Year: 1879

there Is none important the right to control
commerce. nations life may often depend upon
her commerce. and she is entitled to all the proht
that can come out of it, Japan especially seems to
in position where the control Of her com
merce would enable her statesmen to relieve the
people Of one great burden-the land tax. The
effect of so great is impoverish the people
aud limit agriculture. When the farmer must
give half Of his crop for taxes he Is not
apt to raise more than will keep him alive.
If the land tax could be lessened ! have
doubt that agriculture would increase in Japan and
the increase would make the people richer. make
them buy and consume more. and thus In the end
benefit commerce well. 1t seems to me that il tho
commerce of Japan were made TO yield ITS proper
ion of the revenue. the commerce OF England and
France and the United states this could be
ened. ] glad the American government made
the treaty. hope other Powers will assent to 1t.
But whether not think know the American
people well enough to say that they have. without
distinction of party the warmest wish for the inde
pendence of Japan. We have great interests in the
Pacific. but we have none that inconsistent with
the independence Of these nations"


FOREIGN INDEBTEDNESS


Another subject which arose in the course Of the
conversation was national Indebtedness General
Grant said that there nothing which Japan
should avoid more strenuously than incurring debts
to European nations. So long the government
borrowed from its people it was we'll. But
loans from foreign Powers were always attended
with danger and humiliation. Japan could not go
into a European money market and make loan that
would be OF an advantage to her, The experience Of
Egypt lesson. Egypt was allowed to borrow
to the right and left to incur enormous debt.
The result is that Egypt has been made Q dependency
OF her creditors. Turkey owed much of her trouble
to the cause. country like Japan has all the
money she wants for her own affairs. aud any at
tempt to bring her into Indebtedness to foreign
Powers would only be to lead her into the abyss into
which Egypt has fallen.


THE QUESTION LoocHoo


The General spoke to the Emperor this ques-
ton with great earnestness. When he had
cluded he there another matter about which
he had an equal concern. When he was in China he
had been requested by the Prince Regent and the
viceroy Of Tientsin to use his good offices with the
Japanese government on the question Of Loochoo.
The matter was about which he would rather
not have troubled himself. it belonged to diplo
macy and governments, and he not diploma
tist and not in government. At the time he
could not ignore q request made in the interest of
peace The General said he had read with great
care and had heard with attention all the arguments
on the Loochoo question from tie Chinese and jap
anese sides. As to the merits Of the contro-
versy, 1t would be hardly becoming in
him to express an opinion. He recognized
the difficulties that surrounded japan. But
China evidently felt hurt and sore. She felt that
she had not received the consideration due to her.
1t seemed to the General that His Majesty should
strive to that feeling. even if in doing it
was necessary to make sacrifices. The General
thoroughly satisfied that China and Japan should
make such sacrifices would settle an questions
between them and become friends and allies. with
out consultation with foreign Powers. He had
urged this upon the Chinese government and he
was glad to have the opportunity Of saying the
to the Emperor. China and Japan the
only two countries left in the great East OF any
power resources Of people to become great-that
are even partially independent of European dicta
| ton and laws. The General wished to them
both advance entire Independence, with the power
to maintain it.. japan is rapidly approaching such
position, and China had the ability sE0 the intel-
gcnce to do the same thing


"LET US HAVE PEACE"


The Prime Minister said that Japan felt the most
friendly feelings toward China, and valued the
friendship of that nation very highly. and would do
what she could without yielding dignity to pro-
serve the best relations.


General Grant said he could not speak too earnestly
to the Emperor this subject. because he felt
earnestly. He knew of nothing that would give him
greater pleasure than to be- ablo to leave Japan
he would in very short time, feeling that between
China and Japan there was entire friendship. Other
counsels would be given to His Majesty. because
there powerful influences in the East tanning
trouble between China and Japan. One could not
fail TO see these infcnces, and the General said lie
profoundly convinced that any concession
to them that would bring about would
bring unspeakable caamities to China and
Japan. Such a war would bring In foreign
nations, who would end it to suit themselves. The
history OF European diplomacy in the East was un-
mistakable that point. What China and Japan
should do is to together without foreign inter-
ven tion talk Loochoo and other subjects, and
come to complete and friendly understanding
They should do it between themselves. no foreign
P,ues do them any good.


EDUCATION IN JAPAN.


General Grant spoke to His Majesty about the
pleasure he had received from studying the educa-
tional institutions in Japan. He surprised and
pleased at the standing of these schools lie did not
think there better school In the world than the
Toxic school OF engineering. He was glad to see tho
interest given to the study of English He approved
OF the bringing forward the young japanese
teachers. In time japan would be able to do with
out foreign teachers; but changes should not be
made too rapidly. It. would be pity to lose the
services OF the who had created these schools
Tho In the service Of the Japanese government
seemed TO be. as far as he could learn. able and
efficient


have given you the essential points of a conver-
saton that lasted for two hours. General Grant said
he would leave Japan with the warmest feelings OF
friendship toward the Emperor and the people. He
would feel deep interest In their for
tunes. He thanked the Emperor for his princely
hospitality. Taking his leave the General and party
siroed back to the palace and His Majesty drove
away to his own home in a distant part of the city,
THE GENERAL AS PEAcEMAKER


In my letter from Nikko / told OF the conference
that had taken place DctweeL General Grant and the
japanese Ministers on the Loochoo 1 gave you
also complete history OF the japanese and Chinese
versions Of the difficulty Minister Ito promised to
present the views of the General to Cabinet