e English merchant from
Shanghai, one of the chief stockholders of the line, who sat next to the
captain. "According to my experience"--and here he paused in order to
draw the attention of his listeners to this experience--"according to my
experience," he repeated, "there are only two possibilities. Japan is
overpeopled and is compelled to send her surplus population out of the
country. The Manchuria experiment turned cut to be a failure, for the
teeming Chinese population leaves no room now for more Japanese
emigrants and small tradesmen than there were before the war with
Russia; besides, there was no capital at hand for large enterprises.
Japan requires a strong foothold for her emigrants where"--and here he
threw an encouraging glance at the captain--"she can keep her people
together economically and politically, as in Hawaii. The emigration to
the States has for years been severely restricted by law."

"And at the same time they are pouring into our country in droves by way
of the Mexican frontier," mumbled the American colonel, who was on his
way back to his post, from his seat beside the captain.

"That leaves only the islands of the Pacific, the Philippines, and
perhaps Australia," continued the Shanghai merchant undisturbed. "In any
such endeavors Japan would of course have to reckon with the States and
with England. The other possibility, that of providing employment and
support for the ever-increasing population within the borders of their
own country, would be to organize large Japanese manufacturing
interests. Many efforts have already been made in this direction, but,
owing to the enormous sums swallowed up by the army and navy, the
requisite capital seems to be lacking."

"In my opinion," interposed the captain at this juncture, "there is a
third possibility--namely, to render additional land available for the
cultivation of crops. As you are all no doubt aware, not more than one
third of Japan is under cultivation; the second third, consisting of
stone deserts among the mountains, must of necessity be excluded, but
the remaining third, properly cultivated, would provide a livelihood
for millions of Japanese peasants. But right here we encounter a
peculiar Japanese trait; they are dead set on the growth of rice, and
where, in the higher districts, no rice will grow, they refuse to engage
in agriculture altogether and prefer to leave the land idle. If they
would grow wheat, corn, and grass in such sectio