The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-19
The Meaning of the Treaty.

The meaning OF the treaty between ia
pan and China seems TO be that Japan is
TO control the destiny Of China. The little
nation OF 100000 OF people is to practi-
caily dominate the. big nation OF 400.
o0.o0 OF people.
The terms Of the treaty have been
stated in our dispatches. They ere the
independence or Korea. the retention by
Japan Of the places she has conquered.
the retention by Japan Of the territory
east Of the Lao river. the permanent
cession of the island Of Formosa to ia
pan. the payment TO Japan Of an in
demnity Of $lO0.g0OOO and an alIl-
ance. offensive and defensive. between
Japan and China.
Korea viii be independent in name only
Japan viii dominate her as completely
as If she was a part Of her territory.
The places which japan has conquered.
and the territory east Of the Lao river.
which Japan is to retain, will give Japan
a strong hold upon China and enable her
to direct China's political and CONNER
cial affairs. The taking Of the island OF
Formosa means that Japan does not in
tend that England shall have any Of
Chna's territory. England has been cast
ing longing eyes upon that island. and
hoped that events would so shape them
selves that she would be able to get it.
The Indemnity is much smaller than 1t
was expected IL would be-about $500. 900
in silver-but IN the small indemnity and
the clause OF the treaty providing for an
alliance is seen Japan's policy. She did
not want to demand larger sum than
China could pay without, perhaps. provok-
ing domestic troubles. and troubles of
that sor, she does not want. She wants
peace in China and she wants China for
an ally that she can dominate and mold
to her Will
The men at the head of Japanese affairs
have "a far-reaching policy. They have
confidence in Japans future. They be-
licve she is to be the greatest of all ma
tons In a recent interview. Count Oku-
ma. an ex-minister of foreign affairs of
Japan, SAID that European powers were
already showing symptoms of decay, that
they could not last longer than the next
generation, and he intimated that Japan
would then become the great power OF
the world.
The japanese are exceedingly ambitious.
They think their civilization is superior
to that of Christian countries. In some
respects it probably is The japanese
certainly know in what respect the civiu-
zation Of Christian countries is superior
to theirs. and they have not hesitated to
adopt whatever they have thought could
be used for their own advancement. They
have a navy of modern warships and their
army is equipped with modern nipple
ments of war and is modelled upon the
best drilled army OF Europe.
1t can be readily seen, therefore, that
japan has dreams OF greatness and plans
that reach far beyond this century. She
hopes probably. not only to bring her
own soldiers up to the highest standard of
excellence, but, having bound China to
hor. to shape out of the millions of
Chinas population armies that she can
use TO compel the rest of the world to
respect her power and comply with her
wishes.
Japan has more than sustained the
claim she made when she declared war
upon China. She claimed respect as a
first class power and she has demon
strated her right to it, If she succeeds
in her plans in respect to China, and.
therefore, has the assistance of the Chin
csc, she may become the mistress of all
Asia and even make her influence re-
spccted in the politics or Europe. The pos
sibiNty Of something of that sort may cause
European nations to object to the treaty
which has been agreed to by Japan and
China. There are signs that they are not
satisfied with it.