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Show REAL ESTATE Facts Show That Speculators Specu-lators Stirred Magda-lena Magda-lena Affair Washington, May l. President Taft today informed the senate that 'the department of state has no evidence evi-dence whatever adequate to show acquisition ac-quisition of land or anv desire to acquire ac-quire land, whether directly or Indirectly, In-directly, In Mexico, by or on the part of the Imperial Japaneso go eminent. Tho president's message wns in response re-sponse to a senate resolution calling for information regarding an alleged purchase of land at Magdnlena Iay by the Japanese government or by a Japanese company. ' With his brief message, the president presi-dent transmitted a full report from Secretary of State nox. Nothing to Show Any Design. "There Is nothing on flle in the department de-partment oC Btato," said ,tho secretury, "that has justified any inference that the Mexican government or tho Imperial Im-perial Japaneso government has been ! occupied with any disposition of land ' near Magdalena Bay by which tho latter government would acquire land thorc for any purpose. In these circumstances cir-cumstances the dopartment of state felt no necessity for further stops in the matter of any of these rumors, which are of a kind that all too frequently fre-quently occur to the detriment of public opinion In tho respective countries, coun-tries, and are so alien to tho cordial relations of tho governments concerned." concern-ed." Made a Categorical Donlal. Mr. Knox said tho Japaneso ambassador ambas-sador had informod the department tbat he had apprised his government ot the rumors In question, which had come to him through tho public press and BUbsequenOy the ambassador made, with his government's authorization, author-ization, an unreserved and catogorlcal denial of tho rumored purchase of Innd bv the Japanese government or by a Japanese company, characterizing characteriz-ing tho report as ontlrely sensational and utterly without any foundation whatever, the Japaneso government having necr directly or indirectly attempted at-tempted or contemplated tho acquisition acquisi-tion or nny land at Magdalena Bay for any purpose Negro In the tyodple Secretary nox said the rumors regarding re-garding a Japanese purchase evidently evident-ly arose from efforts by an American syndicate to dlsposcf of certain lands near Magdalena Bay. This American syndicate, according to the department's information, given in Secretary Knox's report, entered upon negotlatlonsfor sale to a Japaneso Japan-eso syndicate Meantime au effort was mado to ascertain the attitude of the American government toward such a transaction. ( There was ovlden.ee, Secretary Knox said, that the American syndicate felt or knew that Japanese capitalists would not care to consummate the purchase wlthoutAhc approval of tho Japanese government, and that the latter wpuld not give Its approval unless un-less the transaction would bo unobjectionable unob-jectionable to tho United Stateb Things Made Plain to Syndicate, Tho department of state made it plain to the American syndicate that such a transfer of lands would be interpreted in-terpreted in some quarters In a -manner to cause a great outcry and that such a result "would be so obvlouslj a cause for regret to the government of the United States that It would appear unnecessary further to comment com-ment on the disposition of the federal government In the premises." The American syndicate, It appears, then sought to ascertain the attitude of the American government toward a company composed In pari of Japanese Japan-ese investors, Americans retaining control of the property To this proposition pro-position the department replied that it could add nothing to Its former statement. . Since this reply the files of the department disclose no further communication with the Americans interested In the lands. Under these clrcumbtanoes, Secretary Secre-tary Knox declared , Conditions Do Not Call for Action. "The department cannot assume theie is any project on foot calling for action on the part of tho United States. ' The message precipitated a debate In tho senate Senators Bacon and Lodge concurred in the opinion that If tho Monioo doctrine did not cover the situation a new doctrine covering it could be croated. Explaining his reasons for calling for the correspondence Mr Lodge said It was to prevent the development of any embarrassing situation with ref-eienec ref-eienec to Mexico and Japan lie said that tho tlmo had come when the United States should take the position posi-tion that neither directly nor directly direct-ly could any foreign goeinmeut obtain ob-tain the control of land in this hem-ispheie hem-ispheie that might constltuto a menace men-ace to the Unltod States Senator Rayner said that If Japan established a base of supplies or coaling stations in Mexico ho would regard tho act as a declaration of war. |