THE JAPANESE JINGOES.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 12588, 8 October 1908, Page 4

THE JAPANESE JINGOES.

The present Government of Japan Is inspired by the eminently sane view !hat the best policy for that country "s to cultivate friendship with all the world, make no military expenditures in excess of those natural and proper for a country of its population and resources, and to reduce the taxation which^ is grinding its impoverished people. Upon that basis, with the policy of confining its propaganda of colonisation to Asia, and vith due respect to the treaty rights of others, there is no reason why Japan should not prosper, and its people grow rich for the next century. These policies are "umpired by a spirit of true patriotism and ought to have the .support of every subject of the Mikado. Unfortunately, remarks an American paper, there is an opposition which is the reverse of patriotic, n that it is willing to seek office by pandering to the jingo spirit with which, under the excitement of the successful war with Russia, a great part ot * ne Japanese people were infected. This sensational and unpatriotic oiwosition is headed by Oount Okuma, who, in former years, has done useful work for his country. Okuma owns a newspaper of large circulation, which he uses as a medium for , stirring up wrath. In this journal there recently appeared an article containing the following paragraph — "The rise of Japan has caused America to entertain the intention to acquire control of the Pacific. A aerica's Pacific coast is unfortified, hence America is very nervous about the new rising 1 nation, which is thought to 'c an invading race. If the two nations are to come to hostilities, nothing could be more dreadful. In that case crazy persous — and the Japanese are a 'crazy nation' in fighting — will 'display the same 'madness' as waa shown in the late war. The Japanese are always ready to throw away i their lives for the nation. They vgArd i their lives as lightly as water. Ou the other hand, Americans and Europeans attach the chief importance to money — md those who love money love their Hvcs." The article, which is aimed at Amc/ica, goes on to intimate that by reason of the insufficient fortification on the Pacific coast of the United States it would be quite easy for Japan to land a force there which would be a conquering as well as an invading army."