Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-20
FURTHERED BY A FANATIC
Effect of the Shooting Of Ii Hung Chang
on the Peace Negotiations.
Importance of the Recent Conference
of China and Japan's ENJOYS
TO Diplomacy.

1.-THE conference Of the Japan-Ci1ina peace
ENJOYS, which has just. closed. will be his
toric in the annals of diplomacy" said a
veteran member of the diplomatic corps.
who has had exceptional facilities for OBJ
servation. "It has advanced Counts Ito
and Mutsu, the Japanese ENJOYS, to a front
rank in the worlds diplomats, and 1t has
shown that the venerable Ii Hung Chang
has not lost his cunning. One of the re-
markable incidents Of the conference was
that the shooting Of Ii Hung Chang was
the small circumstance accomplishing great
results. Up to that time the war spirit
among the Japanese people was irrecon-
/ cilable, and the. best efforts of Ito and
Mutsu toward peace threatened to be flu
tile in the face of the popular demand FOR
more war. But with the shooting of Ii by
fanatic there was a revulsioRs of public
feeling. popular sentiment to repair the
indIgnity was aroused. This supplemented
the efforts of the ENJOYS and made peace
settlement possible The moderation of the
terms Japan has secured is sure to COM
mend itself when the circumstances are
understood. An Indemnity of 200,U0.00O
taels is insignificant when compared with
the indemnity France paid Germany. 1t
represents compensation for Japan's out
lay, and Is probably short of the money
actually spent. When one considers the
rnbroken line of Japan's victories and the
occupation by her armies of China's strong
|
dent
|, Value OF FOrmOsn to Japan.
"rhe permanent cession of Formosa to
jar an means much to commerce. The is
land is rich in sugar and tea. Japan has
heretofore imported sS0,OG0,0oO worth of
sugar annually, nine-tenths of which has
come from Formosa- Now she will have this
great sugar region at home The Formosa
tea Is not the highest grade. but 1t Is one
of the best for commercial purposes. The
people of Formosa are a savage and bar
barouS class of Chinese, many OF them be-
ing cannibals. But Japan has already dealt
with them, and has taught them subsection.
In 1874 Japan sent an expedition against
Formosa uprising and quelled 1t, although
China and the United States Joined in pro-
testing against the intervention, Now that
the island Is permanently coded to Japan,
me dern methods will be introduced, and the
wonderful fertility of the island will be de-
veloped.
ut will not be white elephant to
Japan, as some have asserted. The Chinese
residents will not be given the franchise
until they are thoroughly Japanfzed. Set
established on the island and it will soon
lose its Chinese characteristics
Doubts About the Alliance.
1.-THE opening Of China to commerce is
another important gain for the commercial
world at large. Under the favored-nation
clause China will grant to all nations the
same privileges now allowed to Japan.
THE reports of an offensive and defen-
sive alliance between Japan and China are
entirely untrGstworthy. Such alliances,
when made, are never announced. The fact
that the triple alliance exists has never
been officially stated. If such an arrange
China, which doubt, it will not be given to
the world!oi"i -.''-'-e d.