Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-01-24
HAS HE BLuNDERED

Criticised. and Secretary of State Gresh-
am Held Up to RidicuIc for AHoWing
the Sly Japanese Minister Kurino 20 CIR
cumvent Him in Many Important Partic-
uIars.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 19.-The latest
manifestations of Mr.. Gresham's ten
dency to blunder will be made evident
when the senate in executive session
takes up for consideration the much
mooted treaty with Japan. The sec
rotary of state has been disposed to
consider the negotiation of this treaty
as a marked instance of wise dlplo-
macy and broad-minded and liberal
craftsmanship. He has pointed out
that this re-entrance of the United
States into oriental diplomacy would
be attended by enormous advantages
to the United States. following
upon the warm sentiment of ad-
miration and respect which the
concessions made in the treaty
by the United States would in
spire in the hearts of the entire Japa-
nese nation. Secretary Gresham has
been pictured as reaching out in
highly protective and benignant man
ner the hand of amity to japanese
Minister Kurino, assuring him that the
United States desired to recognize in
Japan a power coequal with any in
the world in poin' of civilization and
entitled to the same consideration
which would be extended to the most
powerful nation il Europe.
One of the concessions which is pro-
posed in the treaty abandons the right
of American citizens accused of offenses
in Japan to be tried in consular courts
and turns them over to take their
chances before the native tribunals of
Japan. This will not be passed over
hurriedly by the senate. The crit
icisms to which the Japanese as ma
ton have been exposed in consequence
of the horrible massacre at Port Ar
thur has led many Americans to be-
lieve that if japanese be scratched
an oriental barbarian will be dis
covered beneath the superficial veneer
of civilization. But in two other par
ticular parts of the treaty the United
States will be seriously affected in the
internal and material interests if the
treaty should be adopted in the form
in which Mr.. Gresham's capacity for
laundering and Mr.. Kurino'S capacity
for getting the best of it have caused
it to be sent to the senate.
The first of these points relates to
the favored-nation clause. In it Mr..
Gresham thinks he has secured a tri-
umph, for it binds both Japan and the
U nited States for period of ten years
from 1900-the year in which most of
the treaty provisions take effect-and
is terminable thereafter only on one
years notice. Mr.. Gresham evidently
concluded that this would prevent any
European power from obtaining undue
advantages over the United States in
Japan by any treaty regulations for a
period of time long enough to secure
beyond question Americas supremacy
in the markets of Japan. But Mr..
Gresham unfortunately overlook ed
the fact that the United States
has already several treaties containing
favored-nation clauses, and that every
such nation thus in treaty with the
United States would. upon the adoption
of the japanese treaty, be in position
to demand a ten-years' extension of
the characterization clause on the part
of the United States from 1900 to 1910,
while retaining for itself alone the
right to. terminate the favored-nation
clause with regard to the United States
on the limited notice contained in ex-
listing treaties. The jug-handle ar
rangement has probably escaped the
attention of Mr.. Gresham, but it GER
tainly did not deceive the astute Kuri-
no, who entered into it with seeming
reluctance, but with sly or contented
smile.
The second point of the objection is
one which concerns every inventor and
manufacturer in the United States.
The treaty provides for the reciprocal
granting of patents to citizens of the
Uunited States by Japan and to citi-
zens of Japan by the United States.
This does not go into effect for five
years. While it is true that citizens
of the United States take out a
great many patents and citizens
of Japan very few, still the
cunning Japanese manufacturers
already producing thousands of arti-
cles of everyday use and pirating hum
dreds of American patented inventions,
will not only be able to continue their
piracy for the next five years, but will
continue to have free use of every
American invention patented before
1900, Notwithstanding the fact that the
American patents will be alive in
America for many years after.