The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-05-03
WHY SHOULD WE TURN JAPAN
AGAINST US?
DIR. Hamilton Holt Shows How We
arr Straining a Historic Friendship

ese war the Japanese regarded us
with feeling almost akin to rever-
ence. There existed i'm Japan very
strong Sentimental sentiment en-
tirely separate from commerce-con-
nected with the name of America.
Even today the Japanese, next to the
preservation Of the Anglo japanese
alliance. desire our commerce and
friendship. They will do anything
We ask of them. provided they can
do II with dignity. The evidence is
overwhelming to anyone seeking the
truth. Two years ago, for instance,
when Japan learned that we were
preparing to negotiate an unlimited
arbitration treaty with Great Brit
ain, she voluntarily consented to a
modification OF the Anglo-Japanese
alliance, so that in case japan and
the United States were at war Eng
land would not have to choose be-
tween breaking her alliance with ia
pan or her peace treaty with us.
Surely Japan would never have re-
nounced the right to call on England
for aid IL she had reason to expect
any further trouble with us.
/ Ii must be remembered, however,
that there are forces in Jaan that are
working against his historic friend
ship. just az there are i'm this coun-
try. Without attempting to put them
In the order of their importance they
would include: First, the ignorance
and incompetence and anti-Ja panese
bias Of many of the officials we send
TO the Far East; second, the exceed
ing jealousy of nations like England
and Germany over our increasing
trade in Japan. The best informed
student of Japan ] met abroad told
me that "nine-tenths of the false ru-
mors that have tended to damage the
standing of American traders i'm the
Far East can be traced directly to
rivals in trade" third, the journals
and foreign correspondent i'm Japan
and China who assume for one reason
or another an anti-American atti-
tude. All foreign papers published in
English in Japan, with the exception
of The Times Of Toxic, seem to be
disinclined to print matter which
might tend to increase the good re-
lations between Japan and America;
fourth, the agents of ordnance manu-
facturers and shipbuilders. / am told
that these agents are many in num-
Der and plentifully supplied with
expense" money and entertainment
funds;" IL Is a significant fact that
none of thees agents preach anything
but the antagonism of America to ia
pan; fifth, the lack of manners of
Americans who live and travel i'm Ja-
pan.
But these and similar causes that
promote dissension would have had
little effect in Japan except for two
things-American interference in Ash
attic politics and the brutal discr.mi-
nation against the japanese in Cali
fornia.
These the Japanese cannot explain
on any grounds that are not dis
creditable to the disinterestedness and
high moral professions of our peo-
4 pie.
/ In regard to the immigration ques-
tion Japan does not object to having
California pass anti-alien bills. pro-
vided they apply equally to all ma
tions and do not discriminate against
her. What she cannot understand,
and what she will not tolerate with
out intense resentment, is TO have her
highly intelligent, adaptable, indus
trlous. cleanly. sober. peaceful and ef-
ficient citizens excluded simply be-
cause they have yellow skins, while
the illiterate, quarrelsome and un-
washed emigrants from Europe are
welcomed with open arms.
Japan cannot understand how n
mere $4,000 of her citizens, who have
the highest standard of literacy OF any
aliens on the Pacific Slope, and who
own but 1900 acres of land, and
whose numbers are decreasing every
year, can be a menace TO n popula-
tion Of 2,377,000 souls living on over
lOO.OOO.OOO acres of territory
Now. of course there will he no
war between Japan and the United
suites Such II contingency is well
nigh unthinkable. But if California
persists in excluding the japanese
from our shores. all our foreign mer-
chants and missionaries in Japan
IIf mol