The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-09-17

Odu TIdAtlSCO, N-dl.- oSDL. 1D.-1H he
steamer Oceanic arrived here this morn
ing from Hong Kong and Yokohama,
bringing japanese advices to Sept. 2.
Little or no intelligence was brought
from China direct, and the following no.
tice, which appears at the head of the
editorial column CT the China Gazette,
newspaper published in Shanghai,
seems to indicate the difficulty of obtain
ing reliable information from Chinese
sources:
In the present position of affairs. it
is utterly useless to attempt to get any
reliable information over the Chinese
wires or from Chinese sources, and we
are compelled therefore, to wait until
the japanese officials account of the
progress of the war between China and
Japan are first published in the press of
the latter country and then get them
telegraphed here. The Chinese have. by
their disgraceful mendacity in the Kow
Shing affair and their refusal to trans
NIT any teleg am which does not glorify
them and mislead the public as to their
true condition. cut themselves off from
all chance of their reports being believed
by people who want to get at the truth,
Ratification of the Treaty.
The Oceanic brings the following cor
Tespondence;
Tolsahoma Sept: 2-tcopyrighted 1894
treaty. between Janan and England was
raufied at Toxic Aug. q.
For the first time the United States has
failed to take adV2 ntage of Japan'S de-
sire to deal primarily with the great re-
public in important international trans
actions.
The OPINION. expressed in Japan is that
negotiations at Washington might have
been concluded long ago. if the state de-
partment had been disposed to act upon
Japanese proposals. AS it is. Great Brit
n CT dc . on = tr0n n
the treaty which the AsatIc empire has
beer urgently striving for more than
twenty years to secure. On one previous
occasion the business was nearly brought
10 q conclusion by Count Okuma, but at
the last moment his plans were defeated
by the violent public demonstrations in
Japan against his method of adjusting
the vexed question of the judiciary. 1t
was, therefore, thought expedient to keep
these later negotiations strictly secret,
and TO allow none of the proposed con-
ditions TO become a subject of popular
discussion until the affair was absolutely
terminated. The announcement, first
made by the emperor. was a surprise to
every one, though vague rumors of what
was contemplated had circulated during
the past few weeks.
No Immediate Benefits.
The treaty confers no immediate advant-
ages upon Japan. AT least 1--WE years must
elapse before 1t goes into operation, and
st Is for Japan to say whether or not
the interval shall be longer, but until
The purpose of this delay is that Japan
shall perfect her judicial system to an
iish law courts. : The existence of for
eign tribunals is one of Jap2n's chief
grievances, and this, SO far as Great
Britain is concerned, Will cease at the
appointed time. The other grievance
interference with the tariff VIII not be
done away with until 1910. when complete
autonomy may he resumed by the simple
process of terminating the treaty. But
from 1899 or whatever date the Japan
csc assign fol-. the agreement 20 come IN IN
force, until eleven years later, when 1t
NAV be cancelled by either party, par
TALLY new tariff viii be adopted, some
what more favorable to Japan man t hilt
not strikingly 81. The import duties now
collected avera - per cent. I'D NaIoren,
Under the new British schedule, the av-
erage is estimated at from 10 per
cent only twenty-nine articles, some OF
which are so sub-divided as TO ms Ike the
total appear thirty-nine, are RAISED accVe
the former rates Of these. silks AMI
sole leather are fixed II IS per cent. ) ne
majority, Including parail.n33 oil, are flXed
at 10 per cent. The aetu1l con.putdtloh'
however, will not be sd v3loreIn
Pv a supplementary convention
<necifc duties will be applied on the
basis of average prices as shown by
the customs returns for SIX months.
The dutiable value of imports Will in
cli,de freights. insurance and commits
sion. items not hitherto reckoned. AS
regards export duties it does not APP
near that any changes are proposed.
The position of Englishmen in Japan
will be in most respects identical with
shat of native subjects. Only two
privileges will be withheld, the right OF
coastwise trade and the right to own
land Buildings may be owned but
land must be held on leases.
Looking 10 the Future.
IT is evident that, in negotiating this
treaty. Japan has not consulted present
gain so much as security for the
future. The difficulties of the existing
system have grown to be intolerable
10 her. and she would almost have
consented to sacrifices for time to
be assured of positive release at a
designated period. Five years hence,
British extra-territorial jurisdiction
will be abolished and Japan expects
that the other powers will likewise
close their consular courts. Sixteen
years hence, she hopes similarly to be
rid of all commercial restrictions. The
burdens of the inter- al are not felt to
be too heavy price to pay for ulti-
mate freedom.
All persons concerned in preparing
snd negotiating the treaty have been
hono,ed with high marks of considera-
ton by the japanese government The
minister Of foreign affairs, Mutsu
Munemitsu has been raised to the
peerage. with the title of viscount,
and a grant of 10000 yen, about $780,
600 in gold AS minister at Washing
ton. five years ago, this official was
well known and very popular in the
eastern part of the United States. He
negotiated the Mexican treaty with
Japail. memorable as the only one,
previous to the instrument just en-
acted. in which Japan's autonomous
rights were recognized. Viscount
Aoki, Japanese envoy at London, re-
4 ale ~, 81 !,
Rising Sun and an annuity Of 749 yen.
Mr.. Hayasfi vice minister of foreign
affairs, is awarded the medal of the
second class, as are also II. w. Deni-
son. the American legal adviser of the
foreign Office, and II. Won Sieboid, an
attache of the London legation.
The services of Messrs. Sato, Ushida,
md Nakada, secretaries of the foreign
office. are .recompensed by decorations
of a lower degree.
1t is curious to observe that the best