The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1916-10-12
RELATIONS WITH JAPAN.

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Japan, in public interview laid stress
upon the Justice and necessity" of an
adjustment of the differences between
the United States and Japan, to the
end that japanese subjects might be
placed on an exact equality with Euro
peans in entering, residing in and doing
business in the United State.
Baron Sakatanl's utterance was ap-
proved and applauded by the leading
newspapers of Japan.
Now Count Okuma retires, and Is
succeeded as premier by Gen. Terau-
chi, soldier whose efficiency in ex-
tending Japanese mastership over
Korea has marked him in the minds of
Japanese as the ideal national leader.
Great work must be done in China, and
1t must be done efficiently, says the
Washington Post.
Japan is steadily gaming ascendency
over China, and is now pressing for
concessions which, if granted, will pre-
vent the Chinese government from
dealing as an independent sovereign
with other nations in many important
particulars. China will not remain a
sovereign nation it Japan's demands
are conceded, Japans explanations to
the contrary Notwithstanding. A study
of the demands by Americans who are
familiar with the conditions is all that
is necessary to establish the fact that
China's independence is imperiled. Sc
cret demands, it Is believed, are also
being pressed.
While Japan is thus encroaching in
such way as to INVITE a clash with ma
tons whose interests required that
China should remain intact and lndepcn-
dent, there are unmistakable signs that
the United States will be asked to re-
move all determinations against Japa-
nese in this country as a matter of
justice and necessity.
The Japanese government and
people have never acquiesced IN the
American.view that the Japanese are
not Caucasians; that they are not as
simialble with white people; that they
are not entitled to naturalization, and
are economically undesirable emigrants.
They hold that they are members of
the Caucasian, race, assimilable with
other Caucasians, entitled to citizen
ship in the United States and not an in
furious economic factor They regard
the classification of 1.-THE japanese as
Mongolians as, degrading and humiliat-
ing. They are convinced that the ex-
clusion of japanese immigrants is a re-
Election upon their nation and its pres
tige as a civilized power of the first
rank.
Thus there is an irreconcilable con-
fiict of opinion between the Japanese
and Americans upon questions which
touch national and individual pride.
The resolute faction of California re-
specting thesJapanese is sufficient evi-
dence that there are parts Of the Union
at least which have no sympathy with
any movementlto place the Japanese
upon an equal. footing in the United
States with Europeans. No political
party or groupsot legislators has dared
to make asfghtlfor the repeal of the
law barring.9 non CaucasIans from
naturalization. That law stands, a
barrier to any diplomatic negotiations
looking to the making of a treaty salts
factory to Japan.
A treatytproposing to open the ports
to Japanese:immlgration and providing
for the naturalization of Japanese would
cause as lively storm in Congress and
on the Pacific coast as any administra-
ton could wish in it's most suicidal
moods.
Vigilance as to developments in China,
procrastination in reopening the immi-
grafton question with Japan and any
thing but procrastination in the COM
pletion of the program of national de-
Tense on land and sea may constitute
the best policy of the United States fol
the time being.