Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-09-10

PEKING-That it is the desire of Jap
aneso statesmen to achieve a position
of dominant influence in China is recog-
nized by everybody in the East. The
| probable effects of a realization OF that
desire, and the wisdom of the diplomatic
Nand commercial steps being taken by the
japanese at this time, are things about
which no two men In the east quite
| agree.
Leaving aside the exceptional condition
in Manchuria for future discussion, be-
cause Japan undoubtedly has some es-
pecial rights in that section, IL is an in
4 disputable fact that the Japanese have
| been losing favor and advantage in
| China proper. Their business methods
have not been up to the Chinese stand
ard, their educational and political mis-
sionaries have outlived their welcome,
and their diplomatic relations have been
marked by a series of plumbers and mis-
takes.
How the diplomacy Of the cunning
Japanese sometimes slips a cog was
aptly illustrated by the unfortunate ca
| reer in Picking of Prince Fushimi. an
| imperial prince of Japan, who was sent
| to China as the special envoy of the
mikado to be present at the funeral of
| the late emperor. Prince Fushimi did
not stay long in Picking but 1t was quite
long enough to excite the anger Of the
| Chinese people, of the Manchu princes,
J of the foreign diplomatic corps and even
Of the Picking japanese colony.
AS a special envoy and as a member
! of an imperial family, Prince Fushim
out-ranked all the other national repre-
sentatives at the imperial funeral. The
Japanese design was to send man of
such rank that he must be accorded first
! place. thereby seeking to impress the
| Chinese with the notion that Japan is
| the greatest and 1nightiest of foreign
| powers That part of the program might
have been successful II 1t had not been
| for the enthusiasm of Prince F'ushimi
| who over-reached himself at every turn
|
He gave a reception to his fellow-en-
vOys, despite the Chinese idea that 1t
was not very polite to come to a dead
| emperor's funeral and begin a series of
private entertainments. OF course, all the
ENJOYS and their suites attended, expect
ing to be received on an equal footing.
But 1t was not to be. Prince Fushini
was feeling his imperial blood and was
fully conscious that evening of his re-
lationship to the sun and moon. He re-
! ceived his guests standing on a little
dais and accepted their bows as might
, an emperor in full court ceremonial. One
of the ENJOYS, a man representing a ma
ton which knows not princely blood nor
recognizes divine right" attempted to
interject a sentence of conversation. The
| japanese minister to Peking who was
acting as master of ceremonies, cut him
off sharply with the command: Present
your suite, Mr.. Minister!" Which was
exactly equivalent to a New York
cops" order to move on
That performance brought the anti
Japanese rage of all the diplomatic
corps to the boiling point. But Prince
| Fushimi was not content. He issued
! invitations to a dinner, and as an impe-
rial prince sent cards as a matter of
right to several of the conservative old
Manchu princes. The invitations were
signed by the princes secretary. The
Manchu dignitaries were not accustomed
| to receiving impersonal messages from
private secretaries, and they let their
displeasure be known. OneI Of them went
/ so far as to return the invitation without
reply. That performance aroused the In
| dignation of the Manchus. The Chinese
were offended by what they considered
Prince Fushimis presumption in making
their emperor's funeral an excuse for
his holding a Japanese imperial court at
their imperial capital. There were other
incidents of similar character, and
when the prince left Picking there was a
general Thanksgiving in which the jap
snese colony Joined heartily. The alb
surdly high-headed prince had made their
position among the other foreigners and
among the Chinese well-nigh tntolerable.
This is only an illustration Of how the
\ Japanese often fail in their efforts to
play the smooth diplomatic gane-just
as they brought the immigration question
in America to a focus five years ahead
of time by raising the San Francisco
school question While the questions al
issue between China and japan in Man
churia may be considered complex, 1t is
apparent that japanese diplomacy will
do anything rather than submit TO out
side interference. The peremptory and
almost insulting refusal or the Japanese