The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-01-31

and there were the common people, con- slsting of the farmers and those engaged in manufacture and trade. The daimyos and their retainers went about with swords, and they cut off the heads of such individuals of the common class as dis pleased them. When the time of the restoration came it was this military class that did the fighting, that reorganized the government, and that practically made the Japan of today. 1t was the educated class; and, necessarily, it was given the chief of the official positions Theoretical ly, all men were equal, and the merchant or mechanic had an equal chance with the others but in reality it was not so, on account of his antecedents, training and education. This has been the case until recently. but members of the other classes are rapidly coming into the government and what you might call a commercial party is being developed
 But you must not consider the words military party in the sense that the officials composing it are all sol diers, and hence anxious to direct Ja- pan along military lines. They are merely the descendants of soldiers, ed ucated to civil administration. It is true that many of them are members of the army but their aim is the de- peace"
 Japan and Corea.
 The conversation here truned to Corea, and I asked Marquis Katsura whether 1t was the intention of the government to make the Coreans in dependent under Japanese protection. He replied that it was, that the Ja- panese did not want to crowd out the Coreans, and that they hoped that Corea would be able to govern itself With the advice of Japan He denied that the Japanese are overrunning the country and said the door there Is practically open to foreign trade.
 I asked him If the Japanese expected to colonize any part of the country. He replied that they did not and that they would only attempt to fill up the unoccupied spaces and develop the waste lands. He spoke highly of Mar quis Ito's work in Corea and he evil dently thinks that the country will l-lp- idly improve under his administration. Manchuria.
 Our next subject was Manchuria concerning which I asked his exdel- lency if Japan expected to maintain the open door there. He replied: Most assuredly so. We hope that the trade of Manchuria will be free to all nations. ItNis so now. Indeed, the greater part of the trade there is in the nanQS or ndtloHS olHtI lidil liie panese. Both the United States and Great Britain do considerable business in Manchuria.'
 What are the prospects of the Chinese combining with the Japanese to furnish capital for its development" I asked. "They are not good just now. Both countries are in need of money, and they have but little for undertakings outside their own territories. There is a union of Chinese and Japanese capital as to the exploitation of large tracts of forest along the Yalu river. and this promises to pay well. As to Manchuria itself, it is an enormous territory, with vast tracts of rich land and great mineral possibil- ities. The country has not been care fully prospected, and no one knows just what 1t contains. It has a large popula- ton, and 1t will eventually be a valu- able market We are anxious to see the country develop, and we want, of course, to get as much of the market as pos slble.
 Saghalien.
 E .'Tell me something about your posses sions in saghalien, that part of the island which the Japanese got from Russia as a result of the war. Is it of any valuo?'
 We call that territory by the name of Karafuto," said Marquis Katsura "We have had the country but a short time. and are not able to say yet just what 1t is worth The fisheries are considered val uable and this is especially so of herring and trout We are experimenting there along agricultural lines. There is con- siderable land fitted for farming, and since 19o6 agricultural settlers have been