The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-06

TOXIC. Jan. Count Okuma's APP
probation of Americas part In the up
building OF modern Japan is contained
in an article appearing in the sh'"
Nippon Maoasine, extracts from which
are here given
"Th splendor OF the recent corona
ton. witnessed by numberless disn'-
taries and foreign dlplomatsists. stand In
conspicuous contrast with the coronation
of the last great Emperor. Meiji. which
was carried out on a far smaller scale
without n single foreign envoy. The
forty-eight years that have interviewed
between these two remarkable events
have wrought such a radical change IN
the history Of this empire.
Toward the end OF the Tokugawa
dynasty Japan's position In interna'
tional politics had been helplessly feeble
and insignificant. her claim to independ-
ence itself having been questioned by
some. More than once she smarted
under foreign insults and national in
dignities. For instance. in 1850. a Rus
sian warship visiting the Tsushima Is.
land tin the Japan Seal. demand was
made of the lease for a portion OF It's
coast line, which our Government most
naturally rejected. The next year the
Russians came back. and after being
engaged for some time in surveying the
adjacent water routes. landed at lmo-
sakiura, where they hastily built up n
little hut with the trees they had law
iessly cut down In a ~neighboring forest.
They had renewed their demand OF the
| previous year to the lord of the island
who then lost no time to report this
| serious affair to the central Govern
ment OF the ~Shogunate.
Japnn'a Powerlessness.
Repeated negotiations bore no fruits.
The arrogant intruders would scornfully
reject the cntreaties Of the Japanese
| Government officials for evacuation. AZ
length the extreme gravity or the situa-
ton forced our Government to appeal 10
the British Minister for assistance. VINO
| thereupon in concert with French ana
American Ministers opened negotiations
with the Russian Minister for the bene-
fit of japan. Meanwhile a British man
! Of war anne up. which fact SO impressed
the ruthless Russian officers that they
/ heavcI up anchor and left IN great
haste. to the relief OF our Government
authorities. Had 1t not been for British
assistance the result might have been
infinitely more serious. Japan. theh
| absolutely powerless to defend her own
rosition. utilized the British antipathy
A'Ntlh b'F W ="
own problems.
"russia then demanded that Japan
exchange Saghal..n Tor th!shima. not
withsiauding the undis putcd tact thd'
these TWO Islands primarily belonged to
Lanai. Japan. however. could not enforce
her contention, simply because OF lack q
sufficient power to back up her d.
plomacy. and WAS AT last Forced 10
coucedc "A par. Of her territory under
| the BILE title OF exchange to her
deep and everlasting resentment. when
! eliminated in the outbreak OF the war.
"Su II "A series OF afronts could not
fan to call forth hostile sentiment TO-
ward foreign nations in general on the
mart Of a people as yet quite Ignorant
| Of international affairs. How many
times political fanatics inflicted injuries
| on foreign residents without "e,sh'ns
| the disastrous consequences. pirerent
fr,m now. in those DAYS the state itself
VAS held directly responsible FOR each
individual act. Each time there was a
| rr!y.tc outrage the state had to apollo
riyc, Offering a large sum I" COM
ueusate for tho damag" in'icted. " N
M, too much to say that for Japan the
term diplomacy was then synonymous
with apology She had to GO on apollo
gizing and a~pologizing for the reckless
acts of ignorant individuals,
lslI fllh v " 90 's'
Japanese gradually came TO notice tne
;,lIv Of losing national wealth through
meaningless outrages on innocent iol-
%clgncrs. while at the same time Inc
ever increasing frequency or intercourse
with foreigners made II absolutely
necessary in the interests of the nat'oh
TO draw a clear line between q iF''"'c
and A national act and relieve the
state Of direct responsibility ior An ACT
t. s.If,.tl,.l nnnrGrn
"Fir.t Japan wanted to acluirc IN.
doueulcuce for the administration OF
Justice That, however, being Impossible
uwiur to the lack OF foreign confidence
IN our infant legal system, she Was
Obliged to ac EIDE to the cNtraterrlt"rlai
Jurisdiction Of sixteen states. "A humll-
iating condition hat continued unt'i
1899. for tho long interval OF forty-odd
wears. This Wa not the only disgrace
There were foreign soldiers as wen a.
foreign post Offices staying in Japan
,,s, as they now are in China. For
,ipn Ministers escorted by "A detach-
nent of their armies marched proudly
,brouyh the streets OF Toxic with the
naughty attitude OF superior nations.
The Japanese Awakening.
There are many great Powers ON
earth. but OF these there are compare
lively few that can claim the title OF "A
world Power Great Britain has
hitherto occupied the first rank among
them with the United States. Germany
France and Russia following. The sun
never sets on British domiiions. The
United states also. with her traditional
Monroe Doctrine replaced by "A new I'M
perIal!sm,' now Is widely preparing Tor
TN. ultimate end Of securing positive III
oueucc In the Pacific Ocean. already an
nexing Hawaii, the Philippines. Samoa
and Guam as the first step for realizing
her gigantic ambitions
our country also Is fast rising to the
rank OF a world Power. No great
Powers Of Europe can undertake any
thing in the Far East disregarding ia
mans influence. England. early recog-
nizing her potentially, concluded an al
lance with her in spite OF her rad
",lonally much boastcd OF isolation. ia
pan has accomplished within ATTY short
years what 1t took European countries
centuries 10 attain
The writer then goes on to say
Japan night possibly have been forced
to come out of her exclusive policy with
out waiting for the American Conmo-
d0re to awaken her. Yet II was UNI
~doubtedly her good fortune to have had
as her introducer to the world a country
like the United States. known for her
traditional policy OF moderation, justice
and humanity.
"In 1859. by the second article of the
American-Japanese treaty. the President
assumed the obligation to strive to bring