National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-06-15
THE JAPAyINDbMBITYF FUND.

During the past two sessions OF Con-
gress there has been an effort to get an e1-
preston Of legislative opinion in relation to
the disposition of the money paid to the
United States on account of this indemnity
as'well as an attempt to secure the passage
Of an act relieving Japan from the payment
Of the balance due. The disposition of the
money already in the hands of the Secretary
of State may be made in various advan-
tageous ways. There are claims against it
to be investigated and satisfied. There are
propositions involving an expenditure of a
portion in the education of Japanese. There
Is g proposition to refund the whole Of it
without condition, and finally a suggestion
to pay. the amount into the Treasury.
Besides the portion paid to the United
States, and subject to so many advantageous
plans for its disposition, is the amount still
due. In regard to this we have a sugges-
ton to make, which we hope the Senate
Committee on Foreign Relations, who have
the subject under advisement, may find it
convenient to consider, even at this late
hour of the session. That there Is doubt
as to the justice of receiving from Japan
the balance due is established by the recon-
mendation Of the Executive at past session
to snnul the obligation to pay and the action
of the House of Representatives in passing
bill for that purpose.
It was the avowsd purpose of the repre-
sentatives who concluded the treaty pro-
viding for the indemnity, and who under
took on their own unauthorized response
bility the prosecution of the naval and
military operations at Simonosaki, that the
Governments to whom the indemnity
should be paid did not desire to impose
pecuniary fines; that it was not money, but
the friendship and trade Of Japan, which
was wanted; and further, it was again re-
iterated that it was not the desire 70 extort
money, but rather an earnest wish to estab-
lish good relations for the advantage Of the
treaty nations. These statements of the
representatives are formulated In the treaty.
Japan has given as heT guarantee for her
good faith in endeavoring so far as her
peculiar civilization would permit many
evidences Of her desire to advance the
interests of Western civilization. She has
built railroad, a telegraph line, established
a system Of postal communication, intro
duced forei IN machinery into ner country,
has employed competent foreigners from
all nations in the various branches of her
administration, has encouraged native news
papers, and adopted metropolitan system
Of police in her capital and other large
cities. More than all, she has adopted
national system Of education, and selected
as hersdviser in this arduous undertaking
one of our most eminent citizens, Prof
David Murray, of New Jersey. To show
her our faith in her effort to sustain her
self as an Independent nation amidst the
colonial enterprises of Europe, it be-
comes Us as q nation to be just as well
as generous. No more certain act of
justice can be done than for the Senate to
pass Senator Sargent's bill, now in the
hands Of subcommittee of the Senate
Committee on Foreign Relations, releasing
Japan from the payment of the balance
of the indemnity. No more generous
encouragement to our commercial in.
terests in the East can be given by a
great nation which has attained its com.
plete Independence to one which is strug-
Cling to preserve its national character
amidst encroachment of new civilizations
tainted with the suspicion of more colonial
sggressions than TO acquit Japan of the bal.
ance due. We were the first nation to in
sist upon the opening Of Japan to COM
merce and the civilization of the West and
we should be the first nation to assist her in
the struggle for national life which our
action has put upon her. We can do it In
this instance without price, and give her
the strong moral support of an intelligent
American public opinion, because the pres
ent policy of the United States toward their
neighbors is one Of the most scrupulous
good faith and justice. While ever ready
and yigilant to protect the rights and inter.