New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-06-16

| bilities thereof Consequently japan fell
into an evil habit. 1t was to continue to
claim the privileges and then fall back
on the immunity of youth in avoiding the
, responsibilities OF full-fedged manhood.
| 1t is an apt illustration and one in which
there is great deal Of truth
Views Of II. w. Denison.
The correspondent Of The Tribune has
had an exceedingly interesting interview
with II. w. Denison, foreign adviser to
the Japanese government. Mr.. Denison
is an American who has been in Japan
for years. His is a great name here and
throughout the world. Japan has had
many other advisers in many things. but
Mr.. Denison is just about the last of them
all That he has been retained when all
the rest were let go is a great tribute to
his usefulness. | asked him particularly
about the possibility Of war between ia
pan and America. He did not think that
IL was I'm the least probable.
He said that the simple geographical
situation was such as TO work against
hostilities. Your correspondent cited
General Homer Leas famous book
called The Valor OF Ignorance" in
which the author showed how Japan
could land an army Of a hundred thou
sand men or more on the Pacific Coast
without the least difficulty Mr.. Denison
laughed about that
ITO send an army of a hundred thou
sand to the Pacific Coast" he said.
would require about fifteen hundred such
vessels as Japan has at hand These
would be stretched out in slowly NOV
ing line for many miles and Japan hasn't
a fleet that could give adequate pro-
lection. A few torpedo boats could make
such an expedition hazardous to under
take"
Mr.. Denison went on to decry the talk
Of war. He does not believe that war Is
either necessary. desirable or beneficial.
While he believes that in the present
trouble over the California bill there is
discrimination against Japanese, a dis
elimination unjust and in violation OF
Japanese rights. he feels that the matter
can be amicably settled. On this point
Mr.. Matsui, the Westminster of Foreign
Affairs. holds the same view.
A feature Of the situation which at
tracts much attention here is the impos-
sibility OF japanese getting naturalized in
America. This fact leads TO the hypothe-
sis that this restriction by federal statute
is what the japanese should really pro-
test against. and not the law Of the single
State Of California that only those
eligible for citizenship should be per-
mitted TO own land. In this may lie an
adequate answer TO japanese contentious
and demands Let America make a natu-
ralization treaty with Japan, IL is argued.
permitting japanese subjects to become
citizens Of America. and thus, under The
new California law, attain the right Of
land ownership.
If this were done, II is asserted. and
any great number Of japanese should
take advantage of the new law. IL is more
than likely that there would be an I'M
peral rescript ordering that no japanese
subjects become citizens of other lands,
for such is the pride Of the race. For
any japanese subjects residing abroad 10
renounce their own citizenship and al
legiance TO the throne would be consid-
cred exceedingly humilisting by the gov
eminent and people OF Japan. And, as a
matter OF fact, the loyalty and allegiance
Of the average japanese are such that
there would probably be very few who
would be willing TO change citizenship.