The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-11-04
Visiting Commercial Commi :
sion Is Guest of Honor
KNOX MAKES HAPPY TALK
PROPOSES Health of the Emperor of
Japan on His Birthday-Expresses
Desire For Closer Business
and International Relations.

| dresses bearing on the Ties WHICH "hi'
| the Japanese and American nations the
wonderful progress of the former country
| and the Importance of bringing about a
perfect commercial understanding pc
| tween the two. characterized the banquet
J given tonight by the staff of the Japanese
| embassy to the visiting Japanese CONNER
| cial commission, the members OF WHICH
are making a tour of the country.
Tables were set for 100 in the banquet
| hall of the New Willard hotel, those pres
ent including in addition to the guest Oh
honor, members of the cabinet ana others
| in the official, social and business NE oi
Washington. Toasts were drunk 10 tne
| President of the United States ana TO the
Emperor of Japan. Secretary OF state
Knox. in proposing the toast to the MI
kado, remarked that 1t was most appro-
pirate on this day of the Emperors birth
| and in the distinguished company of Jap
anese present.
Addresses were made by Secretaries
Knox and Ballinger Mr.. Mitsui. the
| charge d. affaires of the Japanese en-
bassy; Baron Shibusawa and District
Commissioner Mcfarland
Knox Speaks.
Secretary Knox spoke as follows:
gentlemen, l propose the health-most
appropriately on this, his birthday, ana
in this distinguished Japanese company
of his majesty, the Emperor OF Japan.
ssRaron Shibusawa and honorable COM
missioners:
ut is my privilege and great pleas
ure to welcome you to washington on be-
half of this government and TO express
the sincere hope that your Journeylngs
and observations and entertainments IN
this country have been and will continue
to be comfortable and profitable and
agreeable to you. May health and kind
" courtesies and good cheer attend you
wherever you go, and may your return
VOYAGE across the seas to your own beau
tiful country be safe and happy one.
This is an opportunity of which l
gladly avail to speak of the ties which
have contributed to unite our two nations
in amity and essential harmony ever since
the days when to American representa-
tives first Of all you opened your doors
for the reciprocal exchange of good Will
and civilization and trade. We have
learned from you, as you from us. We
admire you for all of your national gifts
and virtues, and not the least for those
qualities in which you differ from u.s.
for the eminent qualities drawn from
must teach and we must learn.
Word "Bushido."
"It is your word 'bushdo' that expresses
the source and inspiration of much OF the
strength and nobility of the Japanese
temperament Then let western chivalry,
which also looks back to lofty origins,
learn what eastern bushido' has to teach.
Because of these ties between US,
we sometimes share common grief and
mourning This country mours with you
the untimely, cruel death of the great
prince, Ito, which to those among US
like the President, who knew him as
a personal friend. was a deep personal
loss. He was justly a hero of Japan,
A great man, noble self-sacrificing pa
triot a statesman of mastery consTuc-
tive ability, his career is the history or
the new Japan, of the Japan which is
now one of the great modern powers of
the world. A gifted Englishman of let
tiers has told fine story of the history
and work of Yoshida whose pupil Prince
Ito was and describing Yoshida's in
tensity of patriotic virtue has used Ian
guage which well describes Ito himself
He hoped perhaps to get the good OF
other lands without their evil; to en-
able Japan to profit by the knowledge of
the barbarians and still keep her invio-
late with her own arts and virtues
Japan Will Win.
as it too much to say that such hopes
of the great minds of Japan are in the
way of realization? Japan has set her.
self in that path and every friendly and
generous heart believes she will keep the
faith and hopes she will attain her
goal.
but you already have and will ex-
pect keen but friendly rivalry which Is
only the stimulating competitions OF the
struggle toward excellence going on ey-
erywhere at all times. Commerce ex-
change markets. trade extensions-these
are the fields in which friendly CONNER
cial rivalry now proceeding-between the
American and Japanese peoples finds ex-
preston. Each indeed furnishes a wide
market for the other and beyond their
respective boundaries they engage In this
friendly trade competition for the various
markets of the world and will continue
to SO engage. It is doubtless true that
trade and trade extension are the founda-
ton In practical life of most advances In
civilization.
But the great modern movements of
accord and good understanding between
nations are after all the lofty achieve
ments and the crown of all international
relations The controlling principles of
the movements are peaceful and bene-
fetal International intercourse and the
peaceful settlement by arbitration of diff
ference and controversies, extending that
principle by friendly diplomacy as rap
| number and variety of disputes and I'LL