Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-16
On the Correspondence in the Japa-
nese Students Case.
Mr.. GRESHAM'S CON CLUSIO Ms
Not Considered Borne Out by the
Letter Submitted.
WHAT MR.. LODGE SAYS

The notable variance between Secretary
Gresham's letter of transmission sum-
marking the correspondence on the execu-
ton Of Japanese students and the char
acter of the correspondence itself Is exc1t-
ins wide comment. Yesterday afternoon
Mr. Gresham's letter alone was published.
This made 1t appear that the students turn
ed ever to The Chinese authorities by the
American consul, and beheaded by the
Chinese, were unquestionably spies, and
their execution proper. The corre-
spondence itself appears to put very diff
ferent phase on the question, and it is conf
me ented upon as remarkable that MIR.
Gresham should have found in it any war
rant for the turn which he gave to his
synopsis. Most of the readers contented
themselves with perusal of the letter of
Mr.. Gresham. and were thus entirely mis-
led until a few men W ho devote especial at
tention to foreign affairs pointed out the
great dissimilarity between this letter and
the correspondence quoted in the press.
Something to Say Later.
The full correspondence has been sent to
the printing office to be printed for the use
Of Congress, and when it is returned, so
that careful study of it may be had. Mr..
Lodge and other republicanss will have
something to say on the subject. 1t was
with the utmost astonishment after read
ing Mr.. Gresham'S letter that those who
went further and read the correspondence
discovered that our minister to China, our
minister to Japan and our consul general
at Shanghai all insisted that the two stu
dents who were sacrificed were not spies
at ALL and that the precedent which would
be made by their being turned over to the
Chinese authorities to be beheaded would
be extremely dangerous to foreign citizens
in China.
No MfsapprchensiOn as to Authority.
The protestations Of Mr.. DENLY and Mr..
Jernigan that there was no misapprehen-
sion on the part of the consul general as
to his authority; that he was acting within
his authority and the proprieties Of the
case and that he was sustained by all the
foreign representatives at Shanghai, seems
to give very little warrant for the view of
the cass which Mr.. Gresham presents.
The earnest argument Of the consul gen
eral against being compelled to surrender
these students, coupled with the statement
that the highest officials of all nationali-
ties are against Surrendering them with
out conditions. and his final statement
when compelled to make the surrender by
orders of the department, that you seem
not to understand the position here" is
pointed out as entirely antagonistic to the
analysis made Of the correspondence by
Mr.. Gresham.
Senator Lodge on whose resolution the
correspondence relating to the execution of
the Chinese students was sent to the Sen
ate, said to Star reporter today: II read
this correspondence in the original manu-
script before my resolution was intro
duced 1 intend to read it over again care
fully as soon as it comes from the printers
and will endeavor to speak on the subject
in the Senate. Unfortunately, there is no
action I know OF that the Senate can take
in the matter. My reading Of the corre-
spondence is entirely different from that of
Secretary Gresham. I don't see where he
finds any warrant for the construction
which he puts upon it in his synopsis. In
stead of these students being confessed
spies our representative in China insisted
and goes on to prove that they were not
spies at all and that there was nothing
to sustain the charge against them except
the assertion of the Chinese. How Mr..
Gresham could find warrant for his in
depreciation I cannot understand. During
the Franco-Prussan war our minister, Mr..
Washburn. who had identically the same
instructions as those Of Mr.. DENLY, ex-
ercised his good offices and saved the lives
of many people.
Peculiar Condition In Shanghai.
Moreover, the condition in Shanghai is
peculiar. Residents there are tried by the
consular courts and what our consul gen
eral proposed 10 do in the case of the
Japanese students was exactly in accord
ance with the laws and customs of the
city, which is practically foreign city in
China. The exceptional feature CT the case
was the surrender of these men to the Chi
nese. There would have been nothing eX
ceptional or strange In the course which
the consul general proposed to follow, and
it was in accordance with the usa ges of
foreign authorities. The principle in
volved in this surrender might prove dis
astrous to Americans and other foreign
citizens in case Of a war with China"