Los Angeles herald., 1909-11-20
COMMISSIONERS
INSPECT HARBOR
JAPANESE ARE PLEASED WITH
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
ENTIRE PARTY TAKEN ON TRIP
AROUND SAN PEDRO
Asiatic ENJOYS Include Some OF the
Wealthlest and Most Prominent
Men of Cherry Blossom
Kingdom
from rnre one,

Der Of Los Angeles JAPANESE NSIS o.
the depot to greet their countrSmeh' H.
Hotel Arrangements Perfect
Manager Whittemore of the Alex
andria has done himself proud for the
manner in which he has so far taken
care of the distinguished visitors and
the plans he has laid for their every
comfort, say members of the chamber
of commerce committee. Parlor b, one
of the most luxurious rooms in the
entire hostelry, has been fitted up as
a general headquarters. Here there
is a japanese servant on duty day and
night, ready to attend to every want
of the visitors. All communications
are handled through the headquarters.
Even telephone messages must hrst
be sent to parlor B before they are de-
livered to the various members of the
party. small japanese flag with full
directions in the native language on
the mezzanine floor hangs just above
the clerks desk. The flag and mes
sage point out the way to headquar-
ters, so that members of the party cam
not go astray.
When the special train pulled into
the Arcade station Manager White
more caused all the baggage of the
entire party, numbering something like
200 pieces, to be taken off. Immediate
ly it was loaded on drays and taken
to the Alexandria. When the party
returned from the San Pedro trip
every piece of baggage had been
placed in the rooms the commissioners
had been assigned. There was abso-
lutely no confusion at all, and every
thing was handled with the regularity
of clockwork.
Directs the Party
J. D. Lowman, president of the as
sociated chambers of commerce of
the Pacific coast, the organization
which has charge of the commission
ers' trip, opened headquarters in rooms
401 and 402 Here he has located his
two secretaries, Miss Elizabeth GRAY
lyn and Miss Camilla Easily. The man
agement of the party is directed from
Mr.. Lowman's rooms, where all infor-
nation as to the American end of 1t Is
given out.
The honorary commercial commits
sioners arrived in Seattle from Japan
on the steamship Minnesota Wednes-
day, September l. They. left Seattle
Monday. September 6, and after visit
ing fifty-two cities of the United
States from Seattle to Boston and re-
turning, from New York to Los An
geles and San Francisco, will sail from
the latter city for Japan on the Chic
Maru November 80, making their tour
one of constant observation and travel
extending over eighty-eight days and
covering a distance of about 1000
miles within the United States.
Personnel of Commission
There are ffty-eight japanese in the
party, of whom thirty-nine are COM
missioners, six are women and thir-
teen are private secretaries. Five of
the women accompany their husbands,
mol t.1,f se4 Tafn Of
Baron ShibusaWa, the head of the
party. The women dress in their ma
tive costumes and have received
marked social attentions on the Pacific
coast and in all of the eastern and
middle western cities thus far visited.
The women are the Baroness Shibus-
ava, Baroness Kanda, Nine. Midzuno,
Nine. Horikoshi, Nine. Taxi and Miss
Takanashi.
There are eight members Of the Jap
anese parliament in the party, one of
the house of peers and seven of the
house of representatives. The two
great banking houses of Japan are
epresented-that of Baron ShibusaWa
by the baron in person and that of
Mitsui q Co. by Keno Iwahara, its
managing director.
Six other extensive bankers are also
in the party. Nearly every line of in
dustry and commerce is represented i'll
the commission, including ownership
and management of electric railways,
ship building, manufacturing OF silk
and cotton fabrics, exporting and i'm
porting and stock brokerage. The pro-
fessions Of law and medicine are rep
resented. Some of the most noted edu
Gators, authors and newspaper writer's
of Japan are included in the commits
sion.
Baron Heads Party
Baron Elicit Shibusawa, who is the
head of the commission, is one of the
leading men of Japan both as a states
man and as a tnaLCier. His influence
in undermining the business of Japan
has been greater than that of any 9th
er person. He has raised the status of
men engaged in business and commerce
in little repute. He established the
first bank in Japan under the capital
stock system in 1873, and has been con-
nected with numerous manufacturing
and other industries.
He is known as the father of modern
financial and business methods in Jap
an. At one time he was the director of
seventy companies, but he is now 20
years old, and has of late been divest-
ing himself of many responsibilities.
He is still man Of vigorous intellect,
and while he does not speak English,
his addresses in japanese translated
into English are full of sound sense and
denote acute observation. The baron,
like all of his party, is polite 10 a fault,
devoid of affeCtatlOn and democratic in
his manner. He speaks French flu
emily.
Is Prominent Educator
Baron Kanda is a man of about A.
years, and is one of the most prominent
educators of his country He is a
graduate of Amherst college and has
Travelled extensively. He speaks English
perfectly, and his addresses are char
acterized by wit and elOquence.
Mr.. Kojiro Matsukata graduated in
law at Yale university, but he is now
a ship builder in Japan, ana has re-
Gently turned from his shop Yards in
Kobe two large steamships for the
American trade, the Seattle Naru and
the Tacoma Maru. This line runs be-
tween Osaka and Tacoma. He is the
president of the Kobe chamber of COM
merce, and is still a young man
K Otani, president of the Yokohama
chamber of commerce, is a member of
the house of peers and is one of the
most extensive exporters and importers
in Japan. He is the head of many large
enterprises, such as banks, water com
panies, etc, as well as beneficial and
semi-pubic organizations. Mr. Otani
has entertained many eminent Ameri-
cans at his beautiful home, among
them President Taft, and a generation
ago General Grant.
z. Horikoshi is silk manufacturer