Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-03

How shall a small, poverty
III stricken nation raise funus
- sufficient to finance the most
R.sal ambitious imperial program
mapped out since the day of Napoleon!
| Cold-blooded and heartless statecraIt
upon the part of the rulers Wnole-
souled and unquestioning patriotism
unon the part of the ruled, make the
solution of the problem less difficult
in japan than it would be in any other
nation on earth Never before has
civilized nation imposed such Dur-
den of taxation upon it's people as the
japanese statesmen have ordained lot
purposes of imperial extension. ina
burden is borne almost without COM
plant. In Nippon it is the duty OF the
people to obey the rulers of the state
as the child obeys its honorable rather
and it's honorable mother. No questions
are asked. But for all that, reVolu-
tions have occurred even in Japan,
and there is a point beyond which even
| Japanese patriotism will fail and the
| boasted spirit of "bushido" prove fu-
| tile. The japanese statesmen must be
wise enough not to push their schemes
beyond that point. or the new japanese
Empire will be attacked from withln'
Great Britain reached its eminence
| as the greatest of the world powers
through a series of fortuitous circum-
| stances. The British Empire TO-DAY
| represents the greatest achievement OIL
statecraft in history, but 1t was oulIt
up, little by little, and without dehnlte
plan. Not any one statesman nor any
| one group of statesmen in England
| laid down the program of empire. Like
! Topsy, it "just growed." The German
/ Empire is the outgrowth of Prussian
ambition and the genius of Bismarck,
| but rapid as its growth has been IL
| has dealt with one problem at a time,
each in It's own good season. If the
next venture is to attack the sea power
| of Britain it will come as the logical
result of imperial growth; not because
such a venture is the next number on
the set program. The great American
republic is one of the chief nations Of
the world, but no one has ever accused
| it of having a definite policy, much less
! of adhering to a fixed plan of pro-
cedure.
| Japan is different. Resolving to en-
| ter the concourse of modern nations
| because therein was the only hope OF
! safety, the Japanese early decided upon
course of international policy to
which they have been singularly faith
| full That course is imperial in the
fullest sense of the word, and its ultl-
mate object is the establishment Of the
Japanese empire as the chief power in
Asia. if not in the world, with respect
both to military and commercial do
minion. Every act of Japan in the last
quarter of a century has been in con-
sistent and persistent accordance with
the aims and purposes of this policy.
The adoption of western methods OF
civil and military administration, re-
sulting in the constitution and the vic
torious army and navy are the things
too we'll known of Japan to require re-
Ilation. Then there was the long and
patient struggle for a revision of the
treaties with the powers, resulting
finally in the abolition of the right of
extra-territoriality and the inclusion of
foreigners under the Japanese legal
administration. This gave Japan full
rights as an equal nation, rights which
will be confirmed next year when the
treaties will be renewed without time
limitations. The war with China in
1894 was the first indication of the Jap
anese purpose to obtain a foothold
upon the Asiatic mainland at the cost
of war. The territory then captured
was returned to China under pressure
from Europe, but as Japan collected an
indemnity of 300,OO0,000 yen for a war
which cost only 259,000,000 yen, the re-
suit did not stop the onward march
of Japanese Imperialism.
The formation of the alliance with
England, the war with Russia and the
seizure of Korea were the next steps.
Now, in fat violation of treaty obliga-
tions and diplomatic promises, the Jap
anese hold upon Manchuria is tight
ened. The Japanese are in Manchuria
to stay. The japanese today exercise
a control in Korea and southern Man
churia as complete as that exercised
by England in Egypt; and does not the
whole world regard Egypt as essen
TALLY a part of the British empire,
despite the twin fictions of Turkish
sovereignty and Khedival government?
To put the thing bluntly, Japan has
more than doubled its imperial area in
the last five years.
The Japanese imperial program does
not stop with territorial or govern
mental expansion. The commercial
ambition is, in fact, the greater. Never
did nation attempt such a stupendous
commercial campaign as that now
being carried on by the Japanese.
Other nations have encouraged their
business men to capture foreign trade
and create new business. Japan as a
nation and in it's governmental ca
pacity is actually engaged in all sorts
of commercial and industrial enter
prises. either as full owner or silent
partner.
The fiscal problem in Japan is to
provide sufficient money to maintain
the army and navy and to constantly
increase the latter; TO pay for the ad-
ministration of affairs in Korea and
Manchuria; to meet the deficits OF
countless business concerns with
treasury subVentions; to pay the sub
sides which keep the enormous Jap