New-York tribune., 1880-04-04
CHINESE AND JAPANESE LNDEMNI
TIES.

TIES.
WONDERFUL DEVELOPMENT IN JAPAN
AN EARNEST LETTER FROM THE HON. u. &. NouTr.
RoP, SECRETARY OF THE CONNECTICUT STATE
| BOARD OF EDUCATION
| To the EdftOr OF The Tribune
| SIR The report Of the Committee on For
eign Affairs just made in favor OF repayng to China and
Japan the unexpended indemnitcs long held by u.s.
calls for Information in regard them. The Chinese
Indemnity was essentially an OYerpayment made moro
than twenty Every President from Buchanan
to Hayes, and Secretary Of State from Cass TO
EvaTs has held that to this money for our sole ad
vantage would be derogatory to the honor and dignity
of country. Our Ministers to China. including Bur-
lingame, Ward, Low and Others to the present time
have all expressed the sentiments. His imperial
Hlghness, Prince KunR when consulted this subject
said that sefIespect and National pride would forbid
his doing anything that could be construed into a re-
quest being content TO leave it to the American Gov
ernment to follow its OF Justice, but the
turn Of this indemnity would be highly honorable the
United States and advantageous to both countries
The Japanese people justly regard their indemnity as
n cxtOrton. The Dnimo Of ChcsiU, who warned of
foreign vessels from the Straits OF fShtmOnOsekfOr this
Offence-was then rebel" for whose the
japanese Government was hardly responsible
than ours was for those Of JcfesOn Davis during
rebellion. The japanese Government promptly
pressed extreme regrets for those 0urages foreign
commerce, an apology which would have been accepted
from any strong Government The japanese might have
contended that this srait-at points less
than n mile wde-was an Inland arm, subject by the
laws of nations to their own control.
SO far as can learn there is but one opinion among
intelligent people eOnversant with this subject az tho
uslice or this exacOn. III December, 1872, sent to
the Faculties Of all the colleges and prominent educa
tonal institutions Of this country form Of petition to
Congress in favor of returning these indcmniies,
general and prompt response. This collection of
was remarkable IN quality as in quantity. When
pasted together this grand list OF petitioners " was
presented to the House OF Representatives. January o.
1873 by Joseph K. Hawley, where 1t found long
enough TO stretch quite the large hall Of that
body At the same time sent a small tract, prepared
for that purpose to the leading Journals In all the States
with one exception, far ns cOnd learn, the
ents the press favorable to the return of these
indemnics. Since then, ccuring on this subject In
ten different States have found ample proofs OF the
growth OF this sentiment in various parts or the country
Several successive Committees Foreign Affairs have
recommended that this money be refunded Dill Tor
ts pnrposc once passed the House OF Representatives
IN 1872 another BILL RENTING the balance then unpaid
was passed unanimously in the House, but was not
reached I'm the OF business in the Senate Their
rcturn as long seemed TO me TO be only question
OF iimc But the present time is specially opportnne
for this movement The present is n critical time In the
history of japan long treated II she had rights
%e9 n ~, ar & ycrS OF SarIonsl bankpcy The
Innarcso bave been the victims OF frauds nnd
spontions from fore,sn Governments rha as h wei
also made cu0rmou1 outlays IN their grand system
Of internal improvements At one bound Japan has
iumued from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century.
