No. 410.
Mr. Hubbard to Mr. Bayard.
[Extract.]
Legation of
the United States,
Tokio, December 20, 1886.
(Received January 15, 1887.)
No. 264
Sir: In the Commercial Relations of the United
States, 1884–1885, published by Department of State, I have the honor to
acknowledge the compliment implied in the publication of extracts from a
paper prepared by me on the subject of our trade relations with Japan, dated
November 23, 1885, and the publication in full of my report on the foreign
trade of Japan, dated April 22, 1886.
I refer to these papers now in connection with the inclosed copy of an
editorial leader from the largely circulated and influential daily Japanese
newspaper, the Chõya Shimbun.
The British press, the Mail and Herald, saw proper to take umbrage at the
unpalatable facts and figures which were given in these trade reports,
evidently and only because they showed, other things being equal, that the
“balance of trade,” so long in favor of England and against the United
States, ought to be reversed, or rather that the exports from the United
States to Japan should increase, so as to bear some sort of reasonable
proportion to the immense export trade of Japan to the United States.
I have, etc.,
[Page 656]
[Inclosure in No. 261.—Translated and
abridged from the Chõya Shimbun.]
America and Japan.
It is literally true that the Dame of “American citizen” is an invisible
passport in any part of Japan. A monument of gratitude to America stands
erected in the hearts of 37,000,000 Japanese. Moreover, it is certain
that America will be the future market of this country, and therefore
every obstacle in the way of the commercial prosperity of our two
nations should be removed. Not only on account of our historical
relations and old-time friend ship, but also because of her geographical
position, is America the country to which the eyes of our countrymen
naturally turn. Taking the size, population, and rapid development of
the United States into consideration, it is not too much to say that it
will be the world’s future center of civilization. There is everything
in America to excite our interest in commerce with her. We welcome her
merchants and manufacturers here, and shall be happy to see them compete
successfully with other nationalities. If American traders take up this
matter with courage and an enterprising spirit they will certainly be
the rivals of England or any other nation.
Minister Hub bard, in his trade reports, appears to find fault with
Americans for not being keen enough in the pursuit of tradal advantages.
But while he does this, it is plain that he regrets that Japan does not
deal with his country in a more friendly spirit. His implied reproaches
are not without reason.
Our Government is endeavoring to follow Germany in the field of politics,
military affairs, and engineering. England and France have long since
been the recipients of the Government’s favors, while the foreign
advisers of our administration are taken chiefly from these three
countries. We know not what secret motives the Government may have in so
doing, but the Japanese people are far fonder of America than of any
other nation.
Our Government may possibly be not so warmly attached to that country,
yet the people are. Of course there is no reason to suppose that our
Government has anything but a friendly feeling for the United
States.
What surprises us most in this connection is the Japan Mail’s critique of
Minister Hubbard’s trade report. The editor of that journal deems it
ridiculous to suppose that international commerce is in any way a matter
of friendship. Friendship and commerce are undoubtedly two different
matters, yet international good-will has everything to do with the
development of trade. Without taking recourse to the sword, America is
trying to make prosperous her commerce with the Orient, and the attempt
is one of which any country might be proud. Our relations with England,
France, and Germany may be compared with the friendship of samuari in feudal times. At any moment they might
quarrel and come to blows. But America’s pact with us is like that of
Japanese merchants under the feudal regime. There was no fear of their
fighting with each other.
Minister Hubbard states that America levies no duty on tea and silk,
which are imported annually to the value of 11,000,000 yen.
In reply, the Mail says that America imposes no tax on these articles,
because there is no danger of her ever competing with Japan in this
direction. America’s kindness in this respect, continues the Mail, is
apparent and not real. At any rate it is a great boon to Japan. Again,
the Mail states that America enforces a protective tariff system, and
that articles manufactured under such a system are necessarily very
high-priced. This is a most narrow view. It is not true that everything
is dear under the protective tariff. Some things are cheap, while others
command a high figure. And so far as Japan is concerned, the cheaper
products will find their way hither, though those that are dear may not
go beyond the limits of the home market. In brief, the critique of the
Mail is mere abuse, and does not lessen the value of Minister Hubbard’s
trade reports.
