, There are evidently two sets of ideas in Japan
as to the future of the Island Empire. Mr. J. Hays Hammond, a friend of President Roosevelt, lecturing before the American Political Science Association, quoted a recent utterance of the President of the Japanese House of Peers. That dignitary said :—" The sacred duty is incumbent upon us, as the leading State of Asiatic progress, to stretch a helping hand to China, India, Korea, to all the Asiatics who have confidence in us, and who are capable of civilisation. As their more powerful friend, we desire them all to be free from the yoke which Europe has placed upon them, and that they may thereby prove to the world that the Orient is capable of measuring swords with tbe Occident on any field of battle." On the other hand, all prominent Japanese in Europe and America declare that their Empire will seek nothing except an alliance with Great Britain and the general peace of Asia. Thus Baron Kaneko, the unofficial Japanese Envoy in the United States, speaking at a banquet in New York on Tuesday night, and discussing the after effects of the war, stated that France and Germany would keep their foothold in the Far East, "Russia will be permitted to remain unmolested in her proper bounds of Siberia," and the United States would enjoy full occupation of the Philippines, an occupation which Japan never regarded with jealous eyes. We have little doubt ourselves that . Baron Kaneko represents the views of the governing group in Tokio. We must not forget, however, that the Japanese, like all Governments, will to a great extent be guided by events, and by the views current among the common people of Japan, of whose desires as yet we know almost nothing.
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