The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-06-28


as to the new comers. ~ ", perhaps, needless 10
say shat such a view OF the case does not appeal
very strongly 10 the Ministers. VINO are con-
stantiy urging the Immediate overthrow of all
barriers to ingreas ana intercourse. What they
want Is perfect freedom OF communication and
trade all over tine land, and that without delay
conditions After this, the deluge, II necessary.
/ Why they want IL IL easy enough 10 discern. New
l markets for foreign goods, new investments Tor
| foreign capital With the question OF buying ana
| selling Of commodities the arrangements OF the
tarn are chiefly associated. with mat OF tue ap-
plicatIon OF capital nom abroad the eXterrtorlaI
/ system Directly connects itself. Here tue opinions
| OF the government appear to be hxed anu deter
4 mined. They have had for several years lively
4 experience VI consular jurisdiction, and they
I know pretty thoroughly what IL IS worth. They
are totally ayerse 10 allowing strangers 60
wander about over their land. subject Vlr-
tually TO no law whatever, ana amenaDlc
1 caprices Of onicials in whose judgment-and
| est faith When IL comes TO the subject OF allow
ing foreign enterprise to take part IN large opera
tons IN the interior still more serious objection
tntervenea. A large proportion oil the c0nsuls In
Japan are themselves traders. IL is . scandal w
their governments that 1t should be so, but tho
TACT remains. II foreign capital should fasten
itself upon internal commerce or internal In
dustrles it Is NOT only possibility, out next to
certainty, thar many oil these consus wouid DO
either openly or secretly Interested. And then, in
the eveHt or disputes arising the only TRIBUNAL TO
which they could be referred, IN the existing
situation, would be one IN Whlcn the Juuge
would be % party 10 the suit. Probably the mere
statement Of this extraordinary 1dcs VIII 0e SUM
Gent 20 convince readers at distance OF the per-
feet prOprlety OF the Japanese objections 10 open
ing their country while the eX-territorial rule re-
| muna IN force. But tine knowledge or IL does not
convince Ministers upon the SPOT. AT least, Waat~
ever their inward convictions may be, they pur-
sue, with unaO2ted industry, their project 0f get
ting the gates unciosed regardless OF the risks
those Within. Here again the British Envoy takes
! the lead, as IN all AFFAIRS In which
THE GREEDY EAGRGSEss THE FOREIGNERS
] conflicts with the cautious reserve OF tue native
! government. None knows better than ne that
the Japanese could not look for justice in q set OF
| courts ADMINISTERED by trading consuls. Ana
| although the English officials IKE tine American
0l-
mercial dealings, he mas had frequent PROOF that
with the attributes and knowledge d necessary or
the proper discharge or high judicial functions.
AZ TINS very moment an assistant Judge rom
nation, and IN many cases the reversal, oil dect
SONS PROMULGATED during The last SIX months BY
Her Drltannic Majesty's Consul at that port. Yet
the Minister declares that Japan must throw
aside ner policy OF seclusion and abandon herself
go lar as foreigners are concerned, to the hap
hazard dspeusatlon OF justice that Western gov
emments have thruss upon her. To accomplish
mis- ends ne has not hesIEated to resort TO means
which, to say the least, arc open 70 keen
criticism In forming the comoin ltiou to enforce
I the last payments OF the Slmonoseki Indemnity,
| year ago, ne stated that he really dld vans
/ the money (Which everybody knew, but that he
! Japanese were unable Co meet the demand at the
moment ana would be compelled 10 open tne EN-
| was inclined to accept. As it happened, tho gov
| ernmeng could pay ana dlo pay, ana tue unWn0le-
| some scheme of coercion was frustrated.
THE JAPANESE MINIsTERIALIsr POLICY.
II may not be out OF place mere TO state That thd
Japanese have pians of their own Tor the dLs-
i pOsai or this subject, which they will bring Tor
| ward at the proper moment. They Will announce
| themselves prepared TO establish sufficient mum
i Der OF high tribunals, the judges In which shau 10
i both Japanese ana foreigners, chosen from DIFF
ierent nationaties. These latter VIII be seIected
4 with an impartiality and with close Scrutiny In
4 respect character and attachments tnat shau
I admit Of opportunity for queruOus debate. Is
i Will probably be proposed that persons arraignsd
beore these courts shall be tried according 70 inc
! laws OF the country to wncA they belong
~ east unu the adoption OF suiIlceat and oo1a.
