The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-07-27
Wa. Grant. Personal Friend.

dDrOSatlOn.
Was Grants Personal Friend.
WASHINGTON, July 26-The news from
Toxic of the recall of the japanese minis
ter, Mr.. Tateno, is confirmed here, but the
reason assigned for the change is said TO
be enormously stated. While there have
been negotiations between the government
of Japan and the United States since 1SS2.
looking to a revision of the treaties, IL hap
pens that little has been done in that re-
spect recently, and that the few notes that
have passed contain no matter that was OBJ
jectionable to our government or that in
the slightest degree could subject Mr.. Ia
teno to censure by his own government.
Furthermore Ii can be positively stated
on the highest authority that the change
in the legation here is no way connected
with the communications addressed to the
Japanese government by the Department
of State respecting the Corean imbrogio
Proof positive to this effect is afforded by
two facts First that a successor to Mr.
Tateno has been appointed, which would
not have been the case had the Japanese
government been disposed to resent Secre-
tary Gresham's representations and, Sec
ond. while Mr. Tateno received his formal
recall within the last forty-eight hours he
was notified about three months ago, and
term had expired and that he would soon
receive notice of his recall.
The fact is that the Japanese government
has its diplomatic service under rigid civil
service rules, and one of it's features is a
rotation in office. No Japanese minister,
IL is said. serves more than three years
at one post, save in exceptional circum-
not be safely transferred from minis
ter to another. Mr.. Tateno has servef i'm
Washington nearly four years, and his re-
lations with our government have been of
the most cordial nature. Ee is not, IL is
stated. detached from the Japanese service.
of envoy extraordinary unattached, and IL
the precedents are followed probably will
become vice minister to one of the de-
partments sufficient evidence that no
stigma attaches to his recall.
Inasmuch as the treaties have been err
roneously suggested a cause for the
change in the legation here ii may be
stated that the japanese government has
been for many years striving to secure
revision of these treaties, and with every
prospect of final success. In the treaties
of 1888 between the United States and
Japan it was stipulated that Americans
committing offense in Japan should be
tried by the American consul-general or
in their treaties with Japan, and thus the
country fell under what is known as Eek
traterritoriaP' jurisdiction, which is equiv
in Japan completely under the rather ar
bitrary control of courts composed OF the
consuls representing the commercial pow
when Japan was in the early stages or
civilization, but OF recent years the best
element of the country has resented keenly
the degradation of being classed with
semi-barbarouS nations, and has striven 10
have the treaties revised so as to permit
their own well-organized judiciary 10 deal
with all matters commonly within its Jurfs-
diCtion in civilized countries. The United
States was the first st nation to hold OUT IA
respect This promise, though. was not full
filled. and in recent years IL has suffered
other nations to advance so far beyond
il that treaties with them have practically
been completed by which Japan takes her
stand among civilized nations with full
admission of her ability 10 administer
justice.
Mr. Tateno's history is interesting He
comes from one of the highest families in
Japan-one of the "two-sworded' class. He
was originally and for many years an
officer of the imperial household and when
General Grant visited Japan ne was spe-
cially designated by the Emperor TO escort
the General during his tour through the
empire strong attachment sprang up
between the two men, many valuable pres
ents were exchanged, and a friendly cor
respondence was kept up between them
until the death OF General Grant Mr..
Tateno afterwards became Governor OF the
province of Osaka, and by his kindly adj
ministration endeared himself TO the large
foreign colony. who recognized his efforts
in their behalf. especially on the occasion
of the great foods, by handsome testimon-
ials. He held this post ten years, ana
Senate which place he reinquished 10 ac-
cept the appointment in January, 1881, OF
japanese minister TO Washington.
Mr. Kentaro Kaneko. who Will succeed
Mr. Tateno is a man OF erudition and OF
distinction in his own country. He was
educated in the United States, and Is a
graduate of Harvard and of the Cambridge
Law School. He is about forty-two years
old and has acquired fame as parliament
tartan. He visited the leading countries OF
Europe and made an exhaustive study or
their systems OF government. and. return
ing to Japan, framed the code of parliament
tary practice which governs their Senate
and House. He was general secretary OF
the Imperial House OF Peers. position cor
responding to that of Secretary of State
the post of Vice Minister Of Agriculture
and Commerce.