement of the policy of japan and
the United States.
Senator Cullom, chairman of the
senate committee on foreign relations,
called at the state department today
and announced that, in his opinion,
the senate would not regard the agree
ment as an invasion of its right be-
cause it was manifestly merely a state
ment of policy which bound the two
nations only morally, and which, OF
course, was not of such character as
to require ratification by the senate.
There is living in Japan now Wis
count Aoki, formerly ambassador to
the United States, but now living in
retirement. He it was who conceived
the idea Of the agreement signed to-
day, and all he had for his pains was
humiliation by his home government,
the abrupt termination of the negotia-
lions, and his practical recall in dis
grace. The story of his retirement
from Washington never has been told,
but it was brought about entirely by
the fact that, on his own initiative, he
undertook the negotiation of an agree
ment between the two nations, OF
which that signed today is practically
the duplicate.
TWO NATIONS WERE SUSPICIOUS
After the war between Russia and
Japan there was a gradual change OF
public sentiment in the United States
People here who had been violent
friends of the Japs during the wal
began to fear that those Oriental
Yankees" having tasted blood and the
madness of victory were looking about
for new fields to conquer. There was
widespread opinion that the Japa.
nese had set their hearts on the Phi
| lippines and were determined to exer
else their victorious army and navy IL
capturing the American islands in the
Orient
At the same time things happened
in this country which added to thiI
suspicion. The Japanese government
suddenly became unduly excited re
garding the treatment of students il
the public schools in San Francisco
This followed upon certain trespasse
by Japanese seamen upon our seal isl
ands. The result was ferment aloni
the Pacific slope, conferences between
the San Francisco officials and Presi
dent Roosevelt and display of nue.
bad blood on both sides.
The situation was handled with rar
skill by President Roosevelt. At abou
the same time Secretary Taft wen
abroad and met the leading Japanes
statesmen. He assured them tn
United States was in a pacific fran
of mind and he received similar as
surances from them which he cable
to the United States and which wen
a long way toward preventing an
overt act by either nation.
AOKI ACTS ON OWN INITIATIVE
In the meanwhile, Viscount Aok
the Japanese ambassador being full
acquainted with the public sentimen
in this country, concluded some for
NAL steps should be taken to brin
about better relations. The situatio
had reached a pass where France ha
made a tender of it's good offices
which was Immediately rejected by tn
United States. President Roosevelt
with characteristic promptness, order
ed the entire battleship fleet into tn
Pacific ocean.
Viscount Aoki, acting on his ow
initiative, decided to propose to Pres
dent Roosevelt the project of an agree
ment substantially the same as ths
signed today. He had not consulte
his home government and the propC
sal was tentative, but clearly With
his privileges as an ambassador.
After some delicate preliminary NJ
gotiations President Roosevelt entel
ed heartily into the project He al
preciated that such an informal agree
ment or statement of policy would nj
only bind Japan to respect the int
gritty of China but it would dispel a
doubt as to the attitude of the VII
torious empire toward the America
possessions in the Pacific. Finally til
president believed such an agreemeI
would bring about a condition of goo
feeling which would permit the Sc
Element of the immigration questio
on a basis that each country could /
able to exclude the laboring classes {
the other.
PRESIDENT APPROVES; HITCH
COMES.