The Hawaiian gazette., 1909-11-30
Protest Story at First Denied
by Japanese Embassy but
Later Confirmed.
HONOLULU REPORT WORRIED
Knox's Last Statement Based on
the Japanese Reception OF
the American Protest.

When the first questions were ask
ed at the state department at Wash
ington concerning the truth of the
Honolulu despatch regarding report
ed protest from Washington to To
kio concerning the Japanese Chinese
treaty. direct denial of the truth of
the report was given.
Yesterday, the further particulars of
the state department announcement
of November IA were received by
mail. This announcement says that
Secretary Root, after going care
fully and fully into the matter
of the Peking treaty, had come to
the decision that there had been no
violation of the "open door, agree.
| ment made some months ago between
| Takahira and Secretary Root.
Yesterday, also, came the report
that the Honolulu report had been con-
firmed and that the decision of Sec
retarv Root as to the open door
agreement was the result of the Jap
1
anese answer to the American protest.
| The answer of the japanese foreign
| department was that America need not
fear the result of thesPeking treaty,
| as Japan would bind herself not to
interfere under it with the right of
| Americans to open mines in Manchu-
ria, to share in Manchurian trade and
generally to go in and out of the open
door as pleased them.
State Department Denial.
| When the Washington correspondent
| of the New York Herald, which first
| received the news on the mainland,
carried the Honolulu despatch to the
state department officials, there was
considerable interest taken in it, the
denial issued being based for large
| part on one particular part of the de-
| spatch, a part in which an error had
been made in translation. This was
the clause referring to the Pratas Is
land, the japanese translator being un-
able to name in English the actual is.
land mentioned in the Toxic despatch.
Japanese Scheming.
The state department saw in the
despatch deep scheme of the Japa'
nese foreign department, an attempt
to draw out Secretary Knox.
The Herald's story of the denial
was:
Officials of the state department SCI
evidence of japanese handiwork in tn,
despatch from the Hawaii Shinpo rela
tive to Ambassador o 'Brien s reported
protest to the Japanese foreign office
No such protest has been made, ac
cording to the state department, ant
there is no basis whatever for such
report, according to the officials, wht
are inclined to believe the story wa
concocted in Toxic by japanese influ
ences and for the purpose of drawing
; the fire of the United States on Man
churia.
What this purpose is, the department
does not show, and the japanese EN-
bassy is likewise at loss to explain
At the japanese embassy the most EN-
phatic denial was made of the content
of the despatch.
"We have never heard of any sue
action by Mr.. O'Brien,' the embass
officials said, "and if such action ha
, been taken you can rest assured tina
we would have heard of it. Some
times diplomatic denials are necessary
but this is not diplomatic denial.
In analyzing the Shinpo despatcl
: : state department officials after specl
l lating on the reason for it's public;
!, ton, proceeded to characterize the r,
l port as a ''poor guess" by someon
who had not followed recent dipl
matte events closely between Japa
and the United States.
"Bringing in Pratas Island is ev
dence that authority for this artic
is not connected with the Japanes
foreign office" it was explained. "1
it had been, he would have form
lated his despatch far more cleverl
] than he has done. Japan recogniz,
1 Chinese sovereignty in Pratas islam
and there has been nothing recent
to call the attention of the Unite
States government to his particul;
: phase of the situation. The questiC
t in Manchuria is different, but tn
IS question is so broad that anyone couI
guess there might be matters for CO.
sideration in Manchuria.n
: 1t is explained that the necessal
e retieence of the state department
e its present negotiations relative
"A Manchufla makes II possible for wi(
y, speculation. Persons in Japan want
. know what the state department
A. tends to do, and anything that CT
k uncover the plans of Mr.. Knox, seer
:. tary of state, would be of advanta
to Japan. But there is no Indicate
~ that Secretary Knox is to be draw
IT out.
Sc If the department is going to pl
u. test, Mr.. Knox is determined that
n. one shall know il, and the Japane
government will first be informed
X this protest when II lands in the Tok
as foreign office
Il, Any statement one way or the 9th
"a. puts the state department AT disa
vantage at this iunetuTe. II Mr.. In
y admits be Is going 30 protest, this p
IN pares Japan for her defense and pl
he The state department NJ mauffl
TO disadvantage when the protest
be made
~ II Mr. knos, on the either hand, !