Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1915-12-17
Copyright. 1915. by W. G. Chapman.)

How nearly it succeeded in embro1llng
the United States and Japan only five
men know in detail. The first OF
these is Sir Arthur Sturt, the British
ambassador to the mikado's court.
The second is the Chinese minister.
The third is myself. The fourth is
Count Okuma, the astute one-leggeo
statesman, who has been moving
poWer in Japanese affairs since the
reform era began-or was, until the
events that shall describe occurred.
The fifth is Doctor Fong, and where
he is nobody knows.
| was not in japan in any Official
capacity. was there renewing my &C.
ouaintance with old scenes and per-.
sons, when Sir Arthur, from whom
had parted the night before, on the oc-
casion of Lady Sturt's reception, and,
as l thought, probably forever-s1nce
I was planning to sail for Shanghai
sent for me by a special embassy mes
senger.
l knew that some matter OF the
gravest import must have happened to
cause him to summon me at eight
o'clock in the morning. The cause
was partly revealed, however, when,
on bringing me my breakfast, my chi
nese boy informed me that his NAL
esty, Mutsuhito, emperor of Japan,
was dying.
l had known of the precarious con-
dition of his health, and that the fatal
climax of his wasting disease might
occur at almost any time; still, the
shock seemed to have been very sud-
den, for when I said good-by to Sir
Arthur, the evening before, his
majesty was reported to be in excel
lent health.
1 had a 'ricksha called and hastily
made my way into the embassy COM
pound, where the ambassadors secre-
tary was awaiting me with very
grave expression upon his face.
you have heard the news" ne
asked. "His majesty"
as dead!" l exclaimed.
"He has been dead two days." he
answered.
This news was confirmed by Sir Ar
thur, who looked even graver as he
motioned me to chair.
ST have been told, Mr.. x, he
began, chat you have more intimate
acquaintance with the court life or
Japan than any man since Bertram
Milford"
"Your excellency is very kind"
began, but Sir Arthur cut me short.
"This is no time for compliments
he interrupted brusquely. Il have
Just been informed that the emperor's
death has been kept secret these two
days for the gravest reasons. You
are, I believe, personally acquainted
with Count Okuma?"
GAS everybody is" I answered. For
Count Okuma, stumping around on his
wooden leg-the other was destroyed
years ago by a fanatics bomb;
Okuma, the friend of foreigners, the
man whose affectation of the simple
life led him to carry home his own
laundry; Okuma, the patron of west
ern learning, the widest and most
astute of the complex-minded advisers
of the late emperor, was the most ac-
cessible and friendly of men.
st am informed, beyond the POSSIBLE
fly of doubt" said the ambassador,
shat Okuma has now in his pocket an
ultimatum to be presented to the
American minister this afternoon. at
the palace
| saw at once the meaning of the
conspiracy of silence. Mutsuhito, or
course, would never have sanctioned
war with the United States: and
Yoshihito, his heir, and now in theory,
though not in fact, emperor OF Japan,
was even more firmly pro-American.
The interregnum, thus artificially Gre
ated, was to be utilized by Count
Okuma and the cabal which he had
formed for the purpose of an attack
upon the Philippines.
THE name of his late majesty was
forged to this document, which is writ
ten on the regulation thick red state
note paper" continued Sir Arthur
Japan demands that the United States
eyacuate the Philippines within a
week. And you see how this affects
Great Britain
/ certainly did. AS treaty ally of
Japan, England would be compelled
to stand aside, if she did not partici-
pate in the attack, impotent to aid
America. Her action would doubtless
be construed as an alliance with
Japan, or at least participancy in
her treachery, and the people of the
United States, stung to the quick,
would certainly declare war upon Eng
land, with results intellectually evil to
humanity
And, with all respect to the valor Of
American arms, to hold the Philip
pines against Japan would be, as all
strategists are aware, a military inn
possibility. Manila must fall long be-
tore re-enforcements arrived; and,