ASSURANCE FROM VISCOUNT KENTARO KANEKO, THE EMINENT
STATESMAN OF JAPAN, THAT BELLIGERENT
REPORTS ARE GROUNDLESS.
FABRICATIONS, HE SAYS, OF SENSATIONAL NEWSPAPERS.
NO APPREHENSION IN EMPIRE OF ANY DISRUPTION OF FRIENDSHIP EXISTING BETWEEN THE TWO NATIONS.
Declaring that all talk of trouble between this country and Japan is the outgrowth of “pernicious fabrication on the part of sensational newspapers,” Viscount Kentaro Kaneko, who was special Ambassador to the United States from Japan during the Russian-Japanese war, has written a reply to a letter addressed him by me, in which the latter, under date of December 5th, last, expressed the hope that no difficulties might arise between the two countries which could not be readily and amicably adjusted.
Viscount Kaneko, whose elevation to his present title and whose appointment as adviser to the Emperor on all things American, came close upon the heels of the close of the struggle with Russia, besides is one of the present eminent Statesmen of the Empire. During General Grant’s first term, he was a member of a commission sent here to study American finance. Prince Ito was the head of this commission and I acted as friendly adviser, at the request of General Grant, then President. This commission afterwards went to London, Paris, and Berlin, and made a similar investigation of the financial systems of each of those nations, and on their return home, via the Suez Canal, they made a full report of their mission and in it strongly recommended their government to adopt the American system, which was promptly done, and I was appointed by the Japanese Government special agent to aid in carrying out their new financial system. I awarded the contract for the engraving to the Continental Bank Note Co., of New York, on their successful competitive bid, and after all the work of establishing their new financial system was accomplished I received a flattering commendation from the Secretary of the Japanese Treasury for my services in the matter and a very handsome pair of Japanese silver vases as a souvenir accompanied same.