The Columbus journal., 1909-01-06

| sunnery and drill. He hSd observed
| the growth of conceit, which. like rust
beneath E coat of paint, led meg to
| believe SO devoutfy in American SUI
periority that they neglected to ana
lyZe the actual power which could
positively be developed. BY a process
of elimination he estimated the fight.
ing value of the American navy. dis.
carding vessels still in service but
| obsolete. aHd others still on paper but
looked upon by the sInsophisticatet as
part of the nations strength. Ma.
tional prowess he regarded IS a sma ali
factor when granting equality.
Seigo's observations had been SO
careful and mis- conclusions 50 logical,
that reports sent to end passed upon
by the elder statesmen of japan had
led them to feel certain of victory
long before %ar was declared. Nor
had his predictions in the opening
even.s been cnfalfilled. True he had
not expected the abandonment of the
Philippines: but he had confidently
foretoid the period of torpidity, of con-
fusion and lack of cohesion, which had
followed. 1t vas with satisfaction,
therefore. that he observed the trend of
events when hostihties were finally
declared. and from TIE quietude of his
study saw the whole country waiting
for the government to act while ap-
parently n remained scmnolent.
The surrender Of the islands came
as the first perplexinS problem for
which he could neither account nor
understand. and his activities prior to
that event were nothing when COM
pared with those subsequent. He was
too adroit ever to have appeared as
laborer IN the. limelight. and was
therefore enlinently fitted to drop from
sight at the outbreak. when his fei-
low cOuntrymen we're leaving by hun
dreds seeking places of refuge across
the border lines north and south or
e,nbarking on the high seas for for
eisn ports. Singularly enough. race
prejudice in the eastern states had
never reached the point of acute dis
elimination which made the denizens
of that section classify the Japanese
and Chinese in one broad category as
orientais; it was therefore easy for
Seigo to don the garb of a laundry
man in the city of Washington. i'm.
provise a pigtail. and without inter.
ruption assume to pursue this voca-
ton.
IF hn
covered that in a situation where an !
archy might thrive the followers of |
the red flag would be his most val |
liable spies. Without difficulty he |
allied himself with this ele nent, and |
gained friendly footing wi h them by |
ostensibly favoring the advancement
Of their cause in Russian domains.
Their confidence in him was strength
ened by the fact that he was accom-
plished In their language, which he
spoke fluently. and was a liberal con.
tributor to their treasury.
Having thus ingratiated himself,
The next step was made easy. He Sc
|ected such tools from the ranks OF
these malcontents as seemed best
fitted to his hands. and thereby es-
Lablished means of securing news
hat would have been impossible in
any othe: way. From his little howell
he directed these men as seemed best,
assigning them to tasks of more or
ess magnitude, and paying lavishly
or anything of value; and to his OBJ
'cure place there came divers men
when night time offered the cloak of
darkness to the furtive
Seigo's most valuable ally was one
Meredith, of English parentage, and a
nan who for years resided ON Cross
street, Paterson, n. j.. that unfor- I
innate city whose very industry and
had made it the gather +;
ne place of the Reds. Meredith was
! mach:nist by trade, and an employee |