hons ait "A IN
Yet Iully decided. The courts themselves, how
ever must be recognized as entirely japanese,
1 with no touch or talnt OF outside innuence at
tacaing to tnem. Mnetner proposal oil tolls kind
can be accepted or not BY Che Western govern
ments remains to De seen. There Ii no reason
why it should not. IL Is sincere, uprIgnt and
4 honorable. IL VIII entail a heavy cost and many
/ incOnyenlences upon the Japanese, but they are
willing TO meet these ana thus to prove thor
readiness 10 supply as Tar as they can, reason
able remedy Tor the evils which already exist
4 aud winch threaten 70 magnify Nothing bus
! sneer 0Dstancy, or Wanton determination to
/ keep Japan under the yoke, can stand IN the way
\ OF cordial recognition OF suca measure. II CAR
/ ried out the system VIII be an Improvement upon
that now Ia action IN certain states nearer
1 Europe 80 far US actual powers 90, It viii not
confer any upon Japan tnat are not enjoyed oy
| Persia, which, 1t may be mentioned has always
had, secured by treaty, the independent privilege
OF jurisdiction Ia cases between foreigners and
natives Imagine, for q moment, any Western
government seriously settlng up an assertion
that Persia has claims superior TO those OF japan,
tbat there - particle Of justification Tor des
nying 80 the latter nation what mas long oecn
conceded 10 the former.
now THE DIPLOMATS WORK PoR AN OBJECT.
IL has always been the custom, in dealing with
questions concerning the general intercourse be-
tween japan and Western Powers Tor toe envOys
TO array themselves against the officials OF the
Foreign Department and bring into action tho
combined loTce or tneir influence anu skIlL There
Ii metaphor Ia thus speaking OF tue interviews
that occur, Tor they almost Invariably tako the
FORM the eide OF the foreigners, OF hostile con-
tests In which the japanese are TO DO made TO
handed aGdacIly or, II IL IL thought expedient
downright violence of tone and action. THIS may
be uncomfortable TO persons VINO have opportu-
nifty knowing the real SKATE OF affairs, but IL Ia
nevertheless stiictY true. II literal record OF
some o. the conferences that have Iaken place In
past years could % presented II would be neces-
sary, on grounds oil diplomatic deconcy, n nothing
4 else Tor the governments whose representative
I nave most nagranty outraged Lhe proprieties to
Il interpose q peremptOrY check upon sucn enur-
the Japanese cauld be persuaded TO give publicity
to ceI tain which tue nails or the For elgn
\ once have witnessed, and IN which the heavily
charged rOLeS 81 turbule and BON nave been
nlle1 by various diplomatic agents from abroad. A
Il single exposure would PROBABLY put end TO
tnem forever. Eur accompanying suferance APP
I pears 70 be the guiding principle here. Tue
lOretgn corps do not always gam the points they
ain al Nv their aggressive devices, but they give
Il All tunnite deal Of annoyance ana pain, aud they
/ certainty cause themselves with a lew exec ptons
\ 10 be cordially mated Onicia contact Win them
\ Is fClt 10 be one OF tue most disagreeabe tasks
Y mat public servant can pc called upon TO per-
form. Attaches OF the diplomatic department.
have on more than occasion sought TO be re-
leased rom their duties and transferred TO other
positlons where they should not be subjecs 10 tho
prOOabiiriCs Of nsolence and outrage. Is has
long been believed that radical change would bs
made In the management OF the Foreign once
out Tor the reuc lauce OF the really first class men
OF the present administration 70 take a part en-
falling the personal dIscOmlorts, not TO say hu-
mutations, 20 winch tney would exposed by
business assocatio1 With the ENJOYS. In the
present organzLtto6 81 That ONCE these latter
have encountered but little opposition to their
METHODS OF proceeuingi but wnen the suojoct OF
revision comes 10 be brought forward they will
mud that the discussions are TO De conducted un-
der different conditions. In the hrst place, they
Will not meet tae secretary alone, as they have
heretofore done. IL has been decided 90 intrust
the nnal consideration OF this question TO board
OF four OF tho highest Offlcsrs OF the government
all members OF the Imperial Council aud heads OF
important departments. or these the Foreign
Minister Will DO one ana the Chief OF the Judt-
ciary another.
Those who are familiar with the names or tha
leading Japanese statesmen OF the day Will under
stand the spirit in which the debates are likely 20
be conducted wnen " is stated tbat Okubo Iosi-
mill and O1uma 5igenoDu viii cOmplete sue COM
mission.