The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-10-23
EDITOR
GIVES HIS VIEWS
He Is Greatly Impressed With the
Condition of the Allan
tic Fleet
AMERICAN DISCIPLINE MI
MILD.
Room for All Trading Nations in China
and Open Field in
Manchuria.

MANILA, September 26.-Mr H.
Oba, editor of the Osaka Mainichi
OSAKA Daily News arrived in Manila
yesterday on the Humane Maru. He
is here to cover the visit of the Anne
rican battleship fleet for his newspa-
per and between now and October 10,
when he leaves for Japan, he intends
to see as much as possible of this
country and write his impressions in
the Mainichi
| Mr.. Oba has been spectator OF the
Australian welcome to the fleet and is
the first Japanese newspaperman who
has visited the Commonwealth. lie
gives a glowing account of the festivi-
ties at Sydney and Melbourne, but
with the customary tact of the polish
ed Japanese he expresses the hope that
the Toxic reception will eclipse the
Southern Cross displays And as to
the ships?
ADMIRES THE SHIPS.
Mr.. Oba says he is not an expert
on navy matters, but the clean condi-
! ton of the battleships after their long
and trying voyage was a revelation to
him in Japan. 1t was generally expect
ed that the fleet would be ready for
docking on their arrival in Australian
waters, and the fact that no repairs
whatsoever were needed greatly i'm
pressed him. He sent cablegram
which cost him fifty pounds in Eng
fish money to his newspaper, setting
forth the trim condition of the fleet
and the fine presence of the officers
and men.
Mr. Oba readily discussed the con-
trasts presented by the American navy
with that of Japan, instancing in par
ticular two points. He was surprised
to find wives of the American navy
| officers touring around after them as
on the Humane Maru for instance.
1T struck me as curious" he remark
ed. "At Sydney and at Melbourne,
there they were to meet their husbands
when the fleet arrived at these ports,
and several of them travelled with me
to Manila to await their husbands
here. That would not be permitted by
the Japanese government"
JAPANESE DISCIPLINE.
According to Mr.. Oba, the sailorman
of Dai Nippon has to toe the line or
discipline much more strictly than the
American buejacket. At Melbourne
over 100 sailors overstayed their final
liberty and were left behind Some of
them took train to Melbourne and 9TH
ers got there by boat in time to re-
port aboard their ships before anchors
were lifted from Australian waters,
but a few lost connections altogether
and were brought to Manila on the
Humane Maru. Japanese sailors dare
not break the rules like that, Mr.. Oba
remarked.
HE KNOWS WAR.
The editor of the Osaka Daily News
was with Kuroki and the first army
corps up to the battle of Mukden. He
knows what war is, and he smiles at
talk of war between Japan and the
United States. In Japan, he says, the
war talk is confined to a small section
of the Toxic press and people whose
influence does not amount to much.
The Japanese, as a body, are most
friendly to America and Americans,
and he instanced the enthusiastic re-
ception given Mr.. Taft. THE welcome
we are preparing for the fleet will
show how we feel towards your peo-
pie" said Mr.. Oba. I'VE are going to
do our best to make the Toxic visit
the great feature OF the long cruise"
AMERICAN TRADE IN CHINA.
Mr.. Oba said a word or two about
American trade in China. He told the
representative of the Cablenews-Ame-
rican that Japan has no intention OF
discouraging American competition,
but on the contrary the statesmen OF
his empire are anxious for it. There
is room for ALL" he observed, and in
Shanghai and Tientsin the German
merchants are showing how much can
be done in the extension of trade with
the Chinese. We are anxious to de-
velop the same competition in Man
churia, and the American merchant is
sure of an open field there"
While awaiting the arrival of the
fleet, Mr.. Oba will see as much as he
can of Luzon through journeys up
country on the railroad lines. And he
will write the facts as he finds them
for the information of the readers OF
the Osaka Daily News.
$S