Railroads, ieegrapha. lighthouses ana llghtsips along
Their vast seecoaet tar sxcesdRs faenc
cads dry docks hospitals iron suspension bridges and
uationn army OF 30 600 men, drilled In Frrnch tactics
ma equipped with breechoading tides, among the
many sigma Of material pogie,,s. l.. .,,, 5000
TIE moral aud intccc' ual ndyancements s still more
refnt kabe ns Indicated by the and general thirst
for knowledge especially OF Western science aud civil
forms ~ internal improvements. the organization OF an
admirable pos, office syscm. letters prepaid with penny
" scu" stamps like ours, mint rnpidy coming gold
and silver corresponding In fize aud value TO our own
aud more elegant, daily and weekly PapersIsome OF
Them lustratrd-adoTtlon OF our calendar making sun
day the rrstday the mint post office, custom house
ana All Government Offices. and prohibition OF the sale
OF ubscene books and prints According To the report OF
Postmaster General Mayesima for the year ending July
/ 1S7g the number OF letters newspapers. books aud
ssmres sent through the post oces the last
% 77j 2OO giving an Increase OF IL per cent over
thr previous yc0r. There Was marked development OF
their newspaper enierprise The number of japanese
Journals mailed in 1870 lola per cent more Than In
1873 and 30 cent more than In 1877 Lnouen tnere
nas been the year large increase OF post routes
1S7 srcet leterboxes. the Income OF the Department
| exceeicd the expenditures by Sl2207s TIE Toxic
POST one now Thoroughly and systematically founded,
shows IN pecubiaiy results, an excess whicn mas not
been achieved by similar establishments IN any o'neF
Bat Of al the progressive movements Of Japan. her
educational plans the most signlncAnt. ReanZlnx
that ignorance haa proved source OF waste and weak
ness fhry haYo learned that knO~ledge Is power
the source Oi ndiy yldual thrift md Of national strength
and prosperity When In February. 1877, Arnori Mori,
the former representative Of Japan 10 this country sent
me fOm the Legation Washington formal invitation
(Which was not c0nnrmrd by The Homo Goyernmentl
to accept position under the japanese GOycrnment
which would give you the supervision Of educntOnhl
affairs ana maze you an ayiser or the GoVerhment On
all ihOc subcc ia the Empire or Japap: lie enumer-
aic among the duties 10 he performed the aiding IN or
gnnalng eight colleges 2jO Dlg schools or ncaeines
aud 80 500 PUBLIC schools. Much as has already peep
!
from nny rclcon or dlunishcd appreciation OF euuca-
lion but solely from the financial elnOarfhrshelt cou
sedient upOn hcir rcmarknDe enOrts 10 ,Ia M
n,IG.rn i'm movements IN the bricfret p0Ssnie tne
Thomeh s;lll prospective In many OF It's uetaT tnIs
Grand educational ideal II hil luSpriOh 10 INC
Ardent and ,ntnu7iAstlc, perhaps 'ns
css The obstacles be overcome tbai the auNAhsc9
To follow the introduction OF such system VI uuei'"
eiucaton , a,,..o ,,oot onnost,ion.
nsrVaiivrs nrc still found who deprecate IOielG lu
n,rnre aud recount with MI the force "l gIng III
the many wrongs already suffered from hniotS ILL i'll
,irn,ru I'm ne ROud old days Of SOallO1 anu olu""o'
@ re -. %r,ags IN the honest Judgment OF AL Jnl
nrrc aud indeed of all L"iest minus ~ he face OF
thc t,rts " ihiH Idcmnity outlaRe Dut ~ ions n,
,s,id mo snnlatiuns from abroad aud dlltcuucs u.
hnnr n new has opened i1f Jap,uli l,,InD is the
ali r long HISTORY aud indeed thls reIoihu, 10 liz
hi ~ thaf eyer occurred In the Horu III tue
nn,e mils OF time As an act Oi lstee anu a. ror ON
son of National SYMPATHY hhu wnu W., rn ~ 81 ths in
vr,uIi eYcrt moral Influence OF Grehtcl M MN,u
than the money refunded TcnpNln 1 cnrmrrcr for
and urrPHRlng Amer cHn ihn.'o o,r~nivni m rhr same
En,lnnd FRANCE aud Holland are lntuI'cu ~ ~ ,,nycr
w. ,yiich England wns indeed tho prime mover:
e. ,,,,,iD,, cver moro needed O ncrlteu lnc :?
and cncOura cement OF 'hS r., I our history have
% d ti oDporiunty Of aiding 40 easily III ,Iar fhis
stofinn of n great nation. THIS pam au's' VI i" ~
nrivilcgr we cannot uford 10 nrHcO,I; r. NoDTuroP
CiinL,n Conn. March 23 leeo' ID "' AVN