JAPAN'S GREATEST MAN
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gunate on his own account,wa« sent on a secret mission to Veddo to report to his lord the doinge of the Government. He was induced to make a study of the British and other military systems, and prevailed upon Choshu to remodel his army, and exchange the bows and arrows of his men for rifles.
Desire soon filled young Ito to see the outside world which had first begun to come in contact with Japan. For travelling abroad at that time the Stafo penalty was death, but Ito, with the future Count I noyne, stole away to Shanghai, in IBG3, in the guise of ii common sailor lad, and from there worked hi? passage before the mast to London. The two friends spent a year in studying Western methods, and then, hearing that the squadron of the allied European Powers was about to bombard Shimnnoseki, hastened back to the assistance of their country. Ito's old master, C.ioshu, had provoked the trouble by refusing to recognise a concession made to foreign Powers by the Shogun allowing them, to navigate the Strait of Shimonoseki leading to the Inland sea. 'to memorialised the foreign Governments begging them to suspend hostilities till he had used his good offices to bring Choshu to reason. He found himse.f unable, however, to convince his former lord that the batteries he had erected ■ against "trespassers" would be Helpless against a European cannonade and Choshu had to bear the penalty of his folly. His' batteries were destroyed and lie was severely fined. Ito also sv.f-fe-.-cd bv his mediation for he was denounced as a traitor willing to sell his country to the "red-haired barbarians," and narrowly escaped assassination. Once he 'was pursued by his enemies into a tea-house where lie was concealed by a voting lady beneath the floor of rr room A romantic attachment followed, and Ito married the young lady. Tto visited England again in 1871 as Junior Plenipotentiary in Lord Iwa loira's special embassy to obtain the revision of the treaties previously entered into between his country and the ! lowers. Tn this object, the embassy did not succeed,, but it resulted in the enlistment of the services of European authorities on military, naval, and educational systems. The Japanese Banknig Regulations, which, issued in 1872 provided the Mikado's subjects with a "practical scheme of scientific finance upon which to construct a modern empire," were also based on the results of Ito* foreign observations.
The late Prince had alreadv been Governor of Hiogo and Vice-Minister of Finance, and after his return from Europe ho served in several Cabinets as head of the bureau of Engineering of Alines, and in 1880 accepted office as Prime Minister, a position which duvin? the .next sixteen years h j (. hcid four tunes. In 1881 lie was scut on a mission to Europe and America to study the various forms of constitutional' crovernment, returning after twelve month-:' investigations to reorganise the composition of the various Departments of State preparatory to the proclamation of constitutional government. In all 111,, wonderful reforms which have combined shire then to make Japan a leading nation lie took a foremost part. After the war with China, in 1805, it was Ito who arranged the Peace conditions with Li Huns Chang. The famoi.s Treaty of Alliance with Great Ij ri tit in in 1!)02 was also of his bringing about. In the same year he was apl.ointed Resident General in Korei. When wn>- with Russia was resolved upon, he visited the principal European <&>>itnls studying the minds of the men in power and collecting information of the greatest value to his nation in assisting the flotation of iU war loans, and enibirrassing its enemy in a like attempt. It is said that he iirst suggested. tentatively, an alliance with Russia, which would have obviated the war. .and changed the history of the world, but the proposal was rejected with scorn. He was made a marquis for his service in connection with the ; Chinese War, and he was created a prince after the Russo-Japanese .War. HIS KOREAN WORK AND MANCHURIAN MISSION.
Tn late years he has directed the J, l panning of Korea. Japan lias used occasionally the iron hand in the Hermit Kingdom, and this no doubt ex-i plains the assassination, The reason of Prince Ito's presence In Manchuria was contained In the following cablegram re-j. tcived a few days ago:— 1 : ■'The Nc-w Vork correspondent of th» New York llcrald reports that Japan is; di-oply concerned at the statement thatthe Washington Government is invest!-, gating the Chino-Japanese Manchuriari agreements with a vie\f to a possible protest. The correspondent states that Prince Tto is now visiting Miuichuri.'i n-it.li a view to forestalling such a pre test 1)y eliVc tie" a more complete understanding with China. Tto i; in conference with the Chinese authouHns,and contends that China's interest is. that China and Japan should exploit' Cii'iia to tiie exclusion of other Powers.", So, at "1 years of age, IViiK-e Ito fa! : s* iii his country's service, by tlie assassin's', hand. ' A PEN-PICTURE. \ A vivid little pen-portrait by Mr. •McKenzie brings the man clearly before
'The broad, capacious forehead, the; la'.L'e eur«, tlie teeth blackened with; much smoking, the moustache and, goi'.tce beard trimmed with silver, and; the well brushed liair were all the framevork for a pair of luminous, kindlypiercing eyes, th-it .seemed to read on 6( through and through. The thickset body' proclaimed that physical vigor of th-> mail 'Which i« to day almost a proveib, in Japan. 'lto at sixty could do mOr« than three young men at twenty,' your Jannniwe neighbor will tell you. And wVen he began to talk, one appreciated the fact that here was a son of Nippon who had apparently thrown off Oriental habits of thought. There was a frank' ncs, an openness, and an air of eonfi; dence about his conversation that could, not fail to entrance one. As he steadily eway at his strong cigar, he,' talked anont many things. He apologised for his English, but there was little need, for his speech made clear every idea that he wanted to drivel home"
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Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 228, 1 November 1909, Page 1
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1,083JAPAN'S GREATEST MAN Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 228, 1 November 1909, Page 1
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