Arizona republican., 1909-10-15

i best. to carry out the presidents
 wishes
 The difficulty has already been in
 creased by the absence of specific instructions from the state depart
 ment. and of any adequate discussion
 with its officials as to the policy of this government. I had been much
 gratified that no criticism had come
 to me from any official source until l was recalled to Washington last
 week
 With the previous approval of the
 president, I had arranged to go to China by way of Europe. so that I
 might have conferences with well in
 formed and influential persons of
 widely divergent interests and points
 of view And I had made many val
 uable appointments. It was then sug-
 gested by MT. Knox that it would be
 better for me to proceed via the Pa
 cific. Contrary to my understanding
 that this matter should be fully dis cussed with the president in confer ence with Secretary Knox, the sec retary informed me that it would be unnecessary to see the president, and that l should proceed by way of Japan. It was tFen agreed that l should sail on October ,, with the minister of Japan.
 T was told letters would be given me and arrangements made for see ing important persons in Japan. I have not since then seen Secretary Knox except on last Sunday. nor have had any adequate discussion with the department of state as to its policy.
 Some days before the date set for my departure, I came to Washington and, after considerable difficulty. made a number of appointments with the first assistant secretary of state, not one of which did he keep orr ex- plain his failure to keep. No papers, not even my official credentials were made for me when I left Washington for San Francisco with just time to catch the steamer. 1 have not eX amined the papers from the state de- partment which reached me in San Francisco after the secretary's tele- gram recalling me to Washington.
 As I was hurriedly leaving Wash lHSlOH Il pl 4iiPOl ant paper asked me about the China Japan agreement, and I said the mat ter was under consideration, as is well known, but no decision had been reached, and I may have said, al- though I do not recall it. that ob- viously no statement will be prepared in the absence of MT. Hoyt
 T advised him to get thoroughly informed upon the whole subject, as it would be of the greatest importance that it be handled intelligently by the American press. if official action were 
 Mir. Crane Is certainly entitled to a hearing. and the whole incident is of interest to the people because of pos sible difficulty in reaching a satisfac- tory understanding with Japan on the ManchuriaE question. Believing that a serious problem confronts this country, MT. Crane has been under the impression that the people ought to understand it in order that public opinion may sustain our government in it's dealings with China and Japan. And it IS quite evident from this statement that he understood this was the opinion of the president
 Stated in a few words, the Man churian question is this: "Manchu- ria is one of the richest provinces in China, and contains the greateest possibilities in the matter of foreign trade. The control of Manchuria was one of the stakes in the Russo-Japa- rese war Japan insisted that Russia must be driven out and all nations given an equal show. through the "open door" trade policy. This cop tention enabled Japan to get the sym pathy of most of the world in her war with Russia. Having beaten Russia. Japan proceeded with plans for controlling the province herself A stw weeks ago, taking Chi1a by the throat. she forced the ws1< gov arnmenI of thu empire to sign a treaty covering railway conc eSSiH0s ' hich, in the judgment of compet"rt CDsci rcrs. delivers ManchIcia ilto the hands of Japan to the practical exclusion of other nations. If this treaty is to stand without modifica- tion, it means goodbye to the "Cpen door in northern China-the open door" for which President Mckinley. the late John Hay, and President Roosevelt worked so long and hard and Manchuria becomes. for trade a Japanese province. It was for making allusion to this situation that Minister Crane incurred the dis pleasure of the state department.