The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1911-04-10


ing between Japan and Mexico. He
learned, through certain steamship and
railroad officials, that for the past
eighteen months every ship OF the Nip
pom Yusen kaisha coming into Seattle
and of the Togo Kissen kaisha, whose
port is San Francisco. was carrying
from twenty to 40 Japanese, passage
paid. besides cargos OF agricultural
machinery, household goods. and general
stores At Seattle and San Francisco
these japanese, all men. were trans
shipped to steamers OF the Pacific Mail
Line plying between Seattle. San Fran
cisco. and Mexico.
Gets Photo OF Treaty.
It was a matter of public record that
japanese colonists had been granted
tracts for cotton and corn raising in the
states of Sinaloa, Tepic. and Jalisco, on
the Pacific coast of Mexico, but 1t was
not apparent that the colonies were OF
a size sufficient TO include the hundreds
of japanese that were emiSrating pas
sage paid. on the subsidized lines of
Japanese steamships.
Il was also a matter of record that
subsidized japanese steamship line had
requested of the Mexican government
coaling privileges in one of the Pacific
coast ports. either at Mazatlan or Man
Zanillo. The answer to this request had
been held in allegiance by the Diaz gov
eminent.
During the month of February. Ambas-
sador Wilson was busy cultivating GER
tain sources in the higher circles of the
Mexican government Very near the end
of the month, Mr.. Wilson obtained for
a few hours the original secret treaty
-, :.
long enough to have a photograph made
of it, and then it was returned to its
place in the hidden archives of the Mexi-
can state department.
The treaty was in the shape of several
clauses which were to be a part of
formal agreement on the part of the
Mexican government to allow the Japa-
neSe commercial line of steamships 10
have its own coaling station at a point
on the Pacific Coast and to grant certain
other colonization rights in the states
along the western coast
Provided COaling Station.
The secret clauses of the treaty-those
photographed by Ambassador wilson
gave Japan a lease of a coaling station
and maneuver grounds in Magdalena Bay.
with the alternative of a coaling station
at one other of the few scattered ports
down the Mexican coast.
The clauses also set forth Japan and
Mexico's mutual interests in the Pacific,
and while not stipulating an offensive
and defensive alliance, gave in a diplo-
matte way Japan's keen interest in the
protection of Mexico against aggression.
The treaty had been ratified. not by the
Mexican senate, but by Diaz and his
cabinet
The day after he had obtained the
photograph of this treaty Mr.. Wilson
took the train for Washington. He wired
the State Department of his coming and
OF the urgency of his mission.
When Mr. Wilson arrived in Washing
ton, the Cabinet was already in session
with the President. The Ambassador
went direct into the Cabinet room and
laid before the President and his adj
visers the evidence he brought with him
of the secret negotiations between Next
CO and Japan, which were menacing the
interests of the United States
Wood Summoned by Taft.
That was in the morning. At 1 o'clock.
Chief of Staff Gen. Wood was dining at
his club messenger came to his table
and told him that President Taft wanted
to see him Immediately. Gen. Wood
went to the White House. and was clos
eted with the President for several hours.
Then he went to the War Department
The building of the War Department was
all ablaze with lights that night, as the
Washington correspondents will remem-
Der. Orders were going out for the mobil-
ization of 2O,oo0 men at San Diego. San
Antonio, and Galveston. for the assem-
bling of marines at Guantanamo. and
the patroling of the west coast of Mexi-
co by American war vessels.
Jose ]. Limantour. then Mexican
minister of finance, was in New York at
the time. Ambassador Wilson went to
New York after delivering his message
at Washington, and he had a conference
with Senior Limantour at the Plaza Hotel
on the night of his arrival
What MIR. Wilson told Senior Liman-
tour was that he CWilson) was to be the
bearer of a message from the govern
ment of the United States TO President
Diax Tho message was IN effect that