Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-02-22

Japanese colonization. and whether the
time was not coming when an Asiatic
Monroe doctrine would have to be pro-
mulgated. I do not think that these
queries ever took the form of official rep
resentation. While various plans Of colon
iZation since then have been proposed,
some of which have had the support of
the Ecuadorian government: the the. subject t;e
cent It is hardly live issue in Ecuador
at the present time.
Chile was among the first of the
South American countries to recognize
the influence of japan in world poll
tics. After the conclusion of the Rus
so-Japanese war Chile took steps to
strengthen diplomatic relations with
Japan and vitality was given to a gen.
eral treaty which had been negotiated
in 1895. but which had remained prac-
tically imperative.
Chiles purpose was political with
special relation to the mastery of the
Pacific. No question of immigration or
labor supply was involved. Some Jap
anese had found their way to the cop
per and silver mines and there was
room for more. But as a field for the
colonization of Japanese Chile had
little to offer. The constant labor trou-
bles in the nitrate fields occasionally
caused the suggestion to be made that
the Japanese coolie laborers would be
useful there, but it was perfectly well
known that If their importation in
Be-
rious troubles would follow and the at
tempt was not made.
Peru at times has been threatened
with controversies with the Japanese
government. More than half centu-
~ ago Chinese coolies were brought to
Peru In large numbers to work on the
sugar plantations In the quarter of
a century preceding 1874 nearly 100000
Chinese coolies arrived and CONTRARY
to the habits of the Chinese Of this
h11 -
drifted back to China. They took root
IN Peru and acquired sugar and rice
lands. Later they got control Of the
corn belt SO far as Peru has q corn
belt. prosperous business colony was
also established in Lima. The race
mixture which is to be seen in the sec
lions OF Peru where the Chinese are
most numerous presents another du-
bious element-the already complicated
race problem.
After time Peru adopted a mild
Asiatic exclusion policy. allowing only q
limited number OF coolies to be brought
in. Under this policy some japanese i'm
migrants were received. They were to
be found chiefly on the sugar plantations
around Lima and in the cotton mills. The
availability Of the Japanese coolies for
all kinds Of labor was shown when an
American mining company was butl0lQK
wagon roads through the swamps and
forests to the Tambopato river. Native
Indian labor could not be had. but some
Japanese were obtained and transported
to the river region. They defied malaria,
swamp fever and other maladies and
built the wagon roads.
The rights Of the Japanese in Peru are
regulated by q treaty negotiated in 1895.
theoretically this treaty would estop any
Japanese exclusion law such as at times
has been agitated in Peru. 1t can be
abrogated on a years notice, but Peru Is
not likely to take the chance Of giving
Japan cause Of offense by denouncing the
treaty. In the meantime there 10 no def
mite japanese immigration or colonial
ton movement.
Bolivia as a midcontinent country Is
nevertheless included in the Japanese
Pacific frontage, since its outlet Is to the
Pacific When the American banking
group started in to construct railways on
the Bolivian tableland. 2O00 to $4,000
feet above sea level. the question Of labor
at that altitude was perplexins on6
The possibility Of obtaining japanese was