The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-02-20
JAPS TAKING
OUR TRADE IN
THE ORIENT
War on Standard Oil and Rail-
way Rate Regulation
Held Responsible.
EXCUSE DOES NOT APPLY
TO OTHER COUNTRIES
PROTEST AGAINST AGGRESSION
OF MIKAoo WOULD RECEIVE
ONLY MORAL" SUPPORT,

Washington, Feb. Authorization
from unofficial and individual sources
evidencing the 'aggressiveness of Japan
IN Manchuria has been accommodating in
the state department for some time
That this condition is irritating ia in
creasing degree to China is $50 u
matter of knowledge here. 1t is stated
with authority, however, that in no
manner has the Chinese government
brought the matter to the attention Of
The American government, and no re-
port on the subject is looked for.
A remarkable explanation of the at
titude of our government In this impor-
tant matter Is developed as the result
of inquiry directed toward officials who
cannot be quoted but are in a position
TO direct our policies. In effect it is
as follows:
America Steadily Losing.
1t is frankly admitted that America
is losing her commercial foothoId in
the orient. This loss. however, is not
charged to Japan. Rather it is asserted
10 De the effect of the growing tendency
toward Internal governmental regula-
a
tratiOn of this, attention is called to
these facts:
Five years ago flour in barrels was
being shipped to the orient from the
northwest. steel rails from Pittsburg
and cotton in bales from Texas. These
shipments were made possible because
of an exceedingly low ocean freight
rate arrived at by a railroad combina-
tiOn. This rate has been condemned
trade. and the development of this trade
has been abandoned.
War on Standard Oil Disastrous.
The domestic war, as it is character
tsed, against the Standard Oil company,
which is credited with the largest ORR
entail trade of any American enterprise.
is declared to have been disastrously eff
fectiVe iii the orient, while the tobacco
and cotton goods trades are sara to have
been dealt heavy blows through the
operation of railroad regulation here.
From this point il seemed easy for gov
eminent officials here conVerSant with
foreign matters to view japanese COM
mercial aggression i'm Manchuria with
greater degree of complaisance than
would be the case in the face of an
urgent domestic demand for govern
mental assistance. Japan, ii is assert
ed can without great difficulty justify
everything she has done in Manchuria
as sanctioned by the open door" policy
initiated by the late Secretary Hay and
adhered to by the greater nations, in
Guiding Japan.
Would Not Bear the Light.
While Japan may justify these things
I'm the strictest sense under the "open
door, policy, it has been charged that
there exists evidences of her use of
many methods and practices which
might not bear the light of impartial
investigation. Besides her claim to an
equal footing with other nations in
Manchuria on the open door basis she
has. il is asserted, obtained many val
liable concessions through which her
control of the railroad and teIegrap
facilities is practically complete. This
control is known to be used primarily
in the interest of Japanese tradesmen
and to the detriment of all foreign COM
petitors These disadvantages are, of
course, being felt by American trades
men, as we'll as by those of other for
eign nations. AS the trade of Ger
many, England and other nations is
more valuable than the American trade,
and as these nations are what is termed
highly commercially organized, it would
not be a great surprise TO American
diplomacy to hear of protests from these
quarters against Japan's aggression.
We're Not Aggressive.
There is nothing, 1t is pointed out, in
Secretary Hays PRONUNCIATION for the
"open door" policy, which partakes of
the nature o, an agreement with any
nation looking to its maintenance. For
this reasonf 1t is predicted that should
q combination OF protests be made and
any movement initiated by foreign ma
tions, the support which it would re-
ceive from this country would be no
more than moral.