The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-02-21

incalculable and your people are many.
 Why should Japan seek to enter into a
 struggle with you?
 Besides, our country has always looked
 upon you as it's best friend We have
 been associated together for years in the
 closest relations in the family of nations
 and have never had a isagreement. We
 appreciate your friendship of the past
 and we shall reciprocate 1t whenever
 we can.
 Uncle Sam and Prince Ito.
 "As far as I myself am concerned"
 Prince Ito continued, 'I wish to express
 my kind regard for your people and your
 government. They have been good to me
 in the past and I owe them much.
 visited your country years ago to study
 your financial system. I then spent six
 months there, and during a great part of , that time was in Washington, D. c. That was when General Grant was President
 and MT. Boutwell, Secretary of the Treas
 ury General Grant was very kind and Sec
 retary Boutwell, put all the information of your treasury department at my disposal.
 It was through the studies that l made
 there that I was able to formulate the financial system which Japan now has, and to acquire other knowledge which has been of benefit to me, and I hope also to my country"
 Japan Does Not Want the Philippines.
 But how about this talk of Japan wish ing to acquire the Philippines? It Is said by some of our newspapers that you seek
 a war with us fin hope of adding the Philippines to your territory"
 That also is ridiculous" replied Prince Ito. 'The subject of the Japanese owner
 ship of the Philippines has never been dis
 cussed in this country, and 1t certainly has not been mentioned in the councils of our government. I have no doubt that those island are rich and valuable and that they will be of good to your people in attracting their attention to the great | field of Asiatic trade. believe that they have already done so, and that the in- crease in your business in this part of the world is owing somewhat to that in- terest. It seems to me that the United States cannot afford to let the islands go and that as a world power 1t must accept the situation and work that problem out | to a conclusion.
 "As to the Asiatic market, you will need | 1t more and more as time goes on. You have enormous supplies of raw materials and your skill in manufacture is such | that you must have a world market. One of the best markets of the future will be | found on this side of the globe"
 The Future of Japan.
 What Is to be the place of Japan in | that market, your highness" I asked ! we hope to do a great deal of the 1 trading. and we ought to do large part of the manufacturing" was the reply ! we are here right on the edge of China with an abundant supply of labor, which l is both artistic and adaptable to the handling of machinery. There ought 10 pc 1 opportunities for combination of American 1 capital and American raw materials Ill the manufacture of goods for us here on | these islands for the great market oi ! China We are on the ground. we un- derstand the field and the natives or the | countries about us, and we have such
 trade connections in the way of steamsnil nj, | lines and other things that I believe the na an,taIists of the two nations working to- l Retber couM do better than either could alone. We very much desire American ] capital" 1 That brings up the financial condition ] of your empire. Japan is now in the | throes of hard times. What is to be your | future along such lines?'
 T think we shall rapidly recover from