Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1909-09-25
TAFT met JAPANESE
WHILE THEY were GOING EAST
and HE COMING WEST.
Our President Gave Them a Hearty
Welcome and Assured Them Of Our
Lasting Friendship-They Responded
ALI Lunched Together on Shores of
Lake Minnetonka.

AooANChb dAb JuhNdJ ihCb INC ~
members of the Japanese commercial
commission at Minneapolis, now tour
ing the United States. He bade them
a hearty welcome, assuring them of the
lasting friendship of the American peo-
pie, praising their industry and pa
triotism, and drank a toast to the pros
perity of the Japanese, "the sincere
friends of America" The meeting was
at luncheon at the Lafayette club,
on the shores of Lake Minnetonka, ten
dered by the commercial club of Min
neapolis.
President Taft secuted the idea that
there had ever been the slightest dan
ger of trouble between Japan and
America. He paid his compliments to
the military valor of Japan, and said
the country twas then fighting in de-
Tense of her rights and the mainte-
nance of her prestige in the field of
battle. -
"But," he declared, "Japan today
is fighting for victories of peace, and
we all hope she will succeed. We are
not going to yield ourselves in that
contest, however, if we can help il"
President Taft S address, which was
filed with the warmest admiration
for the Japanese emperor and people,
followed a speech of Baron Shibu-
sawa, a prominent banker of Toxic
and chairman of the visiting commits
sion, who spoke in his native tongue.
He referred to President Taft as Zone
of the foremost men of the age and
a warm and true friend of Japan.
Taft Captivates Japanese.
Preceding the luncheon the president
was introduced to each member of the
commission. His hearty words of greet
ing, his quick recollection of having
met many of the visitors during his
several visits to Japan and of little
incidents in which they had had
part, seemed completely to captivate
them.
Mr.. Taft also received the ladies of
the party, declaring to Baroness Shi-
busawa that America wanted to see
more of the ladies of Japan, and to en-
courage their coming to this country
with the men. ''It is not fair said
the president, "that Japan should keep
back the most charming of her crea-
lures. -
Greets a Fraternity Man.
Baron Kanda, graduate of Amherst,
greeted teh president as fellow mem
Der of the Phi Uusilon fraternity.
''Well, well, said the president, "we
will shake hands again, but wen just
conceal our grip"
To Mr.. Del Kumagea, physician of
the imperial university at Toxic,
President Taft said: "We have a pro-
found admiration for the physicians of
Japan. They taught us the way to
stamp out the plague. They taught us
to label the rats and by driving them to
their holes to wipe out the source of
infection. We owe them lasting debt
of gratitude"
Jokes With Japanese Broker.
was introduced the president expressed
his great interest in the Japanese mar
ket methods and laughingly remarked:
81 suppose you have bulls and bears. -
"Oh, yes, sir" replied the broker.
"And the lambs, tooY" The broker
bowed low and passed on.
Yale Man Presents Fathers Respects.
Kojiro Matsukata, president of the
shipbuilder, was only one of what the
president remarked as being "grati-
flying sprinkling of Yale men along
the line.' He received most cordial
welcome, the president having met him
and his father, one of the lder states
men of Japan, in their native country.
81 bring from my father his humble
but sincere good Wishes said Mr.. Mat
sukata, who later, in response to a
question from the president, said he
graduated from Yale in 'ss.
Taft Refers to Pleasant Incidents.
With Mr.. Otani, president of the
Yokohama Chamber of Commerce,
President Taft exchanged many pleas
ant recolleetions of former associations
in Japan.
- Mrs. Taft and | remember HOkO-
hama especially well" declared the
president, "and we still value most
highly the silver service presented us
by the chamber of commerce there and
which we continue now to use at the
White House,
Baron Shibusawa, in his address,
said:
"This is one of the proudest mo-
ments of my life. 1t has just been
our good fortune to be introduced to
your president and he has been so
kind and so gracious that we all in
dividually feel honored and thank him
from the bottom of our hearts.
"On the eve of our departure on the
present mission the emperor honored
us in way quite unique in our his
tory. He graciously invited us to a
banquet at one of his palaces, an hon
OF never before given to any private
individual, however distinguished, 60
-