The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-09-20
A Curious People.

n
peror and people of Japan.
A Curious People.
we are curious people. We have
got to run our newspapers. We have
10 nave at times our emotions stirred
In order that newspapers shall have
cifcAiatton, and we cannot always do
that with statement of the facts.
therefore we have To draw on our
imaginations and make that to appear
which Is in fact not true just in order
that there shall be a circulation of in
telligence among the people. Now. in
times past we have been stirred up.
Those of us who know the facts were
never so stirred up by announcements
of trouble between Japan and Amer
lea. believe that even the newspapers
have now given up any such idea
Those of us who were i'm japan and
who came into contact with all of her
great men and talked with them per
sonally had no trouble on that score
Japan is engaged in a contest-in
struggle, | had almost said. but
won't say ii because 1t is not n correct
eNpressinn-in a war. and preparing
herself for 1t. That struggle is in the
development of her resources and the
making of her people a great and
successful and commercial nation. She
has proven her ability on the field of
battle. She has shown what can be
done by the thoroughness of prepare
! ton and courage and careful, deliber-
i ate steps in the direction of her am
bition in the defense of her rights and
maintaining her prestige on the field
| of battle.
But she is not engaged in that now.
] She is preparing for victories of peace,
] and in that we all wish she may be
successful. We are not going to yield
in that controversy if we can helm it,
/ We are entering the contest and I
/ hope we will strip ourselves of som.
/ nonsensical ideas that we have, that
We may make greater strides than
/ heretofore in the Orient and other far
distant countries. The truth is. If /
may say so. being an American. our
/ business men are a little bit con-
cerned over their tremendous success
/ with the trade they have at home. and
| therefore they have not given as much
attention as they might and as other
] of customers In far distant lands. They
are little disposed To say Well. these
are sizes that we make and they are
/ the patterns that our looms turn out.
and If these foreigners have not sense
enough to take them as We make them.
why. they can leave them
Look Out!
That is all right. gentlemen. when
the foreigners cannot get any other
than those looms and that kind Of
goods: but if they can and do find
other countries that are willing to
manufacture 10 suit their tastes. why.
the Americans are good To be second
or third or fourth i'm the race. Hut we
are acquiring sense in the advance of
our business interests. and l warn our
japanese friends that while We may be
little slow in getting IN work and
in understanding what We have got
to do. we win be stripping ourselves
once in a while. and they me.t look
out.
Final "Banzai."
1T gives me great pleasure to pro-
pose a toast tn a parsonage who in
his life and service 10 - people has
shown a devotion and a remarkable
ability for selecting the men with
which the wonderful advance of ia
pan has been made possible. and in
government there Is no ability higher
than the power to select the right men
to do the right thing. | propose 4