Las Vegas optic., 1912-05-01
kNOx'S REPORT IS INCLUDED
SECRETARY OF STATE SHOWS
IAN AMERICAN SYNDICATE
TRIED TO SELL.
AN INQUIRY WAS MADE
ATTEMPT TO ASCERTAIN ATTL
TUpE OF THIS GOVERNMENT
CAUSED WILD RUmoRs.

I Washington, May President
Taft today informed the senate that
the department of state has no evil
dence whatever adequate to show any
acquisition of land or any intention
or desire to acquire land, whether
directly or Indirectly, in Mexico by
or on the part of the imperial Japan
ese government.
The presidents message was in re-
sponse to senate resolution calling
for information regarding an alleged
purchase OF land at Magdalena Bay
by the Japanese government or by
Japanese company. 3f
With his brief message the presi-
dent transmitted full report from
Secretary of State Knox.
There is nothing on file in the de-
partment of the state" said the secre-
tary. sthat has justified any inference
that the Mexican government OR the
imperial Japanese government has
been occupied with any disposition OF
land near lIagdalena Bay by which
the laxtar q sarnment wnnls- -acqnir
lanu ,aheiss r any purpose. In thesS
circumstances the department OF
state felt no necessity for further
steps in the matter of any of these
rumors. which are of kind that all
too frequently occur to the detriment
of public opinion in the respective
countries and are so alien to the cor
dial relations of the governments
concerned"
Mr.. Knox said the Japanese ambas-
sador had informed the department
that he had apprised his government
of the rumors in question which had
come to him through the public press
and subsequently the ambassador
made, with his governmentment's au-
thorization. an unreserved and cate
gorical denial of the rumored pur-
chase of land by the Japanese govern
ment or by a Japanese company,
characterizing the report as entirely
sensational and utterly without any
foundation whatever, the Japanese
government having never, directly or
indirectly, attempted or contemplate
ed the acquisition of any land at
Magdalena Bay for any purpose.
Secretary Knox said the rumors re-
garding Japanese purchase evident
ly arose from efforts by an American
syndicate to dispose of certain lands
near Magdalena Bay. This American
syndicate, according to the depart
ment's information given in Secretary
Knox's report. entered upon negotia-
tions for sale to Japanese syndl-
cate. Meantime an effort was made
to ascertain the attitude of the
American government towards such
transaction. There was evidence,
Secretary Knox SAID. that the Ameri-
can syndicate felt or knew that Jap
anese capitalists would not care to
consummate the purchase without the
approval of the Japanese government
and that the latter would not give its
approval unless assured the transac-
tion would be unobjectionable to the
United States.
The department of state made It
plain to the American syndicate that
such transfer of lands would be
interpreted in some quarters in q
manner to cause a great outcry and
that such result would be SO OBJ
viously a cause of regret to the gov
ernment Of the United States that II
/. would appear unnecessary further to
comment on the disposition Of the
} federal government in the premises
. The American syndicate, it appears